Remove Shopping Cart Icon On Shopify: Easy Guide

Hey guys! Want to remove that shopping cart icon from your Shopify store? Maybe you're going for a sleeker design, or perhaps you're streamlining the customer journey. Whatever your reason, I've got you covered. In this guide, we'll walk through why you might want to ditch the icon, and then dive into the simple steps to make it happen. Let's get started!

Why Remove the Shopping Cart Icon?

Before we jump into the "how," let's quickly chat about the "why." There are several reasons why you might consider removing the shopping cart icon from your Shopify store. Understanding these reasons can help you decide if this is the right move for your business.

Streamlining the User Experience

Sometimes, less is more. By removing the shopping cart icon, you can create a cleaner, more focused user experience. A cluttered interface can overwhelm visitors and distract them from your primary call-to-action, such as browsing products or reading content. Removing unnecessary elements helps guide users more effectively toward making a purchase. This is particularly useful if you want customers to focus on specific products or promotions without being immediately reminded of the checkout process.

Enhancing Mobile Responsiveness

Mobile devices have limited screen space, and every pixel counts. Removing the shopping cart icon can free up valuable real estate, making your site more responsive and user-friendly on smaller screens. A cleaner mobile interface can improve navigation and reduce the likelihood of accidental clicks, which is crucial for maintaining a positive user experience. This can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates, as mobile users can easily browse and interact with your store.

Creating a Unique Brand Aesthetic

In the world of e-commerce, standing out is essential. Removing the shopping cart icon can contribute to a unique brand aesthetic that sets you apart from the competition. If your brand focuses on simplicity and elegance, eliminating unnecessary icons can reinforce this image. By customizing your store's design, you can create a memorable experience that resonates with your target audience and strengthens brand loyalty.

Optimizing for Specific Sales Funnels

For stores with a highly curated or specialized sales funnel, removing the shopping cart icon can be a strategic move. For example, if you want customers to go through a detailed product selection process before heading to checkout, hiding the cart icon until a specific point in the journey can help guide their behavior. This approach allows you to control the customer experience more closely and ensure they engage with key elements of your sales process before making a purchase.

Improving Site Speed

While the shopping cart icon itself isn't a major factor in site speed, removing unnecessary elements can contribute to a slightly faster loading time. Every little bit helps when it comes to optimizing your store for performance. Faster loading times improve user experience and can positively impact your search engine rankings, making your store more visible to potential customers. This is especially important for mobile users, who often have slower internet connections.

How to Remove the Shopping Cart Icon

Okay, now for the fun part! There are a couple of ways to remove the shopping cart icon on your Shopify store. One involves editing your theme's code, and the other uses CSS. Don't worry; I'll walk you through both. If you're not comfortable with code, the CSS method might be your best bet.

Method 1: Editing Your Theme's Code

This method involves diving into your Shopify theme's code. It's a bit more technical, but it gives you precise control over the removal of the shopping cart icon. Always remember to back up your theme before making any changes, just in case!

Access Your Shopify Admin:
- Log in to your Shopify admin panel.
Navigate to Themes:
- Go to Online Store > Themes.
Edit Your Theme's Code:
- Find the theme you want to edit and click Actions > Edit code. This will open the code editor.
Locate the Relevant File:
- This step can vary depending on your theme, but you're generally looking for files like header.liquid, theme.liquid, or a file related to your navigation. Use the search function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) and search for "cart" or "shopping-cart" to find relevant code snippets.
Remove or Comment Out the Code:
- Once you find the code responsible for displaying the shopping cart icon, you can either remove it completely or comment it out. Commenting it out (using {% comment %} and {% endcomment %} in Liquid, or  in HTML) allows you to easily restore it later if needed.
- Example of commenting out code in Liquid:
  
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```
{% comment %}
<a href="/cart" class="cart-link">
  <i class="fas fa-shopping-cart"></i>
  <span class="cart-count">{{ cart.item_count }}</span>
</a>
{% endcomment %}
```
Save Your Changes:
- Click Save to apply your changes. Check your store to see if the shopping cart icon has been removed.

Method 2: Using CSS to Hide the Icon

This method is generally easier and less risky, as it doesn't involve directly altering your theme's code. Instead, you'll use CSS to hide the shopping cart icon.

Access Your Shopify Admin:
- Log in to your Shopify admin panel.
Navigate to Themes:
- Go to Online Store > Themes.
Customize Your Theme:
- Find the theme you want to edit and click Customize. This will open the theme editor.
Edit Custom CSS:
- In the theme editor, look for a section labeled Theme settings, Custom CSS, or something similar. The location may vary depending on your theme.
Add the CSS Code:
- Add the following CSS code to hide the shopping cart icon. You might need to adjust the selector (.cart-icon, .shopping-cart, etc.) depending on your theme's HTML structure. Use your browser's developer tools (right-click on the icon and select "Inspect") to identify the correct selector.
```
.cart-icon {
  display: none !important;
}
```
  Or, if you need to be more specific:
```
.header .cart-icon {
  display: none !important;
}
```
Save Your Changes:
- Click Save to apply your changes. Check your store to see if the shopping cart icon has been removed.

Finding the Correct CSS Selector

One of the trickiest parts of using CSS to hide the shopping cart icon is identifying the correct CSS selector. Here’s how to do it:

Open Your Store in a Web Browser:
- Navigate to your Shopify store in a web browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.
Open Developer Tools:
- Right-click on the shopping cart icon and select "Inspect" or "Inspect Element." This will open the browser's developer tools.
Identify the Element:
- In the developer tools, you'll see the HTML code for the shopping cart icon. Look for the class or id attributes of the element or its parent elements. These are the CSS selectors you can use to target the icon.
Test Your CSS:
- Experiment with different CSS selectors in the developer tools to make sure you're targeting the correct element. You can add display: none; to the element's style to see if it hides the icon.
Apply the CSS to Your Theme:
- Once you've found the correct CSS selector, add the code to your theme's custom CSS section, as described in Method 2.

Important Considerations

Before you remove the shopping cart icon, here are a few important things to keep in mind:

User Experience

Make sure that removing the icon doesn't negatively impact the user experience. Ensure that customers can still easily access their cart and complete their purchase. You might need to provide alternative ways for customers to view their cart, such as a link in the navigation menu or a button on product pages.

Theme Updates

If you've edited your theme's code directly, be aware that theme updates can overwrite your changes. Consider using a child theme or documenting your changes so you can easily reapply them after an update. Alternatively, using the CSS method is generally more update-friendly.

Testing

Always test your changes thoroughly on different devices and browsers to ensure that everything looks and works as expected. Pay attention to mobile responsiveness and ensure that your store remains user-friendly on smaller screens.

Analytics

Keep an eye on your store's analytics after removing the shopping cart icon to see if it has any impact on your conversion rates or other key metrics. If you notice a significant drop, you might need to reconsider your decision or make further adjustments to your store's design.

Wrapping Up

So there you have it! Removing the shopping cart icon on your Shopify store can be a simple yet effective way to streamline your design and improve the user experience. Whether you choose to edit your theme's code or use CSS, remember to back up your theme, test your changes, and monitor your store's performance. Good luck, and happy selling!