Ultimate Guide to WooCommerce Cart Page Customization

The cart page is where customers review their items, adjust quantities, and decide whether to complete their purchase. A well-designed cart page can reduce abandonment and increase conversions. Here’s what you need to know:

Why Customize?
Simplify checkout, match your branding, optimize for mobile, and reduce cart abandonment.
Studies show a confusing cart page loses sales – don’t let that happen to you.
What You’ll Need:
Basic tools like a staging site, WooCommerce 6.0+, and some CSS or PHP knowledge (or plugins if you prefer no coding).
Customization Options:
1. Cart Blocks: Drag-and-drop for beginners.
2. Plugins: Use tools like Elementor for advanced visual designs.
3. CSS & Hooks: For developers who want total control.
Quick Tips for Better UX:
- Use readable fonts (16px–24px for product names).
- Highlight buttons like “Proceed to Checkout” with contrasting colors.
- Optimize for mobile with larger touch areas and responsive layouts.

Quick Comparison Table:

Method	Skill Level	Flexibility	Setup Time
Cart Blocks	Beginner	Moderate	30–60 minutes
Plugins	Intermediate	High	1–2 hours
CSS & Hooks	Advanced	Maximum	2–4 hours

How to Customize Woocommerce Cart Page: 21 Cart page …

Default Cart Page Elements

Before diving into customization, let’s take a closer look at the standard elements of WooCommerce’s default cart page and its built-in limitations.

Standard Cart Components

WooCommerce’s default cart page includes key features designed to guide shoppers through the purchasing process:

Product Details

Product thumbnails, names/SKUs, and prices
Quantity controls and remove buttons
Display of variations (when applicable)

Cart Summary

Subtotal calculations
Tax and shipping cost estimates
Coupon code entry
Total cost display
"Proceed to Checkout" button
"Update Cart" button to refresh changes

Additional Features

Cart notices or alerts
Cross-sell product suggestions
A "Return to Shop" link for easy navigation

Familiarity with these elements is essential for pinpointing areas that could benefit from customization.

Default Design Constraints

While WooCommerce’s default cart page includes essential features, its design and functionality can feel restrictive in several ways:

Layout Limitations

Limited flexibility for responsive design
Tight spacing between elements
Fixed positions for key components
Buttons placed in rigid, predefined spots

Mobile Usability Challenges

Small touch targets that are hard to tap
Crowded product displays
Overlapping elements on smaller screens
Tables that don’t adapt well to mobile devices

Design and Styling Restrictions

Basic, unstyled buttons
Few typography options
Default color schemes that lack customization
Generic-looking form fields

Functional Shortcomings

Simplistic pricing updates
Limited options for upselling
Standard, unchanging interaction patterns

These limitations highlight why customization is often necessary, setting the stage for the advanced techniques discussed later in this guide.

Cart Page Customization Methods

WooCommerce’s default cart design can feel limiting, but there are ways to make it your own. Here are three methods to customize your cart page, tailored to different skill levels.

Cart Blocks Setup

Cart Blocks let you modify layouts without touching any code. Here’s what you can do:

Key Features

Drag and drop elements into place
Adjust spacing and alignment
Build layouts that work on all devices
Add or remove components with ease

How to Set It Up:

Go to WooCommerce > Settings > Advanced > Features.
Turn on "Cart & Checkout Blocks."
Open your cart page through Appearance > Editor.
Use the Block Inserter to add or adjust components.

Plugin-Based Changes

Plugins like Elementor and SeedProd make it easy to create a custom cart page without coding.

Elementor Options

Use the Cart Table widget for product list styling
Customize the summary design with the Cart Totals widget
Adjust spacing and typography to fit your theme

SeedProd Tools

Access pre-made cart templates
Design layouts visually with drag-and-drop tools
Optimize for mobile with specific controls
Add dynamic content blocks for a personalized touch

CSS and Hook Modifications

For developers who want full control, CSS and WooCommerce hooks are the way to go.

CSS Selectors for Styling

.woocommerce-cart table.cart { /* Style cart table */ }
.cart_totals { /* Style totals */ }
.wc-proceed-to-checkout { /* Style checkout button */ }

WooCommerce Hooks for Deeper Customization

// Change cart table headers
add_filter( 'woocommerce_cart_table_headers', 'custom_cart_headers' );

// Add a message before the cart
add_action( 'woocommerce_before_cart', 'custom_cart_notice' );

// Modify cart totals
add_action( 'woocommerce_cart_totals_before_order_total', 'add_custom_total' );

Customization Method	Skill Level	Flexibility	Setup Time
Cart Blocks	Beginner	Moderate	30-60 minutes
Plugin-Based	Intermediate	High	1-2 hours
CSS/Hooks	Advanced	Maximum	2-4 hours

Pick the method that aligns with your skills, schedule, and goals. Cart Blocks are great for quick updates, while CSS and hooks let you tweak every detail. These options lay the groundwork for improving the user experience, which we’ll dive into next.

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User Experience Improvements

Once you’ve set up your customization method, the next step is to refine the user experience on your WooCommerce cart page. The goal here is to make the cart more user-friendly and engaging for shoppers.

Font and Color Selection

Ensure your cart’s typography and colors align with your brand for better readability and a cohesive look.

Typography Tips:

Use font sizes between 16px and 24px for product names.
Stick to 14px–16px for price details and descriptions.
Keep a line height of 1.5–1.8 for easy reading.
Use font families consistent with your site’s overall design.

Color Tips:

Apply contrasting colors to call-to-action buttons for visibility.
Use soft background colors for sections like cart totals.
Highlight key areas, such as discount fields, with complementary colors.
Stay true to your brand’s color scheme throughout.

After refining fonts and colors, focus on optimizing for mobile users.

Mobile Design Options

Make your cart mobile-friendly to cater to the growing number of mobile shoppers.

Touch-Friendly Features:

Set button sizes to at least 44×44 pixels for easy tapping.
Keep clickable elements spaced at least 10 pixels apart.
Use full-width form fields on smaller screens.
Add intuitive gestures, like swiping to adjust quantities.

Screen Size	Element Adjustments	Recommended Spacing
Small (< 375px)	Single-column layout	16px margins
Medium (376–768px)	Condensed product info	20px margins
Large (> 768px)	Two-column layout	24px margins

Visual Element Optimization

Enhance the cart’s visual appeal while keeping load times fast.

Image Tips:

Compress product thumbnails to under 100KB; display them at 100×100 pixels on mobile.
Use WebP format with a fallback to JPEG.
Enable lazy loading for faster page performance.

Button Design Tips:

Use clear, action-oriented text like "Proceed to Checkout."
Add subtle hover effects for better interactivity.
Include loading indicators for form submissions.
Keep button padding consistent (16px vertical, 24px horizontal).

Performance Enhancements:

Limit custom fonts to two types to reduce load times.
Display skeleton screens during loading to improve perceived speed.
Use CSS transitions instead of JavaScript for animations.
Cache cart page elements to improve performance.

Technical Customization Steps

Boost your WooCommerce cart functionality and improve the shopping experience with these technical updates.

Real-Time Updates

Enable real-time cart updates using AJAX to avoid page reloads. Here’s how to implement it:

Set up WooCommerce hooks to enable AJAX updates.
Add event listeners to track quantity changes.
Configure live price updates based on changes.
Display loading indicators during updates to enhance user feedback.

Key triggers and hooks for updates:

Action	Hook	Purpose
Quantity Change	`woocommerce_after_cart_item_quantity_update`	Updates totals when quantities change
Item Removal	`woocommerce_cart_item_removed`	Handles removal of items
Coupon Apply	`woocommerce_applied_coupon`	Processes discounts and coupon applications

Once real-time updates are in place, you can move on to customizing how content is displayed.

Custom Display Rules

Show personalized messages or notices based on the cart’s current state. For example, you can set up minimum purchase thresholds or display custom messages:

add_action('woocommerce_before_cart', function() {
    if ( WC()->cart->subtotal < 50.00 ) {
        wc_print_notice( sprintf('Add $%.2f more to qualify for free shipping!', 50.00 - WC()->cart->subtotal), 'notice' );
    }
});

This type of messaging encourages users to meet specific conditions, like free shipping thresholds, which can increase order value.

Custom Page Layouts

Refine the cart page layout to better suit user needs. You can achieve this by:

Repositioning elements using WooCommerce hooks.
Applying custom CSS (e.g., CSS Grid) to create a clean structure.
Adding conditional sections for dynamic content.
Ensuring responsive designs with breakpoints for various devices.

Pro Tip: Minimize JavaScript usage, optimize image loading, and cache dynamic elements to improve performance.

Organize layout modifications by hook priority for better control:

Element Type	Hook Priority	Load Order
Core Cart Elements	10	First
Custom Fields	20	Second
Dynamic Content	30	Third
Enhanced Features	40	Fourth

These steps help you create a cart experience that’s both functional and user-friendly.

Quality Assurance Steps

After implementing customizations, thorough quality checks are essential to ensure the cart functions smoothly and delivers a great user experience.

Cross-Platform Testing

Test the cart page across major platforms to confirm consistent performance. Focus on these critical areas:

Testing Category	Required Checks	Priority Level
Browser Testing	Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge	Critical
Device Testing	Desktop, Tablet, Mobile	High
OS Verification	Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	High
Screen Sizes	320px to 2560px width range	Medium

For mobile devices, ensure touch interactions work seamlessly. Buttons like quantity adjusters and remove options should have a minimum touch size of 44×44px for easy tapping.

Once testing is complete, shift focus to performance monitoring.

Performance Monitoring

Track cart performance using WooCommerce analytics and external tools. Key metrics to keep an eye on:

Page Load Time: Aim for under 2 seconds to improve conversion rates.
Error Logs: Check for PHP errors and JavaScript console warnings.
Server Response Time: AJAX requests should finish within 500ms for faster responses.

Set up benchmarks to guide performance improvements:

Metric	Target Value	Critical Threshold
Page Load Time	< 2s	> 4s
First Input Delay	< 100ms	> 300ms
AJAX Response Time	< 500ms	> 1s

Use these benchmarks to identify and address performance bottlenecks.

Continuous Improvement

Maintain a process to regularly enhance the cart experience:

Data Collection
- Use heat maps and session recordings to understand user behavior.
- Track metrics like time spent on the cart page and common exit points.
- Analyze interaction patterns for insights.
User Feedback Integration
- Gather input through support tickets, surveys, and cart abandonment emails.
- Conduct direct testing to explore pain points.
Regular Updates
- Schedule monthly reviews to:
  - Apply security patches.
  - Ensure compatibility with the latest WooCommerce updates.
  - Add features requested by users.
  - Optimize based on analytics data.

This ongoing process ensures the cart remains efficient and user-friendly over time.

Conclusion

Main Points Review

Customizing your WooCommerce cart page improves the shopping experience and can boost conversions. Whether you opt for Cart Blocks, plugins, or CSS/hook modifications, you can tailor your cart page to fit your specific technical and design goals. Real-time updates help reduce cart abandonment by showing shoppers their order status, shipping costs, and discounts as they shop.

Here’s a quick comparison of customization options:

Approach	Benefit	Complexity
Cart Blocks	Easy visual setup	Low
Plugin Integration	Adds extra features	Medium
CSS/Hook Modifications	Complete control	High

If you’re ready to take things further, check out the resources below.

Additional WP Winners Tools

WP Winners offers tools to help you fine-tune your cart page customization. These include:

Performance Analysis Tools: Check cart page speed and responsiveness.
Design Templates: Ready-to-use layouts designed to increase conversions.
Code Snippets Library: Pre-tested solutions for common customization tasks.

Stay informed on the latest WooCommerce tips and strategies by subscribing to our newsletter.

To keep your cart page performing at its best, remember to:

Track performance metrics regularly.
Test features on different devices and platforms.
Update WooCommerce to the latest version.
Use customer feedback to make improvements.

WP Winners 🏆