Introduction
Your cart and checkout pages are gatekeepers to revenue. Even with great products and marketing, a cluttered cart layout or confusing checkout labels can derail conversions. Customizing these pages lets you reinforce branding, surface tailored messaging, and streamline the purchase flow.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to override templates in a child theme, inject custom content via hooks and filters, adjust cart columns, craft conditional notices, style layouts responsively, add or reorder checkout fields, and optimize dynamic cart fragments with AJAX.
Whether you prefer code or UI plugins, you’ll leave with actionable steps to transform your cart and checkout into high‑converting, on‑brand experiences.
Feature Snippet
Reimagine your WooCommerce cart and checkout with custom templates and hooks. Override core files in a child theme, tweak cart columns (SKU, thumbnails), add conditional notices (“10% off if you buy 2+”), and style layouts with CSS. Enhance checkout by reordering fields, changing labels, and injecting promotional banners via hooks or the Checkout Field Editor plugin. Leverage AJAX cart fragments for seamless updates, ensure accessibility, and A/B test variations to boost conversions.
1. Why Custom Cart & Checkout Pages Matter
Default cart and checkout pages work out of the box, but they lack brand cohesion and fine‑tuned UX. Customizing them lets you:
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Strengthen branding: use consistent colors, fonts, and messaging.
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Increase upsells: display targeted offers or free‑shipping thresholds.
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Reduce friction: collapse unnecessary fields or reorder inputs logically.
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Boost trust: surface guarantees, badges, or live support notices at key moments.
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Improve clarity: change button text, modify placeholders, and add inline help.
Small tweaks—like showing SKU columns or injecting a cart notice—can lift average order value and lower abandonment by guiding users toward complete, confident purchases.
2. Overriding Templates with a Child Theme
WooCommerce templates live in woocommerce/templates. To customize safely:
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Create a child theme if you haven’t already:
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wp-content/themes/your-theme-child/style.css with a header pointing to the parent.
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functions.php to enqueue parent and child styles.
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Copy templates:
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For cart, copy plugins/woocommerce/templates/cart/cart.php to your-theme-child/woocommerce/cart/cart.php.
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For checkout, copy plugins/woocommerce/templates/checkout/form-checkout.php to your-theme-child/woocommerce/checkout/form-checkout.php.
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Edit these files in your child theme. Changes persist through plugin updates.
Within these templates, you’ll see action hooks (do_action) and template parts. Limit direct edits—use hooks where possible to keep overrides minimal and maintainable.
3. Using Hooks & Filters to Inject Custom Content
WooCommerce fires hooks throughout cart and checkout. Examples:
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Cart Notices
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php
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CopyInsert
add_action( 'woocommerce_before_cart', 'custom_free_shipping_notice' );
function custom_free_shipping_notice() {
$threshold = 100;
$subtotal = WC()->cart->subtotal;
if ( $subtotal < $threshold ) {
$remaining = wc_price( $threshold - $subtotal );
wc_print_notice( "Add $remaining more to qualify for free shipping!", 'notice' );
}
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}
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Custom Checkout Banner
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php
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CopyInsert
add_action( 'woocommerce_before_checkout_form', 'promo_checkout_banner', 5 );
function promo_checkout_banner() {
echo '<div class="checkout-banner">Use code <strong>QUICK10</strong> for 10% off!</div>';
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}
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Reordering Fields via filter:
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php
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CopyInsert
add_filter( 'woocommerce_checkout_fields', 'reorder_billing_fields' );
function reorder_billing_fields( $fields ) {
$order = [
'billing_first_name','billing_last_name','billing_email',
'billing_phone','billing_address_1','billing_city','billing_postcode'
];
foreach ( $order as $key ) {
$new[$key] = $fields['billing'][$key];
}
$fields['billing'] = $new + $fields['billing'];
return $fields;
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}
Leveraging hooks and filters keeps your custom code separate from template overrides, minimizing conflicts and easing updates.
4. Adding & Reordering Cart Columns
By default, the cart shows product, price, quantity, and total. To add a SKU column:
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Add header:
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php
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CopyInsert
add_filter( 'woocommerce_cart_item_name', 'display_cart_item_sku', 10, 3 );
function display_cart_item_sku( $name, $cart_item, $cart_item_key ) {
$product = $cart_item['data'];
$sku = $product->get_sku();
return $sku ? "<span class='cart-item-sku'>SKU: $sku</span><br>$name" : $name;
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}
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Optional full column: override cart/cart.php and insert a <td> after product name:
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php
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CopyInsert
<th class="product-sku">SKU</th>
...
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<td class="product-sku" data-title="SKU"><?php echo $product->get_sku(); ?></td>
Use CSS to style:
css
CopyInsert
.cart-item-sku { display: block; font-size: .85em; color: #666; }
th.product-sku, td.product-sku { text-align: center; }
5. Custom Cart Notices & Conditional Messaging
Beyond free‑shipping prompts, you can surface condition‑based offers:
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Volume discount:
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php
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CopyInsert
add_action( 'woocommerce_cart_totals_before_order_total', 'bulk_discount_notice' );
function bulk_discount_notice() {
$count = WC()->cart->get_cart_contents_count();
if ( $count >= 5 ) {
wc_print_notice( 'Congrats! You qualify for a bulk discount at checkout.', 'success' );
}
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}
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Category‑specific upsell:
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php
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CopyInsert
add_action( 'woocommerce_after_cart_table', 'suggest_related_category' );
function suggest_related_category() {
foreach ( WC()->cart->get_cart() as $item ) {
if ( has_term( 'fitness', 'product_cat', $item['product_id'] ) ) {
echo '<p>Looking for supplements? Check our <a href="/product-category/fitness-accessories/">Fitness Accessories</a>.</p>';
break;
}
}
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}
These targeted messages guide customers toward relevant products while they review their cart.
6. Styling the Cart: CSS Tips & Responsive Layouts
Maintain brand consistency and mobile UX with CSS:
css
CopyInsert
/* Highlight free-shipping threshold when met */
.woocommerce-info.woocommerce-free-shipping-notice {
background: #e0f7fa; color: #006064; border-left: 4px solid #00acc1;
}
/* Responsive: stack cart columns on mobile */
@media (max-width: 768px) {
.shop_table_responsive tbody tr {
display: block; margin-bottom: 1.5em;
}
.shop_table_responsive td {
display: block; text-align: right;
}
.shop_table_responsive td::before {
content: attr(data-title) ': '; font-weight: bold; float: left;
}
}
/* Custom cart button */
.woocommerce-cart .button.checkout {
background-color: var(--primary-color); color: #fff;
padding: 1em 2em; border: none; font-size: 1.1rem;
}
Use your child theme’s style.css to avoid losing changes on updates. Ensure the mobile layout remains scannable with clear labels (via data-title).
7. Custom Checkout Fields & Sections
To add a custom “Order Instructions” field under billing address:
php
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add_filter( 'woocommerce_checkout_fields', 'add_order_instructions_field' );
function add_order_instructions_field( $fields ) {
$fields['order']['order_comments'] = [
'type' => 'textarea',
'label' => 'Order Instructions',
'placeholder' => 'Any special requests?',
'required' => false,
'priority' => 120,
];
return $fields;
}
For a new section—like “Gift Options”—use a hook:
php
CopyInsert
add_action( 'woocommerce_before_order_notes', 'gift_options_heading' );
function gift_options_heading() {
echo '<h3>Gift Options</h3>';
}
Or leverage the Checkout Field Editor plugin to drag‑and‑drop fields without code, reorder sections, and set conditional display rules.
8. Modifying Checkout Labels, Placeholders & Validation
Default labels can feel generic. Customize via filter:
php
CopyInsert
add_filter( 'woocommerce_checkout_fields', 'rename_checkout_labels' );
function rename_checkout_labels( $fields ) {
$fields['billing']['billing_phone']['label'] = 'Mobile Number';
$fields['billing']['billing_address_1']['label'] = 'Street Address';
$fields['billing']['billing_postcode']['placeholder'] = 'ZIP or Postal Code';
return $fields;
}
For custom validation:
php
CopyInsert
add_action( 'woocommerce_checkout_process', 'validate_phone_number' );
function validate_phone_number() {
if ( isset($_POST['billing_phone']) && ! preg_match('/^\d{10}$/', $_POST['billing_phone']) ) {
wc_add_notice( 'Please enter a valid 10‑digit phone number.', 'error' );
}
}
Clear labels and inline validation prevent form errors and speed up checkout completion.
9. Template Overrides vs. Plugins
While template overrides give full control, plugins simplify maintenance:
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Checkout Field Editor: add, rename, and reorder fields with UI.
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Cart Block Editor: block‑based cart customization in Gutenberg.
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WooCommerce Cart Notices: GUI for conditional messages.
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CartFlows or One Page Checkout: advanced checkout funnels.
Choose plugins when you need rapid deployment and minimal code. For unique layouts or highly branded designs, prefer template overrides in your child theme.
10. Dynamic Cart Fragments & AJAX Updates
Cart fragments allow mini‑cart and cart totals to update without reload. To add a custom fragment—like a cart item count badge:
php
CopyInsert
add_filter( 'woocommerce_add_to_cart_fragments', 'update_cart_count_fragment' );
function update_cart_count_fragment( $fragments ) {
ob_start();
?>
<span class="cart-count"><?php echo WC()->cart->get_cart_contents_count(); ?></span>
<?php
$fragments['span.cart-count'] = ob_get_clean();
return $fragments;
}
Place <span class="cart-count">0</span> in your header template. Now, whenever an item is added via AJAX, this badge auto‑updates to show the new total.
11. Performance & Accessibility Best Practices
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Minimize overrides: only override what you need.
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Cache fragments: object‑cache cart fragments to reduce DB calls.
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ARIA labels: add aria-label to custom inputs and cart links.
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Keyboard navigation: ensure your custom buttons and fields are tabbable.
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Contrast & font size: follow WCAG AA for text legibility (4.5:1 ratio).
Test with tools like Lighthouse and axe DevTools to catch accessibility issues early.
12. A/B Testing Cart & Checkout Variations
Use A/B tools to measure the impact of your customizations:
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Hypothesis: “Changing ‘Proceed to Checkout’ to ‘Complete My Order’ will increase clicks.”
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Variant: filter text via:
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php
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add_filter( 'woocommerce_order_button_text', function() {
return 'Complete My Order';
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});
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Run test with Google Optimize or Nelio A/B Testing.
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Measure click‑through rate, form abandonment, and conversion.
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Iterate on winning variations—swap button colors, reorder fields, or test notice placements.
Data‑driven decisions ensure your customizations deliver real uplift.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Will template overrides break after WooCommerce updates?
If the core template structure changes, your overrides may require adjustment. Always test on staging after plugin updates and review the changelog for template modifications.
Q2: How do I remove a default checkout field?
Use the woocommerce_checkout_fields filter:
php
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add_filter( 'woocommerce_checkout_fields', function( $fields ) {
unset( $fields['billing']['billing_company'] );
return $fields;
});
Q3: Can I add a coupon code field to the cart page?
Yes—override cart/cart.php or use the Checkout Field Editor plugin. WooCommerce core shows “Have a coupon?” above the cart table by default.
Conclusion
Customizing your WooCommerce cart and checkout pages elevates the shopping experience, reinforces your brand, and drives conversions. By overriding templates in a child theme and leveraging hooks and filters, you can inject targeted notices, add or reorder fields, and fine‑tune labels with precision. CSS tweaks ensure responsive, on‑brand layouts, while plugins accelerate UI changes without code. Dynamic cart fragments deliver real‑time updates, and A/B testing validates each tweak’s impact. Don’t settle for default layouts—audit your cart and checkout for friction points, implement one change at a time, and measure results. With these techniques, your store’s final steps will feel polished, intuitive, and conversion‑optimized in 2025 and beyond.