Conversion Boosters with Clear Rules

The requirement to create an account is a common reason for checkout abandonment. Guest orders help mitigate this issue—they are a standard feature in Shopware that is automatically enabled upon installation.

For e-commerce managers, the question of whether Shopware supports guest orders is therefore a non-issue. What’s more interesting is the strategic consideration of how to use guest orders in a way that balances conversion, data protection, and operational requirements.

Where to Configure Guest Orders in Shopware

The main settings for guest orders and customer accounts can be found in the administration interface under Settings → Shop → Login & Registration.

There, you can specify for each sales channel whether a customer account should be created by default or whether a guest order is allowed (the latter is the default in Shopware).

From a technical perspective, this means:

·       Enabling guest orders lowers the barrier to entry, especially for new customers or one-time purchases.

·       Requiring a customer account can be useful if you place a strong emphasis on customer loyalty, self-service portals, or customized terms and conditions.

What Information You Really Need for Guest Orders

In this same section, you can specify which fields are required during checkout. Typical decisions from a business perspective include:

·       Does the email address need to be entered twice for security purposes?

·       Is a phone number absolutely necessary (e.g., for shipping deliveries)?

·       Do you need the date of birth (age verification, legal requirements)?

Here, the interests of the store operator and the customer are at odds: The operator wants to learn as much as possible about their customers, but the customer is often hesitant and reluctant to disclose information they don’t consider necessary. As a rule of thumb, therefore: as many required fields as necessary and as few as possible.

Any data that is not strictly necessary for fulfilling the order or meeting legal requirements should be carefully evaluated and, if at all, should be requested on an optional basis.

Why Double Opt-In for Guest Orders Makes Sense

For security reasons, the “Double Opt-In for Guest Orders” option is essential. If this option is enabled, guest customers receive an email with a confirmation link after submitting their order, and the order only becomes effective once they have confirmed it.

From a technical standpoint, it is recommended to enable this option to secure guest orders:

·       Protection against misuse (prevents orders placed under someone else’s name or address)

·       A clearer legal position in the event of a dispute (“I never placed this order”)

·       Greater trust, because the process is transparent and traceable

Of course, double opt-in adds an extra step to the checkout process and can, in turn, lead to abandoned carts. This is a deliberate trade-off between conversion and legal certainty; with full awareness of the risks, you may choose to accept guest orders without confirmation.

Data Retention: How Long Are Guest Accounts Retained?

In the Shopware backend, there is a setting labeled “Time after which guest accounts expire.” The default value here is set to 86,400 seconds, which corresponds to 24 hours.

However, only guest accounts without orders are automatically deleted—this is not clearly indicated by the label in the backend. For guest accounts with orders, the same tax reporting requirements apply as for registered customers, and customer data must also be accessible for warranty and service purposes.

This way, you achieve a good balance between data minimization (no inactive accounts without orders) and legal retention requirements.

Checkout Experience: How Your Customers Perceive the Difference

During checkout, Shopware clearly displays the option “Create customer account: yes/no”—the customer decides for themselves whether to create an account. If they select “no,” a user is still created in the background so that any orders can be assigned, but no account that allows login is created.

Clearly communicate the added value a customer account offers (e.g., order history, invoice download, faster reorders). But don’t pressure new customers to create an account right away on their first purchase. You’re better off offering a gentle transition after a successful guest order (“Create an account from this order now”).

When Guest Checkouts Make Strategic Sense—and When They Don’t

Typical use cases for guest checkouts include:

·       B2C stores with many first-time customers or campaign traffic

·       Product lines with a high proportion of one-time purchases

·       Markets where trust is built only after the first purchase

Conversely, there are also some scenarios in which a customer account may be required:

·       B2B stores with customized pricing, roles, and approval processes

·       Portals with a strong self-service component (service history, tickets, downloads)

·       Business models with recurring orders and complex terms and conditions

It is crucial that you do not view guest ordering in isolation, but rather integrate it into your overall strategy for customer retention, CRM, and marketing automation.

Recommendations for E-Commerce Managers

Based on Shopware’s standard features and typical real-world scenarios, the following guidelines are recommended:

·       Always allow guest orders to make it easier for customers to get started—especially for new customers.

·       Keep double opt-in enabled for guest orders to prevent abuse and ensure legal compliance.

·       Keep form steps and required fields minimal, especially on mobile devices.

·       Use the automatic deletion of guest accounts without orders to keep your data clean.

·       Clearly highlight the benefits of a customer account and actively—but not intrusively—offer the option to switch to a customer account after a successful guest order.

With these recommendations, you’ll use guest orders in Shopware not only technically correctly but also strategically—as a building block for more first-time orders, without losing sight of the long-term customer relationship.