Cross-Border Cart Abandonment: Top Reasons, Fixes and the Best Checkout Payment Options to Reduce It

Last updated: 17 October 2026

The average cart abandonment rate is over 70%, and it's even higher for cross-border sales, where unexpected fees, slow shipping, complicated checkouts and missing payment methods give shoppers more reasons to leave.

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In Canada, the best checkout payment options to reduce cart abandonment include Affirm and Afterpay for buy now, pay later.

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1. Hidden duties & shipping fees drive cart abandonment

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Unexpected fees at checkout are the biggest reason shoppers abandon their carts. International customers, in particular, are deterred by duties, taxes, and high shipping costs that only appear at the final step.

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The cause

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Customers get frustrated when they reach the checkout page only to find extra costs (import duties, taxes, high shipping fees) that weren't visible earlier. 56% of shoppers abandon carts due to unexpected costs.

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The fix

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• Use upfront duty & tax calculations: Show landed costs so customers know exactly what they'll pay.
• Offer prepaid duties (DDP shipping): Reduce friction by covering duties upfront. OpenBorder collects duty at checkout in every market, as part of the order total.
• Localize shipping options: Provide regional carrier choices for cost-effective delivery.

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Example: Bloom Nutrition, a US-based supplements company, tackled cart abandonment in the UK market with localized pricing and saw a 40% improvement in conversions.

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2. Complicated checkout kills conversions

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A lengthy or confusing checkout process causes shoppers to give up before completing their purchase. This is especially true for international buyers who may face additional form fields and security checks.

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The cause

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A slow, multi-step checkout process creates frustration, especially for global customers. Forms that require too much manual input, confusing address fields, or forced account creation lead to high abandonment rates.

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The fix

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• Enable one-page checkout: Minimize friction by putting every step on one screen.
• Allow guest checkout: Don't force account creation.
• Auto-fill addresses: Use AI and geolocation to speed up form completion.

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Example: Not even the mighty Nike has been able to escape the downsides of multi-step checkouts. Recognizing that mandatory account creation can deter purchases, Nike offers a guest checkout option to shorten the process and reduce potential abandonment.

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3. Lack of local payment options blocks sales

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Shoppers prefer to pay with familiar methods, and offering the wrong ones can dramatically reduce conversions, especially in global markets.

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The cause

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Global customers expect region-specific payment options like Klarna in Germany and Afterpay in Australia. Shoppers who can't find them are more likely to abandon their carts.

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The fix

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• Offer local payment methods: Integrate popular region-specific options.
• Display payment choices early: Show accepted methods before checkout.
• Enable Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options: Increase affordability for international buyers.

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Example: Abercrombie & Fitch Co., the well-known U.S.-based e-commerce retailer, has integrated Klarna's payment services into its German operations. This collaboration allows customers in Germany to choose flexible payment options, such as paying immediately, later, or over time. 

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4. Slow or expensive international shipping leads to drop-offs

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Customers expect fast and affordable delivery. If shipping is slow or too costly, they'll abandon their carts in favor of competitors with better logistics.

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The cause

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Many brands rely on domestic fulfillment for international orders, leading to long delivery times and expensive shipping. Customers expect faster and cheaper options, especially with major marketplaces setting high standards.

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The fix

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• Use regional warehouses: Reduce delivery times by storing inventory closer to customers.
• Offer multiple shipping speeds: Give customers options between economy and express.
• Partner with local carriers: Lower costs by working with country-specific logistics providers.

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Example:

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Bambu Earth, a US-based skincare brand, has been able to cut international shipping costs by 70% by ensuring all the above criteria are met.

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5. Unclear return policies create purchase anxiety

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Cross-border shoppers hesitate to complete purchases if return policies are unclear or complicated. A lack of confidence in returns can drastically lower conversions.

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The cause

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Cross-border returns are often expensive and complicated. If customers don't understand how returns work or if they fear they'll lose money on an unreturnable item, they won't complete the purchase.

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The fix

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• Make return policies clear & easy to find: Display policies on product pages and checkout.
• Offer local return hubs: Reduce costs for both you and your customers. OpenBorder has international return hubs all over the world.
• Provide prepaid return labels: Boost trust and conversion rates.

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Example: Obvi, a fast-growing US-based wellness brand, has been able to scale its global sales from <10% to 30% of total revenue in just one year, of which a major contributor was its ability to offer up faster, cost-effective international returns via local return hubs.

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6. Poor localization creates friction in the buying process

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For international customers, seeing an unfamiliar language or currency can be enough to stop them from completing a purchase.

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The cause

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Many brands don't fully localize their shopping experience. A shopper in Japan might see prices in USD and English-only product descriptions, with no local sizing guide, and hesitate.

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The fix

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• Display prices in local currencies: Prevent confusion by auto-converting based on the shopper's location.

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• Offer multi-language support: Translate product descriptions and checkout pages.
• Use localized size charts: Reduce uncertainty around fit and returns.

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Example: 

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Lumin, a US-based men's skin care brand, managed to get 52% of their revenue purely from international markets. One of the critical contributing factors was implementing multilingual support on their website (powered by OpenBorder).

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Best checkout payment options to reduce cart abandonment

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Offer cards in every market, then add the methods shoppers in each market already use.

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By payment type

• Cards (Visa, Mastercard and others): show and charge the price in the shopper's own currency.
• PayPal: a fallback for shoppers who won't type card details into a store they haven't bought from before.
• Apple Pay and Google Pay: show them to shoppers on mobile.
• Buy now, pay later (BNPL): spreads the cost of a larger basket.

BNPL providers and PayPal by market

• UK: Klarna and Clearpay, plus PayPal.
• EU-27: Klarna and PayPal.
• Canada: Affirm and Afterpay.
• Australia: Afterpay.

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OpenBorder's local payment processing runs a UK shopper's payment as a UK transaction and a German shopper's as a German one, rather than as a foreign currency payment.

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Request a demo for the markets where your international carts drop off.

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FAQ

Do I need a local company to sell in the UK, EU-27, Canada or Australia?

Not when you sell through OpenBorder, which acts as merchant of record in each of those markets.

Is duty collected at checkout in markets where OpenBorder isn't merchant of record?

Yes. Duty is collected at checkout in every market, and OpenBorder acts as importer of record all over the world.