You can customize the WooCommerce cart page by adjusting the layout, improving the cart experience, adding trust elements, simplifying the checkout flow, and using WooCommerce settings, blocks, or plugins to control how the cart behaves.
For most WordPress websites, the cart page is one of the most important steps before checkout. A poorly designed cart often leads to abandoned purchases, while a clean and simple cart helps visitors move toward payment with fewer distractions. After improving the cart, the next step is usually to customize the WooCommerce checkout page so the full buying process feels clear and easy.
Table of Contents
Why the WooCommerce Cart Page Matters
Many WooCommerce store owners spend time customizing product pages and checkout pages but leave the cart page untouched. By default, the WooCommerce cart works well enough to function, but it usually is not optimized for conversions, usability, or mobile experience.
In most ecommerce sites I build, the cart page is where users decide whether they are comfortable continuing to checkout. Small improvements can make a noticeable difference.
A good cart page should help customers:
- Review products clearly
- Understand shipping costs
- Update quantities easily
- Apply coupons without confusion
- Feel confident about checkout
- Move quickly toward payment
If the cart feels cluttered or difficult to use, customers often leave before completing the purchase.
What You Can Customize on the WooCommerce Cart Page
WooCommerce allows you to customize several parts of the cart page, including:
- Cart layout
- Quantity selectors
- Coupon fields
- Shipping calculator
- Cross-sell products
- Trust badges
- Cart notices
- Button styling
- Mobile responsiveness
- Recommended products
- Free shipping progress bars
You can do this with:
- Built-in WooCommerce settings
- Block editor customization
- Page builders
- WooCommerce plugins
- Custom CSS
- Theme customization
The best approach depends on how much control you want and how comfortable you are editing your site.
How to Customize the WooCommerce Cart Page
Step 1: Open the Cart Page in WordPress
Go to:
Pages → Cart
Most WooCommerce installations automatically create the cart page during setup.
If your store uses the newer WooCommerce Cart Block, you can edit the layout directly in the block editor.
If your site still uses shortcode-based pages, you may see this shortcode:
[woocommerce_cart]The shortcode version gives less visual control compared to the newer block-based cart.
Step 2: Decide Between Cart Blocks or Classic Cart
WooCommerce now supports two cart systems. WooCommerce also provides official documentation explaining how the newer Cart and Checkout Blocks work and how they differ from the classic shortcode setup.
Cart Blocks
The newer system built with Gutenberg blocks.
Benefits:
- Easier layout editing
- Better mobile responsiveness
- Improved checkout flow
- More customization options
Classic Cart
The older shortcode system.
Benefits:
- Better compatibility with older themes
- Works with some legacy plugins
For most newer WordPress websites, I usually recommend using the WooCommerce Cart Block unless your theme or plugins require the older system.
Step 3: Improve the Cart Layout
A clean cart layout makes the page easier to scan.
Focus on:
- Clear product images
- Readable pricing
- Large quantity controls
- Visible checkout button
- Minimal distractions
Try to avoid:
- Too many sidebar widgets
- Large banners
- Excessive upsells
- Complicated coupon sections
The goal is to keep users moving toward checkout.
Step 4: Customize Cart Colors and Buttons
Your cart page should match the rest of your website design.
You can usually adjust:
- Button colors
- Typography
- Border styles
- Spacing
- Checkout button appearance
Go to:
Appearance → Customize
Some themes also include WooCommerce-specific design settings.
In my experience, the checkout button should always stand out visually from the rest of the page. Many themes make secondary buttons too similar to the primary checkout action.
Step 5: Add Trust Signals
Trust signals help reduce hesitation before checkout.
Useful trust elements include:
- Secure payment badges
- Refund policies
- Shipping information
- Return guarantees
- Customer reviews
- Delivery estimates
These small additions often improve conversion rates because visitors feel more comfortable completing the order.
Keep trust signals simple and avoid cluttering the cart with too many graphics.
Step 6: Add Cross-Sells Carefully
WooCommerce supports cross-sell products directly inside the cart.
Examples:
- Accessories
- Related products
- Frequently bought together items
This can increase average order value, but moderation matters.
One mistake I frequently see is stores adding too many product recommendations inside the cart. That can distract customers from checkout rather than helping them.
Usually, a small section with 2–4 relevant products works best.
Step 7: Improve Mobile Cart Experience
A large percentage of WooCommerce traffic now comes from mobile devices.
Check your cart page on:
- Phones
- Tablets
- Smaller laptop screens
Pay close attention to:
- Button sizes
- Quantity selectors
- Coupon fields
- Shipping calculator layout
- Sticky checkout buttons
A cart page that works well on desktop but feels difficult on mobile often causes unnecessary abandoned carts.
Step 8: Add a Free Shipping Progress Bar
Free shipping progress bars are commonly used in ecommerce stores because they encourage slightly larger orders.
Example:
“You are €12 away from free shipping.”
This works especially well for:
- Clothing stores
- Small product stores
- Beauty products
- Accessories
Several WooCommerce plugins can add this feature without custom coding.
Useful WooCommerce Plugins for Cart Customization
Some plugins that are commonly used for cart improvements include:
- WooCommerce Cart All in One
- FunnelKit Cart
- Side Cart WooCommerce
- WooCommerce Fast Cart
- CartFlows
Choose plugins carefully and avoid installing multiple plugins that modify the same cart functions.
Too many WooCommerce extensions can slow down your website or create conflicts.
Common WooCommerce Cart Mistakes
Overcomplicating the Cart
The cart should move customers toward checkout, not distract them with too many offers or design elements.
Hiding Shipping Costs
Unexpected shipping costs are one of the biggest causes of abandoned carts.
Be transparent early.
Weak Mobile Design
Small buttons and difficult quantity controls create frustration on mobile devices.
Slow Cart Performance
Heavy plugins, animations, or poorly optimized themes can slow down the cart page significantly.
In most WooCommerce sites I optimize, cart speed improvements often produce better results than adding more visual features.
When to Use Cart Plugins vs Theme Customization
Use Theme Customization If:
- You only need basic styling changes
- Your theme already supports WooCommerce well
- You want fewer plugins
Use Plugins If:
- You want advanced cart features
- You need slide-out carts
- You want upsells or funnels
- You need conversion-focused cart tools
For most beginner websites, starting simple is usually the better approach.
Final Thoughts
The WooCommerce cart page has a direct impact on whether visitors complete their purchase or leave your website.
A good cart page should feel simple, fast, and easy to use. Focus on clarity, mobile usability, visible checkout actions, and reducing unnecessary friction.
Most stores do not need an overly customized cart. Small practical improvements often produce better results than adding complicated features or aggressive upsells.
Etienne Basson works with website systems, SEO-driven site architecture, and technical implementation. He writes practical guides on building, structuring, and optimizing websites for long-term growth.