Forced accounts kill checkout

Someone is ready to buy. They've chosen the product, entered their address, and are reaching for their credit card. Then a screen appears: "Create an account to continue."

A significant share of shoppers abandon their cart when forced to create an account. Not because creating an account is hard. Because it wasn't what they came to do. They came to buy something. You just put a wall between them and the thing they want.

Guest checkout removes the wall. Let them buy. Get the sale. Then, on the confirmation page, offer account creation: "Want to track your order? Set a password to create your account." They already gave you their name and email during checkout. The account is one field away.

Most people will create the account at that point because the friction is minimal and the value is immediate. The ones who don't? They still bought. You have their email for marketing. The sale happened.