Friction

Friction is everything between wanting and buying, the cumulative tolls a visitor pays in abandonment.

What friction is

Friction is everything between wanting and buying: the extra field, the forced account, the surprise fee, the unanswered doubt, each one a small toll the visitor pays to give you money, and the currency they pay in is abandonment.

Why friction matters

Most conversion problems aren’t persuasion problems: the visitor already wanted the product, and the path talked them out of it. Friction is CRO’s central diagnosis because it names what the fixes share, fewer steps, fewer doubts, fewer distractions, and because it’s cumulative: no single toll loses the sale, the stack of them does.

The three kinds to hunt

Effort friction: steps, fields, load time, and anything requiring work before checkout
Doubt friction: unanswered questions about fit, quality, shipping, and returns
Distraction friction: competing links, popups, and choices pulling attention off the ask
The hidden tax: surprises, fees, stock, and delivery dates revealed late

Frequently asked questions

How is friction found on a store?

Where behavior breaks: funnel drop-offs locate the step, session recordings and user tests show the struggle, and the support inbox names the doubts in the customer’s own words. Guessing at friction produces redesigns; watching for it produces fixes.

Is all friction bad?

No, some is load-bearing: address validation, fraud checks, and honest confirmations prevent worse pain later, and a moment of consideration suits high-ticket purchases. The rule is intent: keep friction that protects the customer, kill friction that merely protects the process.

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