How to put the Payment Method in WooCommerce on Another Page
As an ecommerce store owner, you're always looking for ways to optimize the checkout process and provide a frictionless experience for your customers. One common issue that arises is the placement of the payment method section within the WooCommerce checkout. Many store owners prefer to have this section on a separate page, rather than on the main checkout page, to streamline the process and reduce potential distractions.
Unfortunately, there is no built-in functionality in WooCommerce to easily move the payment method to a different page. However, with a bit of custom coding, you can achieve this goal and enhance the overall user experience of your online store.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process of relocating the payment method section in WooCommerce to a separate page. By the end of this article, you'll have a fully functional solution that will improve the checkout flow and potentially boost your conversion rates.
Why Move the Payment Method to a Separate Page?
Before we dive into the technical details, let's explore the benefits of separating the payment method from the main checkout page:
-
Improved Checkout Flow: By placing the payment options on a dedicated page, you can streamline the checkout process and minimize distractions for your customers. This can lead to a more focused and efficient experience, potentially reducing abandoned carts.
-
Enhanced User Experience: Separating the payment method from the rest of the checkout can create a cleaner, more organized layout. This can make the checkout process feel more intuitive and straightforward for your customers.
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Increased Perceived Security: Some customers may feel more secure when the payment details are on a separate page, as it can give the impression of an additional layer of security and privacy.
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Easier Maintenance and Updates: Having the payment method on a separate page can make it easier to update or modify the payment options without disrupting the overall checkout flow.
Now that we've covered the advantages, let's dive into the technical implementation.
Step 1: Create a Custom Checkout Page
The first step is to create a custom checkout page that will serve as the new home for the payment method section. You can do this by creating a new WordPress page and then using the WooCommerce shortcode [woocommerce_checkout]
to display the checkout process.
- Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
- Go to "Pages" and click on "Add New".
- Give the page a title, such as "Payment Method" or "Checkout Step 2".
- In the page editor, add the
[woocommerce_checkout]
shortcode.
- Publish the page.
Step 2: Modify the Checkout Template
Now that we have the custom checkout page, we need to update the WooCommerce checkout template to redirect the payment method section to this new page. To do this, we'll be modifying the woocommerce/templates/checkout/payment.php
template file.
-
Create a child theme for your WordPress website or a custom plugin to avoid conflicts with future WooCommerce updates.
-
Copy the payment.php
template file from the WooCommerce plugin directory (/wp-content/plugins/woocommerce/templates/checkout/
) to your child theme or custom plugin directory.
-
Open the copied payment.php
file in a text editor.
-
Locate the following line of code:
if ( $available_gateways ) :
-
Replace the entire code block inside the if
statement with the following:
$checkout_url = wc_get_checkout_url();
$payment_url = get_permalink( get_page_by_path( 'payment-method' ) );
if ( $available_gateways ) :
?>
<div class="woocommerce-checkout-payment">
<?php if ( ! is_ajax() ) : ?>
<a href="<?php echo esc_url( $payment_url ); ?>" class="button alt"><?php esc_html_e( 'Proceed to Payment', 'woocommerce' ); ?></a>
<?php else : ?>
<?php do_action( 'woocommerce_checkout_payment' ); ?>
<?php endif; ?>
</div>
<?php
endif;
This code block checks if the customer is on the AJAX-powered checkout page or the custom payment method page. If the customer is on the AJAX-powered checkout page, it displays a "Proceed to Payment" button that links to the custom payment method page. If the customer is already on the custom payment method page, it displays the payment options as usual.
-
Save the modified payment.php
file.
Step 3: Adjust the Checkout Flow
Now that we've set up the custom payment method page and updated the payment template, we need to modify the checkout flow to ensure a seamless transition between the main checkout page and the payment method page.
- Go to your WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to "WooCommerce" > "Settings" > "Checkout".
- Locate the "Checkout Options" section and change the "Checkout process" setting to "Ajax (via JS)".
- Save the changes.
This setting ensures that the customer is redirected to the custom payment method page without reloading the entire page, providing a smooth and efficient checkout experience.
Step 4: Customize the Checkout and Payment Method Pages
At this point, you have the basic functionality in place. However, you may want to further customize the appearance and content of the checkout and payment method pages to match your brand and provide a cohesive user experience.
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Customize the Checkout Page: You can use the WordPress page editor to add additional content, images, or other elements to the main checkout page. This can help to reinforce your brand and provide more information to the customer.
-
Customize the Payment Method Page: Similarly, you can use the page editor to customize the appearance and content of the payment method page. You may want to add a brief description, instructions, or other relevant information to guide the customer through the payment process.
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Implement CSS Styling: Use CSS to align and style the elements on the payment method page, ensuring a visually appealing and consistent layout across your website.
Here's an example of how you might style the "Proceed to Payment" button on the custom payment method page:
.woocommerce-checkout-payment .button.alt {
background-color: #008000;
color: #fff;
padding: 10px 20px;
border-radius: 5px;
text-decoration: none;
display: inline-block;
margin-top: 20px;
}
.woocommerce-checkout-payment .button.alt:hover {
background-color: #006000;
}
By customizing the checkout and payment method pages, you can create a seamless, branded experience for your customers, further enhancing the overall user experience.
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Troubleshooting and Considerations
As with any custom development, you may encounter some issues or edge cases. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
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Compatibility with Third-Party Plugins: Ensure that the changes you've made to the checkout and payment method pages don't conflict with any other plugins or extensions you're using on your WooCommerce store.
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Guest Checkout: If you allow guest checkout, you may need to modify the code to handle the checkout process for non-registered users.
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Validation and Error Handling: Make sure to properly handle any validation errors or issues that may arise during the checkout process, and provide clear error messages to the customer.
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Tracking and Analytics: Consider how the changes you've made to the checkout flow may impact your tracking and analytics. You may need to update your tracking scripts or set up new goals to accurately measure the performance of your new checkout process.
-
Mobile Optimization: Ensure that the custom checkout and payment method pages are responsive and mobile-friendly, providing a seamless experience across all devices.
By addressing these considerations, you can ensure a smooth and efficient implementation of the payment method relocation on your WooCommerce store.
Conclusion
Relocating the payment method section in WooCommerce to a separate page can greatly improve the overall checkout experience for your customers. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily achieve this functionality and unlock the benefits of a more streamlined and focused checkout process.
Remember, the key to success is to constantly monitor and optimize the checkout flow, gathering feedback from your customers and making iterative improvements. With the right approach and attention to detail, you can create a payment method solution that delights your customers and drives higher conversion rates for your online store.
If you're looking for a more comprehensive solution to optimize your website's conversion rates, consider exploring the features of Flowpoint.ai, a powerful web analytics platform that uses AI to identify technical, UX, and content-related issues and generate tailored recommendations to boost your online performance.