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Every order is an opportunity to learn about your customers. But there’s a tradeoff: every field you add to checkout creates friction that can reduce conversions. This guide helps you decide what data to collect and when.

The Friction-Value Tradeoff

The golden rule: Only ask for information you’ll actually use. Every additional field increases the chance a customer abandons their order.
Research shows that reducing form fields from 4 to 3 can increase conversions by up to 50%. But the right data can be worth far more than a few lost orders - if you use it effectively.
More FieldsFewer Fields
Richer customer profilesHigher conversion rates
Better marketing targetingFaster checkout
Personalisation opportunitiesLower abandonment
Delivery accuracySimpler experience
The key is finding the right balance for your business.

Available Data Fields

Contact Information

FieldOptionsUse Case
First NameOn/OffPersonalisation, order identification
Last NameOn/OffFull customer records, formal communication
EmailRequired / Optional / OffReceipts, marketing, account creation
PhoneRequired / Validated / OffOrder updates, delivery coordination, SMS marketing
Company NameRequired / Optional / OffB2B orders, invoicing

Email Settings

  • Required - Customer must enter email to complete order
  • Optional - Field shown but not mandatory (displays “optional” hint)
  • Disabled - Field hidden completely
Even when optional, most customers provide their email. The “optional” label reduces pressure while still capturing data from willing customers.

Phone Number Settings

  • Required - Must enter a phone number
  • Validated - Must enter a valid phone number with country code verification
  • Disabled - Field hidden
Phone validation ensures you get real, correctly formatted numbers - critical for delivery coordination and SMS marketing.

Opt-in Checkbox

Add a customisable marketing consent checkbox at checkout:
  • Custom message - Write your own opt-in text (e.g., “Send me exclusive offers and updates”)
  • Pre-selected - Choose whether the checkbox starts ticked or unticked
GDPR Compliance: In the UK and EU, marketing consent checkboxes should not be pre-selected. Customers must actively opt-in. Check local regulations for your market.
When customers opt-in, you can:
  • Send promotional emails and SMS campaigns
  • Share offers and new menu items
  • Request reviews after orders
  • Build loyalty program engagement
  • Retarget with personalised offers

Attribution Data

storekit automatically captures marketing attribution when customers arrive at your store:

UTM Parameters

ParameterPurpose
utm_sourceWhere the traffic came from (e.g., google, instagram)
utm_mediumMarketing medium (e.g., cpc, email, social)
utm_campaignSpecific campaign name
utm_termPaid search keywords
utm_contentDifferentiates ads or links

Ad Platform Click IDs

Automatically captured for conversion tracking:
  • gclid - Google Ads
  • fbclid - Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Ads
  • ttclid - TikTok Ads
  • msclkid - Microsoft/Bing Ads
  • li_fat_id - LinkedIn Ads

First-Touch vs Last-Touch

storekit tracks both:
  • First-touch - How the customer first discovered you
  • Last-touch - What brought them back to order
This data helps you understand which marketing channels drive discovery vs. conversion.

Delivery & Collection Stores

For most takeaway and delivery operations:
FieldSettingRationale
First NameOnPersonal service, order identification
Last NameOffUsually unnecessary
EmailOptionalReceipts, marketing (low friction)
PhoneValidatedEssential for delivery updates
CompanyOffNot needed for consumers
Marketing Opt-inOnBuild your customer database

Dine-In / Pay at Table

For in-venue ordering where speed is critical:
FieldSettingRationale
First NameOffOrder number sufficient
Last NameOffNot needed
EmailOptionalCapture from willing customers
PhoneOffNot needed for table service
CompanyOffNot needed
Marketing Opt-inOnOnly shows if email entered

B2B / Catering

For business customers and large orders:
FieldSettingRationale
First NameOnContact identification
Last NameOnFull business records
EmailRequiredInvoices, confirmations
PhoneValidatedCoordination for large orders
CompanyRequiredInvoicing, account management
Marketing Opt-inOnB2B relationship building

Using Your Data

In storekit

  • View customer details on every order
  • Export customer data for analysis
  • See marketing attribution on orders
  • Filter orders by customer

Integrations

Connect your customer data to:
  • Email platforms (Mailchimp, Klaviyo) for campaigns
  • SMS providers for text marketing
  • CRM systems for customer management
  • Analytics tools for attribution reporting

Data Retention

Customer data is stored securely and retained according to your data retention settings. Customers can request deletion of their data under GDPR/privacy regulations.

Best Practices

Start Minimal

Launch with fewer fields, then add more once you understand what you’ll use.

Make Email Optional

Most customers still provide it, but the “optional” label removes pressure.

Validate Phone Numbers

Invalid numbers are useless. Validation ensures you can actually reach customers.

Customise Opt-in Text

Generic “subscribe to newsletter” converts worse than specific value propositions.

Measuring Impact

Monitor these metrics when adjusting your data collection:
  • Checkout conversion rate - Does adding fields reduce completions?
  • Opt-in rate - What percentage consent to marketing?
  • Email capture rate - How many orders include email addresses?
  • Order value by data completeness - Do customers with full profiles spend more?
Test changes gradually. Adjust one field at a time and measure the impact over at least 100 orders before deciding.