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Prestashop's default is to put acceptance of terms and conditions on step 4 of the buying process, right on carrier/shipping selection.

I think it's not a good place. Is there any 'best practice' about terms and conditions acceptance on ecommerce websites?

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  • Are the users required to agree to terms and conditions before finalizing the purchase?
    – Mark
    Apr 4, 2016 at 13:49
  • Yes. I see that for example Amazon places a simple agreement statement below the login form, so avoiding putting it in the middle of the buying process.
    – Luca Reghellin
    Apr 4, 2016 at 14:37

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T&Cs acceptance conventionally takes the form of a required checkbox on the payment screen, typically the last element on the page before the call to action. This is also how we do it in our apps.

I think this makes more sense than anywhere else, because the T&Cs apply specifically to the transaction, and while the entire process could be defined as a "transaction", the actual transaction takes place when the customer clicks the "Buy now" (or whatever) button.

I have countless times been flying through a checkout process, entered c/c info, clicked to buy, and received the error "You must accept the Terms & Conditions". Some designers might consider this a snag, or a point of friction in the flow, but I'd argue that this is exactly when and where you need friction like this.

I think it's a mistake to separate the acceptance of T&Cs from the actual transaction, just for the sake of saving the user a single click in the middle of a purchase flow.

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  • Your arguments are right, but don't you mind cart abandonment? For example, Amazon put them on the login screen and without any checkbox to click.
    – Luca Reghellin
    Apr 4, 2016 at 16:22
  • I see your point, but barring additional testing, I think this needed friction will cause quite some loss in sales
    – Devin
    Apr 4, 2016 at 18:26
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    @Stratboy I think you both might be exaggerating the effect of having to click a single checkbox, and one that is asking a very common question is very conventional location. "Quite some loss in sales"? Seriously? The counter argument is that you don't want users to have to think about the T&Cs, which goes against the point of having them in the first place. If you can justify taking the same approach as Amazon, then go ahead, just make sure all your legal documents reflect this strategy. I think you'd be messing with sensible pattern, for a tiny gain in usability.
    – dennislees
    Apr 4, 2016 at 18:43
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In my many years designing brand ecommerce experiences, the optimal solution in my opinion is:

mockup

download bmml source – Wireframes created with Balsamiq Mockups

This allows the user to access the Terms & Conditions prior to purchase if they so desire (the link should open in a new tab), which can often alleviate customer service headaches for disgruntled users. The wording of the text should be acceptable with the legal department of any brand, in that it clearly defines implied consent by users when they click the Buy Now button to complete the process.

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In order to join an e-commerce trust network, it is often mandatory to have users confirm agreeing to the terms exactly at that page. Or by law.

It is not always a choise. Prestashop has conveniently implemented this the right way.

Customers are also used to it, because of it being enforced by law or trust organisations. It will not have much effect on the sales. Not in 2016 anymore.

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