What to know about one-click checkout

Forget navigating through multiple screens and manually entering payment details. One-click checkout has become a way for shoppers to streamline their purchasing process.

Learn more about one-click checkout and the potential benefits and downsides that can come with using it.

What is one-click checkout?

One-click checkout, also known as one-click pay or one-click buy, is an online purchasing process that allows shoppers to make a purchase with a couple clicks, eliminating the need to repeatedly enter personal and payment information.

One-click payments generally store customer details — such as name, payment information, billing information, email address, and shipping location — within the payment processor. This can enable shoppers to complete transactions quickly and potentially provide a convenient shopping experience.

How does one-click checkout work?

One-click checkout can offer people a fast and potentially hassle-free way to shop. Processes may vary depending on the website or payment processor. Here is an example of how the setup process may work:

• The buyer selects a product and adds it to their cart.
• On the checkout page, the buyer would select the payment processor’s button.
• This will take the buyer to the payment processor’s website, prompting the buyer to input their personal and payment information. They can then choose to save these details with the payment processor and enable a one-click method for future purchases. If enabled, future purchases would not require the buyer to input all of this information again.
• Back on the checkout page, the system then automatically populates the necessary fields, such as name, email address, shipping address, and payment method. Other details may be required.
• The buyer reviews the pre-filled information.
• With a final confirmation click, the buyer's payment is securely processed using the stored payment method and the purchase is made.

Depending on the payment provider and website being shopped, future purchases may still require the buyer to confirm or select their details on the payment processor’s website after clicking the processor’s button at checkout. Some websites or processors may automatically input the buyer’s information after clicking the button, and some may require a code or authentication for information to auto-fill.

While one-click checkout means the purchasing process may be more streamlined, it may technically require several clicks as opposed to “one click”, depending on the website being shopped and the payment processor.

Potential benefits of one-click checkout

One-click checkout is designed to help accelerate the shopping experience. It can offer potential benefits to buyers. Examples include:

Fast and simple purchasing

With one-click checkout, buyers can enjoy fast checkout with a few quick clicks. It may eliminate the need to fill in multiple forms or repeatedly enter personal information. The process may also reduce time spent during checkout and reduce the potential for errors, such as entering an incorrect billing or shipping address.

One-click checkout can be beneficial for repeat purchases. After buyers have completed the initial checkout process, their information may be securely stored for future transactions.

Suited for small ticket items

By eliminating the need for manual entry of personal and payment information, one-click checkout may help streamline the purchasing process for low-ticket items. It can potentially enable customers to quickly purchase items without a lengthy checkout experience. This may be particularly helpful for easy-to-forget items that people need but don’t want to spend too much time ordering.

For example, someone may be doing some work around their home. They realize they need something small like a roll of duct tape but think they might forget to order it once they’re done with the task at hand. They could utilize one-click checkout to efficiently complete the purchase for that small item, avoiding manually refilling all their details, and getting back to their work quickly.

Potential risks of one-click checkout

Potential disadvantages of one-click checkout may include:

Impulse purchases

The speed and ease of one-click checkout may make impulse purchases more tempting. With the ability to complete a transaction quickly, shoppers may be more inclined to make spontaneous buying decisions.

It's important for buyers to exercise caution and mindful decision-making when using one-click checkout to prevent overspending or accumulating unnecessary items.