checkout
CHEK-out
/ˈtʃekaʊt/
The final step in an online transaction where the user provides payment and shipping information.
It is both a place (the page) and a process (the act of paying).
The story behind the word. The 'check' part comes from the game of chess (the king is 'checked'), which eventually came to mean 'to verify.' 'Checkout' evolved from the physical counter in a grocery store where items were verified and paid for.
Word relationships
- payment: Payment is just the exchange of money; checkout includes shipping and final review.
Commonly confused with
- gateway: Checkout is the user's experience; the gateway is the invisible technology processing the credit card.
Word family
- check out (verb): To complete a purchase.
Collocations
- express checkout
- checkout page
- guest checkout
Example sentences
- "A one-click checkout process significantly reduces the number of customers who leave without buying." Improving website efficiency.
Memory hook
You 'check' your items one last time before you go 'out' of the store. The point of no return (for your money).
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'check out' (verb), which is the action itself.
Fun facts
- The first automated supermarket checkout system was tested in 1937.
Explore more words
self-checkout, fitting room, bazaar, departure, drive-thru, food court
Also appears in
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