diff --git a/packages/default-theme/components/checkout/PersonalDetails.vue b/packages/default-theme/components/checkout/PersonalDetails.vue
index b72a36f60..ac2651a3e 100644
--- a/packages/default-theme/components/checkout/PersonalDetails.vue
+++ b/packages/default-theme/components/checkout/PersonalDetails.vue
@@ -1,30 +1,58 @@
 <template>
-  <div>
+  <div class="sw-checkout__personal_info">
     <SfHeading
       title="1. Personal details"
       class="sf-heading--left sf-heading--no-underline title"
     />
+    <SfAlert
+      v-for="(message, index) in useUserErrorMessages"
+      :key="index"
+      class="sw-checkout__personal_info__alert"
+      type="danger"
+      :message="message"
+    />
     <div class="form">
+      <SfSelect
+        v-if="getMappedSalutations && getMappedSalutations.length > 0"
+        v-model="customer.salutationId"
+        label="Salutation"
+        :valid="!$v.customer.salutationId.$error"
+        @change="$v.customer.salutationId.$touch()"
+        error-message="Salutation must be selected"
+        class="sf-select--underlined form__element form__element--salutation form__select"
+      >
+        <SfSelectOption
+          v-for="salutationOption in getMappedSalutations"
+          :key="salutationOption.id"
+          :value="salutationOption.id || ''"
+        >
+          {{ salutationOption.name }}
+        </SfSelectOption>
+      </SfSelect>
       <SfInput
-        v-model="firstName"
+        v-model="customer.firstName"
         label="First name"
+        :valid="!$v.customer.firstName.$error"
+        error-message="First name is required"
         name="firstName"
-        class="form__element form__element--half"
+        class="form__element form__element--names"
         required
       />
       <SfInput
-        v-model="lastName"
+        v-model="customer.lastName"
         label="Last name"
+        :valid="!$v.customer.lastName.$error"
+        error-message="last name is required"
         name="lastName"
-        class="form__element form__element--half form__element--half-even"
-        required
+        class="form__element form__element--names form__element--names-even"
       />
       <SfInput
-        v-model="email"
+        v-model="customer.email"
         label="Your email"
+        :valid="!$v.customer.email.$error"
+        error-message="Proper email is required"
         name="email"
         class="form__element"
-        required
       />
       <div class="form__element form__group">
         <SfCheckbox
@@ -40,11 +68,18 @@
       <transition name="fade">
         <SfInput
           v-if="createAccount"
-          v-model="password"
+          v-model="customer.password"
           type="password"
           label="Create Password"
+          :valid="!$v.customer.password.$error"
+          :error-message="
+            //handle two different situations - aligned with validation rules
+            (!$v.customer.password.required && 'Password is required') ||
+              (!$v.customer.password.minLength &&
+                'Password should have at least 8 characters') ||
+              ''
+          "
           class="form__element"
-          required
         />
       </transition>
       <div class="form__action">
@@ -96,15 +131,36 @@ import {
   SfButton,
   SfHeading,
   SfModal,
-  SfCharacteristic
+  SfCharacteristic,
+  SfSelect,
+  SfProductOption,
+  SfAlert
 } from '@storefront-ui/vue'
 
-import { useUserLoginModal } from '@shopware-pwa/composables'
+import { validationMixin } from 'vuelidate'
+import {
+  required,
+  requiredIf,
+  email,
+  minLength
+} from 'vuelidate/lib/validators'
+import { computed } from '@vue/composition-api'
+import {
+  mapSalutations,
+  getMessagesFromErrorsArray
+} from '@shopware-pwa/helpers'
+import {
+  useUser,
+  useSalutations,
+  useCountries,
+  useUserLoginModal
+} from '@shopware-pwa/composables'
 
 import SwLoginModal from '@shopware-pwa/default-theme/components/modals/SwLoginModal'
 
 export default {
   name: 'PersonalDetails',
+  mixins: [validationMixin],
   components: {
     SfInput,
     SfCheckbox,
@@ -112,7 +168,10 @@ export default {
     SfHeading,
     SfModal,
     SfCharacteristic,
-    SwLoginModal
+    SfSelect,
+    SfProductOption,
+    SfAlert,
+    SwLoginModal,
   },
   props: {
     order: {
@@ -122,10 +181,20 @@ export default {
   },
   data() {
     return {
-      firstName: '',
-      lastName: '',
-      email: '',
-      password: '',
+      customer: {
+        salutationId: null,
+        firstName: '',
+        lastName: '',
+        email: '',
+        password: '',
+        billingAddress: {
+          salutationId: null,
+          street: '-',
+          zipcode: '-',
+          city: '-',
+          countryId: null
+        }
+      },
       createAccount: false,
       accountBenefits: false,
       isLoginModalOpen: false,
@@ -139,32 +208,122 @@ export default {
   },
   setup() {
     const { toggleModal: toggleLoginModal } = useUserLoginModal()
+
+    const {
+      register: registerUser,
+      login,
+      error: userError,
+      isLoggedIn
+    } = useUser()
+
+    const {
+      getSalutations,
+      fetchSalutations,
+      error: salutationsError
+    } = useSalutations()
+
+    const { fetchCountries, getCountries } = useCountries()
+
+    const getMappedSalutations = computed(() =>
+      mapSalutations(getSalutations.value)
+    )
     return {
+      registerUser,
+      login,
+      isLoggedIn,
+      fetchSalutations,
+      getMappedSalutations,
+      userError,
+      getCountries,
+      fetchCountries,
+      getMessagesFromErrorsArray,
       toggleLoginModal
     }
   },
   watch: {
-    order: {
-      handler(value) {
-        this.firstName = value.firstName
-        this.lastName = value.lastName
-        this.email = value.email
-      },
-      immediate: true
-    },
     createAccount(value) {
-      if (!value) this.password = ''
+      if (!value) this.customer.password = ''
+    },
+    // hack to register user without picking up the salutation in billing address (minimal registration)
+    // copy the customer's salutation into billing address
+    'customer.salutationId': function(value) {
+      if (value && this.customer && this.customer.billingAddress) {
+        this.customer.billingAddress.salutationId = value
+      }
     }
+
   },
   methods: {
-    toShipping() {
-      const order = { ...this.order }
-      order.firstName = this.firstName
-      order.lastName = this.lastName
-      order.email = this.email
-      order.password = this.password
-      order.createAccount = this.createAccount
-      this.$emit('update:order', order)
+    async toShipping() {
+      // run the validators against the provided data
+      // consider using $touch event on $blur event in each input
+      this.$v.$touch()
+      if (this.$v.$invalid) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      if (this.createAccount) {
+        const isRegistered = await this.registerUser(this.customer)
+        if (!isRegistered) {
+          return
+        }
+        // extra login step won't be necessary once the register has a autologin option
+        await this.login({
+          username: this.customer.email,
+          password: this.customer.password
+        })
+        if (!this.isLoggedIn) {
+          return
+        }
+      }
+
+      return this.$emit('proceed:shipping')
+    }
+  },
+  computed: {
+    useUserErrorMessages() {
+      // all the 400 errors are in a raw format stright from the API - to be extracted easily depeding on needs.
+      return this.userError && this.getMessagesFromErrorsArray(this.userError)
+    }
+  },
+  async mounted() {
+    // hack to register user without picking up the country (minimal registration)
+    await this.fetchCountries()
+    if (!this.getCountries) {
+      return
+    }
+    const pickedCountry = this.getCountries.find(
+      ({ name }) => name === 'Poland'
+    )
+    this.customer.billingAddress.countryId = pickedCountry && pickedCountry.id
+
+    // select "not specified" salutation (works for EN) as default salutation
+    await this.fetchSalutations();
+    const defaultSalutation = this.getMappedSalutations.find(({id, name}) => name == 'Not specified')
+    this.customer.salutationId = defaultSalutation && defaultSalutation.id
+  },
+  // TODO: move all the rules globally
+  validations: {
+    customer: {
+      salutationId: {
+        required
+      },
+      firstName: {
+        required
+      },
+      lastName: {
+        required
+      },
+      password: {
+        required: requiredIf(function(password) {
+          return this.createAccount
+        }),
+        minLength: minLength(8)
+      },
+      email: {
+        required,
+        email
+      }
     }
   }
 }
@@ -172,6 +331,14 @@ export default {
 <style lang="scss" scoped>
 @import '~@storefront-ui/vue/styles';
 
+.sw-checkout {
+  &__personal_info {
+    &__alert {
+      margin-bottom: 20px;
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 .title {
   margin-bottom: var(--spacer-extra-big);
 }
@@ -186,9 +353,15 @@ export default {
     @include for-desktop {
       flex: 0 0 100%;
     }
-    &--half {
+    &--salutation {
+      @include for-desktop {
+        flex: 1 1 25%;
+        padding-right: var(--spacer-extra-big);
+      }
+    }
+    &--names {
       @include for-desktop {
-        flex: 1 1 50%;
+        flex: 1 1 30%;
       }
       &-even {
         @include for-desktop {
diff --git a/packages/default-theme/pages/checkout.vue b/packages/default-theme/pages/checkout.vue
index c8e2aa2cb..31615a14a 100644
--- a/packages/default-theme/pages/checkout.vue
+++ b/packages/default-theme/pages/checkout.vue
@@ -4,10 +4,7 @@
       <div class="checkout__main">
         <SfSteps :active="currentStep" @change="updateStep($event)">
           <SfStep name="Personal Details">
-            <PersonalDetails
-              :order="order"
-              @update:order="updateOrder($event)"
-            />
+            <PersonalDetails :order="order" @proceed:shipping="proceed()" />
           </SfStep>
           <SfStep name="Shipping">
             <Shipping
@@ -239,6 +236,9 @@ export default {
         this.currentStep = next
       }
     },
+    proceed() {
+      this.currentStep++
+    },
     updateOrder(order, next = true) {
       this.order = { ...this.order, ...order }
       if (next) {