Cart & Checkout Experience

Branded 3-step checkout with progress indicator, shipping options, and trust signals

Must-Use PluginWooCommerce

Cart & Checkout ExperienceCase study

Stack: PHP, CSS, JS, WooCommerce
Status: Live on the storefront
Built at: Gem Awards, the company where I work
Screenshots: Demo data

The Problem

Default Checkout, Zero Brand Identity

The default WooCommerce cart had no branded identity, no progress indicator, and no engraving metadata visible on line items. Standard PHP filter approaches conflicted with the Product Add-Ons plugin and Divi theme. Every filter-based solution broke something else.

The Solution

Must-Use Plugin via CSS/JS Injection

I built a must-use plugin that bypasses PHP filters entirely and uses CSS and JS injection instead. It adds a branded Shop → Cart → Checkout progress bar, trust signals (Made in the USA / Ships Next Day / Satisfaction Guaranteed), a Trustindex review carousel in cart, and a saved address selector at checkout.

Visual Walkthrough

Cart page — Cart · branded progress bar, trust signals, and Trustindex review carousel

Checkout information step — Step 1: Information · consistent visual language with saved address selector

Checkout shipping step — Step 2: Shipping · shipping method selection with progress indicator tracking

Key Features

What It Does

3-step checkout: Information → Shipping → Payment
Branded progress bar across all steps
Trust signals for Made in the USA, Ships Next Day, and Satisfaction Guaranteed
Trustindex review carousel in cart
Saved address selector at checkout
Must-use plugin architecture, so it cannot be accidentally deactivated
Consistent visual language across all checkout surfaces
No PHP filter dependencies, which keeps it clear of plugin conflicts

Technical Decision

Why JS Injection Over PHP Filters

Architecture Decision Record

I abandoned server-side PHP filter injection after repeated conflicts with the Product Add-Ons plugin and Divi theme. The JS injection approach has no filter dependencies to break. It layers on top of whatever WooCommerce renders, so a change inside another plugin does not take it down. The must-use plugin pattern makes it load before any other plugin, and nobody can deactivate it from the admin panel.

Impact

Results

Branded Checkout Flow: 3-Step
Can't Be Deactivated: MU-Plugin
PHP Filter Dependencies: 0

Start with a free AI Audit.

A free 30-minute audit of the work your team repeats every day. If there is a fit, you get a fixed proposal within a week. I do not pitch you and I do not chase you.

Book a Free AI Audit

Or email me at treyson@treysonwelch.com