Blog · Persistent Cart
Guest cart vs logged-in cart on Shopify: how to merge them without losing items
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What happens to the items a shopper added before logging in, and how a persistent cart merges them into the saved cart instead of replacing it.
Many shoppers browse and add items as guests, then log in at checkout. What happens to those items depends on how your store treats the two carts. If the saved cart wins, the new items vanish. If the new cart wins, the saved items vanish. Neither is what the shopper expects.
The expectation
A shopper expects everything they picked to be there: what they added earlier, and what they added just now. That means the two carts should be combined.
How EE-Persistent Cart handles it
EE-Persistent Cart merges the guest cart into the saved cart at login. Nothing gets replaced. After login, the cart then stays the same across the shopper's phone, tablet and computer, and removals sync as well.
Optional: tell the shopper
You can show an optional restore alert that tells shoppers their cart is back. The alert has a live preview, so you can see how it looks before you switch it on.
Check it works for your store
- Add an item on one device while logged out.
- Log in on another device with a saved cart.
- Confirm both sets of items are in the cart.
- Remove one item and confirm it disappears on the other device too.
The app home then reports carts saved and restored, and orders and revenue after a restore.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to a guest cart when the shopper logs in?
With EE-Persistent Cart, it merges into the saved cart. Nothing gets replaced.
Are guest carts synced across devices?
No. Sync is for logged-in customers. Guest carts merge at login.
Where do I install it?
From the Shopify App Store. Then turn it on in the theme editor.