Checkout Not Working
Google tests whether shoppers can actually complete a purchase on your store. This goes beyond your product pages loading — Google verifies the full checkout path is functional for all users globally. A checkout that requires account creation, forces country-specific payment methods, crashes on certain payment options, shows errors on the order confirmation page, or demands mandatory marketing opt-in before purchase will fail Google's checkout review. Google's reviewers use test purchases and automated systems to verify this.
Checkout not possible or not workingImpact: A broken checkout is a critical policy violation and one of the fastest paths to account suspension. Google explicitly requires that all customers can complete a purchase 'without errors' — not just some customers, not in some browsers, not in some countries. If Google's review team cannot complete a purchase, your account will be suspended.
Root Causes
- 1Your checkout requires account creation (login/registration) before purchase — Google explicitly prohibits mandatory account creation as a prerequisite to buying.
- 2Your payment processor is geo-blocked for certain countries — Google's review team tests from multiple locations globally, and a checkout that works in the US but fails in Europe or Asia will trigger this error.
- 3A third-party app (popup, exit-intent, age verification, loyalty signup) is blocking or intercepting the checkout flow and can't be dismissed without completing a non-purchase action.
- 4Your order confirmation / thank-you page returns a 404 or 500 error, meaning the purchase technically 'completes' but fails on confirmation — Google counts this as a broken checkout.
- 5Your SSL certificate expired or isn't properly configured for your checkout subdomain (often checkout.mystore.com), causing browsers to block the checkout page with a security warning.
Fix by Platform
- 1Shopify's checkout is hosted on Shopify's infrastructure (checkout.shopify.com), which means most fundamental checkout reliability issues don't apply. But check: ensure you have NOT enabled 'Require accounts' in Shopify Admin → Settings → Customer accounts. Set it to 'Accounts are optional' or 'Accounts are disabled'.
- 2Test checkout in incognito as a first-time visitor from a VPN in a non-US country. Verify you can add to cart → proceed to checkout → enter shipping info → see payment options → without any mandatory interruptions.
- 3Check for apps that pop up during checkout: Shopify Scripts, cart-upsell apps, checkout extension apps. Test with all apps disabled to isolate issues.
- 4Verify your payment methods work for international customers. If you only accept a US bank card, international customers will see 'No payment methods available' — this triggers the checkout error.
- 5Confirm your thank-you page (Order Confirmation) loads successfully after a test purchase. If you've customized the order status page via additional scripts and it's broken, fix it immediately.
When This Doesn't Apply
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Frequently Asked Questions
How does Google test my checkout? Do they actually try to buy something?+
Yes. Google uses both automated systems and human reviewers who attempt to simulate a real purchase. They add a product to the cart, proceed through checkout, and verify the process completes without errors. They test this from multiple countries and devices. They use test or declined payment methods, so no charge is made — but the checkout flow must reach an order confirmation page (or equivalent completion state) without errors.
My checkout works fine for me — why is Google saying it doesn't work?+
The most common reasons Google sees a different experience: (1) you're testing while logged in, bypassing the guest checkout path; (2) geo-IP differences — your payment processor shows different options based on location; (3) a browser extension or app adds an overlay that a clean browser doesn't see; (4) your mandatory signup popup only fires for new visitors in incognito mode. Always test in a completely fresh incognito window from scratch.
My store requires age verification before checkout. Is that a problem?+
Age verification gates that require a birthdate entry or checkbox confirmation are acceptable as long as they're dismissable and the checkout proceeds after verification. The issue arises when age verification requires account creation, credit card entry, or any other action beyond a simple confirmation. Keep age gates simple: a birthdate picker or a single 'I am 18+' checkbox that doesn't block the checkout path.
Can I require newsletter signup at checkout?+
You can offer it as an opt-in with a checkbox, but it must be pre-unchecked (opt-in, not opt-out) and not required to proceed. Any mandatory marketing signup that blocks checkout completion violates Google's policies. Making the checkbox required to submit the order is the specific pattern Google checks for.
My checkout is fine but Google suspended me for 'checkout not working'. What do I do?+
Test your checkout from 5 different scenarios: (1) incognito, no account, US location; (2) incognito, no account, EU location (use a VPN); (3) mobile device, guest checkout; (4) with all payment methods tested; (5) to the order confirmation page. If all pass, file an appeal in GMC with evidence (screen recording of a completed test purchase from each scenario). Google accepts video evidence of working checkout in appeals.