What is Guest (Anonymous) Checkout?

By default, the checkout settings force the customer to create a profile if they are not logged in. By enabling Guest Checkout, customers are given the option to either Create a Profile OR Checkout as a Guest. Checking out as a guest still records customer's information on the invoice but does not create a profile in the Contacts Database.

Enabling Guest Checkout (also referred to as Anonymous Checkout) allows you to configure products which do not require the user to signup or login in order to purchase them. 

• All information pertaining to the transaction is stored in the invoice and cannot be linked to an existing contact “after the fact”.
  
  
• Guest Checkout provides the ability of a customer to purchase products and services from your site without requiring them to login first. 

• By default, this option is not enabled. It can be enabled for specific items by editing the product itself. There is also a global setting that can be set to enable it for all new products when they are added to the system. 

• The information specific to any orders purchased in this manner are only available within the invoice itself.

• Pros and Cons to the consumer

• customer is not required to create a site account

• customer does not have the ability to review previous transactions

• perceived security mitigation

• fewer steps to complete a one-time transaction

• Pros and cons to the site owner

• no searchable records created of contact information

• no searchable history of purchasers transactions

• no need to maintain the customer database