As of 2025, there are currently 30.7 million live eCommerce store domains worldwide, a figure that has tripled since 2019. On the other hand, the global eCommerce revenue has also increased to USD 4.33 trillion in 2025, from USD 1.94 trillion in 2019. With this rapid growth comes intense competition and many businesses are prioritising customer experience as a key differentiator.
While large enterprises can afford bespoke platforms and complex integrations, smaller merchants and startups often need something leaner and quicker to launch. For these businesses, a shopping cart plugin is one of the most effective and affordable ways to start selling online, without investing heavily in technical development.
The shopping cart plays a crucial role in shaping the customer journey, influencing satisfaction and the final decision to complete a purchase. According to Statista, the most wanted eCommerce innovation across all generations is frictionless payments. A clunky or confusing shopping cart can cost you sales, while an intuitive one can build trust and drive conversions.
If you're looking to improve your checkout experience or launch your eCommerce store with limited resources, here are four reasons why a shopping cart plugin might be the ideal solution.
What is a shopping cart plugin?
A shopping cart plugin is a software extension that adds eCommerce functionality to your website. It allows customers to select products, review their choices and complete their purchase through a streamlined checkout process.
Designed to integrate seamlessly with popular website platforms like Magento, OpenCart, WooCommerce, Spree, Shopware, XCart, ZenCart or Prestashop these plugins handle everything from product listings to payment processing. They take care of essential eCommerce tasks behind the scenes, such as calculating shipping, applying discounts and collecting payment securely.
In short, a shopping cart plugin transforms a standard website into a fully functioning online store, making it easier for you to manage sales and for customers to shop with confidence.
Here are the four reasons why your eCommerce store might need a shopping cart plugin:
1. Optimised user experience for increased conversions
The user experience (UX) directly impacts your conversion rates. A complicated, slow or hard-to-navigate cart system can lead to frustration and cart abandonment. The average cart abandonment rate is currently 70% and this number is higher for industries like beauty & personal care (80.99%), home & furniture (79.28%), luxury (79.24%) and fashion (79.24%). With a shopping cart plugin, you streamline this process, ensuring that adding items, reviewing the cart and completing the checkout is easy and intuitive.
These plugins are built with the customer in mind, often offering features like live updates, product suggestions and the ability to save carts for later. When customers can effortlessly navigate their purchase, they’re far more likely to follow through and complete the transaction. Smooth checkout means fewer obstacles and that can translate into more sales.
2. Mobile friendly design to meet shopper expectations
The global mobile commerce revenue is expected to be USD 2.51 trillion. This accounts for 59% of the total eCommerce revenue, proving that consumers shopping via smartphones and tablets have surpassed the number of consumers shopping via desktops. Therefore, ensuring your shopping cart is mobile friendly is a must.
Shopping cart plugins are often designed to be fully responsive, adjusting automatically to any device. This means no matter where your customers are or what device they use, they will enjoy a consistent, streamlined, easy-to-use checkout. With mobile optimised carts, you reduce friction and make it easier for shoppers to complete purchases on the go, something that can significantly boost your sales potential.
3. Customisation options to match your brand and needs
Every business is unique and so are its customers. That’s why having the ability to customise your shopping cart is essential. Shopping cart plugins offer a variety of customisation options, allowing you to tweak everything from the design and layout to payment and shipping options.
With emerchantpay’s eCommerce platform integrations, merchants can also choose between different customisation options for the user interface that appears to the end customer. This control allows you to simplify the process, reduce friction and create a payment process that aligns with your brand’s tone and priorities.
Additionally, you have the option to memorise returning customers’ details, enabling faster future purchases. This not only improves convenience but also increases the likelihood of repeat business.
Whether you’re offering digital downloads, subscriptions or physical goods, having the freedom to personalise the checkout helps build trust, enhance satisfaction and create a smooth, branded setup, your customers will remember.
4. Enhanced security and payment flexibility
In eCommerce, trust is everything and nothing undermines it faster than security concerns. When customers reach the checkout page, they need complete confidence that their personal and payment data is protected. A shopping cart plugin plays a vital role here, offering enterprise-grade security features such as SSL encryption, fraud detection tools and secure payment tokenisation. These features meet industry standards and they help reassure customers that your store takes their safety seriously.
Equally important is giving customers the freedom to pay their way. Shopping cart plugins, such as those offered by emerchantpay, typically support integration with a variety of payment methods, from cards and PayPal to digital wallets and instalment plans. This flexibility removes barriers to purchase and caters to different preferences across regions and demographics. When you combine advanced security with flexible payment options, you create a checkout journey that feels safe and convenient, all key drivers of increased conversions and long-term loyalty.
Ready to launch or grow your online store with emerchantpay?
eCommerce success hinges on delivering a smooth, secure and flexible checkout journey, especially for smaller merchants and startups where every sale matters. A shopping cart plugin offers a practical, affordable way to launch or enhance your online store with minimal technical effort.
With emerchantpay’s integrations, you can tailor the customer-facing set up to varying degrees, depending on the integration model in use. This level of personalisation allows businesses to streamline the checkout experience in a way that aligns with their setup, helping to create a smoother process for end users. Even modest adjustments can contribute meaningfully to customer confidence and long-term loyalty.
As your business grows, your plugin setup can scale with you, supporting increased traffic, expanding product ranges and new payment preferences without compromising on performance or security. By investing in the right shopping cart solution now, you’re setting your business up for long-term success.
Ready to launch or grow your online store? Contact us to learn more about our shopping cart plugins and see how easily you can start accepting payments with emerchantpay.