How to stop bots from adding items to cart then abandoning cart orders?

Shopify Discussion

Topic summary

A store owner is experiencing bot activity where automated scripts add the same item to multiple carts under different names, then abandon checkout 2-3 times daily, occurring about once weekly. They already have hCaptcha installed and are seeking additional 2025-compatible solutions.

Suggested Solutions:

  • Install bot detection apps (Shop Protector, BotDefender, Signifyd, or Beacon)
  • Enable Shopify’s built-in fraud analysis
  • Implement rate limiting to prevent excessive cart additions
  • Disable guest checkout by requiring account login (Settings > Checkout > Customer contact method)

Key Limitations:

  • The store operates on Shopify’s Basic plan, not Plus
  • Advanced protections like checkout locks, .htaccess blocking, and certain JavaScript protections require Shopify Plus
  • Requiring login adds friction for legitimate new customers
  • Without Plus, options are primarily limited to third-party apps

Current Status:
The discussion remains open with no definitive resolution. Another user reports experiencing similar issues with 50+ bots on their checkout page and significantly increased abandoned orders.

Summarized with AI on October 29. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hello! I have hCaptcha in place on my site. How else can I stop bots from placing orders and abandoning cart? I can’t find info for 2025, only for 2023-2024. Thanks in advance!

2

Hi,

Hope this will help

  • Limit checkout attempts
  • Use javasecript bot protection
  • If you are shopify plus user then use .htaccess to block Bad Bots
1 Like
3

Hi @FarrahLG

To further protect your store, you might consider these steps:

  1. Use a bot detection app like Shopify’s Bot Protection or Signifyd, Shop Protector or BotDefender to block suspicious activity.
  2. Enable Shopify’s built-in fraud analysis to flag risky orders.
  3. Add rate limiting to your store to prevent excessive cart additions.

Hope this helps!

4

Can you give us a bit more information about the bot behaviors occurring for your site? For example, how often are the orders being placed? Is it adding the same item? etc…

If your site is under the Shopify Plus plan, consider adding multiple layers of protections like checkout lock, blacklist, and fraud analysis through third party apps like Beacon.

5

Thank you. I’m not a coder where do I add this on the site?

6

Yes, thank you! Adding the same item to multiple carts then abandoning checkout. The carts are under different names. Happening 2-3 x a day but only once a week. My client is concerned about it. I’ve hear about much worse bot behavior.

7

It appears my client is a Basic user, not Plus.

8

Do I need the Plus plan for this? I have the Basic plan.

9

If you have not done so already, we recommend to disable “guest checkout” and require customers to log in before checkout on Shopify to see if this can reduce the amount of abandoned checkout. Keep in mind that this options adds more friction for new customers.

go to Settings > Checkout and enable the option “Require the customer to log in to their account before checkout” under “Customer contact method”.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

  • Navigate to Checkout Settings: In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Checkout.

  • Locate Customer Contact Method: Scroll down to the “Customer contact method” section.

  • Enable Account Login Requirement: Check the box next to “Require the customer to log in to their account before checkout”.

  • Save Changes: Click “Save” to apply the changes.

Without Shopify Plus, your options are limited to third party apps that deal with abandoned checkout specifically.

10

@Promer Do I need the Plus plan for this? I have the Basic plan. Thank you!

11

Have you solved this problem? My store is now full of robots. There are always more than 50 robots on the checkout page, and the number of abandoned orders is several times higher than before.

1 Like