Shopify has just rolled out a powerful update that makes the checkout process smoother than ever, which is continuous cart authentication. This means that once a customer is logged in, they can move seamlessly from their cart to checkout without having to enter their credentials again.

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What’s Changed?

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Previously, even authenticated customers had to log in again when they reached checkout. With continuous authentication, Shopify ensures that logged-in customers stay authenticated throughout their shopping journey. This leads to:

A faster checkout experience – No more re-entering login details.
Fewer abandoned carts – Less friction means more completed purchases.
A more seamless shopping flow – Customers stay engaged from cart to checkout.

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How Merchants Can Enable This

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To take advantage of this new feature, merchants need to:

• Append the customerAccessToken into the Buyer Identity object in the Storefront API Cart.
• Include the buyer’s IP address when making server-side requests.
• Request the checkoutUrl only when the buyer is ready to proceed to checkout, as a security measure.

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For Mobile App Merchants

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‍If you're building a mobile app using Shopify's Checkout Sheet Kit, you can now create authenticated checkout experiences without requiring multipass—a feature previously limited to Shopify Plus merchants. This means:

• Authenticated checkouts are now available for all Shopify plans.
• Merchants using new and legacy customer accounts can benefit from a smoother experience.

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Why This Matters

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This update is all about convenience and conversion. By reducing friction at checkout, Shopify merchants can improve customer experience and boost sales. If you’re using Shopify’s Storefront API or building a mobile shopping app, enabling continuous authentication is a must to stay ahead in the eCommerce game.