PayPal launches Fastlane to boost guest checkout in Australia

PayPal has launched Fastlane in Australia, offering a guest checkout experience aimed at reducing cart abandonment and increasing conversion rates for local businesses.

Checkout friction

Lengthy checkout processes have proven to be a significant barrier for online shoppers. According to PayPal's eCommerce Index 2025, 41% of Australian consumers have abandoned an online purchase due to the checkout being too difficult or too long. This ongoing problem impacts business revenue as potential sales are lost when customers fail to complete their transactions.

PayPal developed Fastlane in response to these customer pain points. The service is designed to accelerate the checkout process, particularly for guests who do not wish to create accounts at individual retailers. By recognising shoppers using their email addresses and then verifying them with a one-time code, Fastlane enables users to access their saved payment and shipping details. The company states that this allows consumers to complete purchases in as little as one click, resulting in reduced friction and improved conversion rates for merchants.

Merchant results

Businesses participating in the Fastlane trials have reported positive outcomes. Internal data from PayPal shows that merchants using Fastlane recorded a 51% average increase in conversion rates among accelerated shoppers compared to those using traditional guest checkout methods. The integration is optimised for guest users and requires no PayPal account, although customers have the option to create a Fastlane profile for future purchases.

Andrew Toon, General Manager Payments, PayPal Australia said, "For consumers, Fastlane makes online shopping quick, easy, and secure. By recognising shoppers and securely pre-filling their information, it removes friction from guest checkout and helps businesses drive increased conversation. With accelerated guest checkout available to businesses of all sizes, Fastlane empowers merchants to boost sales and deliver a faster, more streamlined shopping experience for their customers."

Businesses can integrate Fastlane into existing checkout flows, which allows them to maintain their own branding while leveraging PayPal's trust and security infrastructure. This simplified checkout process is intended to meet the needs of a wide range of Australian businesses, from small enterprises to larger retailers operating at scale.

Merchant perspective

Feedback from companies involved in the local Fastlane testing has reinforced PayPal's claims regarding improved performance. SuperPharmacyPlus, one of Australia's largest independently owned online pharmacies and mobility retailers, has been trialling Fastlane since learning about it through its eCommerce partner.

Roy Packer, Partner and Business Development Manager at SuperPharmacyPlus, said, "Innovation is at the heart of everything we do, so when I heard about Fastlane through BigCommerce, we were eager to be part of the trial. Since enabling Fastlane, we've seen a 37% increase in checkout speed and a 24% increase in conversion - clear proof that best-in-breed solutions like Fastlane can make a real impact for both our business and our customers."

The company attributes these improvements to the ability of Fastlane to reduce the number of steps required to complete a purchase, which has been a longstanding challenge for eCommerce retailers in Australia.

Service availability

Fastlane is currently available to Australian merchants in a trial phase and is set for general availability in October 2025. PayPal has stated that the platform is designed for businesses of all sizes, providing an accelerated and secure guest checkout option without requiring customers to sign up for a PayPal account.

The service is positioned to support the ongoing shift towards digital commerce in Australia and is aligned with broader efforts to encourage better online shopping experiences for both consumers and merchants.