What is A/B testing, and how can I use it to improve my Shopify store?

Shopify AB testing

A/B testing is an important tool for improving your online store’s performance. It lets you test changes to your website, understand how users behave, and make sure you’re meeting customer needs as they evolve.

Most ecommerce brands run anywhere from 24 to 60 A/B tests each year. But with so many possible tests, how do you know which ones will make the biggest difference? And how can you make sure your tests actually help improve your store?

In this guide, we’ll explain how to set up A/B testing for your Shopify store, what parts of your site to test, and share five simple tips to help you get the best results from your tests.

 What is A/B testing?    

A/B testing is a way to compare two different versions of a webpage or landing page to see which one works better. You create a “control” version (Version A) and a “variant” version (Version B). Then, you show each version to a different group of visitors at the same time to figure out which one performs the best. Based on the results, you can make changes to improve your site.

When used as part of a broader strategy to improve your store’s performance (known as Conversion Rate Optimization, or CRO), A/B testing helps with:

  • Getting More Conversions: A/B testing helps you understand which changes get more people to buy when they visit your store.

  • Increasing Order Value: You can test things like product bundles or discounts to see what encourages customers to spend more per order.

  • Reducing Bounce Rates: By testing different elements on your site, you can make sure your pages catch people’s attention and keep them from leaving too quickly.

  • Improving Customer Experience: A/B testing shows you parts of your website that may be confusing or frustrating for users, or areas that could be more enjoyable. You can then make those changes to give your customers a better experience.

Though A/B testing is a valuable method, it’s just one of several ways to measure how changes to your site affect user behavior.

 A/B Testing vs. Multivariate Testing 

Multivariate testing (MVT) is a less common method, usually only used by larger brands with lots of website traffic. It’s an alternative to A/B testing.

With A/B testing, you compare two or more versions of a webpage or specific parts of a page to see which one performs better. This helps you understand customer behavior and make changes to increase things like conversion rates or average order value. A/B tests are quick, easy to set up, and often give fast, meaningful results since they focus on testing bigger changes. 

Multivariate testing is more complex. Instead of testing one change at a time, you test different combinations of changes at once. For example, you might test different headlines, Sub headlines, images, and buttons on your homepage to see which mix works best.

The two methods can complement each other: A/B testing helps you gather initial insights about what works, while MVT helps you fine-tune and optimize multiple elements at once.

However, multivariate testing isn’t needed for most brands, especially those with less website traffic. MVT needs a lot of visitors to produce reliable results because you’re testing many combinations. For example, an A/B test might just compare two versions of a headline, but an MVT test could test all combinations of headlines, Subheadlines, and buttons, resulting in more variations to analyze. To get useful results from MVT, you need a lot of traffic.

In short, A/B testing is a great choice for most businesses, especially those just starting out or with less traffic, while MVT is better suited for larger sites with more visitors.

How to A/B Test Your Shopify Store   

A/B testing allows you to try out different versions of things on your Shopify store—like headlines, page layouts, buttons, offers, shipping prices, and even new features. With so many options to test, it can be hard to know where to begin. Here’s an easy guide to help you start A/B testing.

1. Start with Research   

Before jumping into tests based on guesswork (like thinking a page’s design might be causing people to leave), it’s better to use data to guide your decisions.

Start by looking at the numbers. We test to find areas that need improvement and can help increase conversions. This means digging into things like Google Analytics, clickmaps, heatmaps, and scrollmaps to see how visitors use your site. Check where people tend to leave or get stuck.

Once you have this data, you’ll know which parts of your site need the most attention, so you can focus your tests on what will make the biggest difference for your store.

 2. Do Qualitative Research   

Quantitative data shows what is happening on your site, but qualitative research helps you understand why it’s happening. It digs deeper into the reasons behind customer actions and identifies the root causes of issues that might be stopping visitors from converting. You can gather qualitative insights through customer interviews, surveys, usability tests, and session recordings, which all help you see what customers are struggling with or what they want more of on your site.

In addition to these methods, reviewing customer service chat logs can reveal common problems customers face. Post-purchase surveys are another great tool to get feedback directly from buyers, and tools like KnoCommerce or Fairing can automate these surveys to make the process easier. By combining this qualitative research with the data from your A/B tests, you’ll be able to better understand your customers’ needs and make smarter decisions to improve their experience on your site.

3. Create a Hypothesis  

 After doing your research, the next step is to make a hypothesis. This is where you come up with an idea of what changes could help improve your store, based on what you’ve learned.

For example, we worked with Dr. Amar, a brand that sells organic soap. During our research, we saw that many customers were buying several soaps at once, but the product page didn’t have a quantity option. Instead, customers had to click “add to cart” each time they wanted to add another soap. We guessed that adding a quantity field would make it easier for customers to buy more soaps at once, which could increase their total order value.

Creating your hypothesis like this helps make sure your tests are based on real data, not just guesses.

4. Plan Your A/B Test  

To get useful and reliable results from A/B testing, you need to plan carefully. This ensures that the results are accurate and not just random. Statistical significance means that the results are real and not influenced by things like a news story or special event during your test.

A/B testing is like running an experiment. You need to make a plan, set a baseline (control version), create different versions (variations), and define the rules for your test. Here are some key things to think about when planning your test:

  • Sample Size: It’s important to figure out the right number of people for your test to make sure the results are valid. Many A/B testing tools can help you with this. Tools like Optimizely’s Sample Size Calculator or CXL’s Pre-Test Calculator can be very helpful.

  • Number of Variations: The sample size will determine how many versions you can test. If you’re testing many versions (like five), you’ll need more people to get reliable results compared to just testing two.

  • Test Duration: The length of your test depends on how many variations you’re testing and the size of your sample. It’s best to run your test for at least a full week and across two business cycles to get accurate data.

If you don’t have the right sample size, test too many versions, or don’t run the test long enough, your results might be unreliable. Making decisions based on this bad data can actually hurt your conversion rates instead of improving them.

5. Choose an A/B Testing Tool  

There are many A/B testing tools, like Convert, Optimizely, and VWO, that make it easy to set up and analyze tests without needing to know how to code. If you’re testing specific things for your Shopify store, like shipping offers or subscriptions, you may need special apps like Ship scout or Rebuy.

If your test involves more than just changing text, it’s best not to use the visual editor that comes with most A/B testing tools. These editors can create code automatically, which can cause problems with how the page looks on different browsers and devices. It’s better to have developers write and check the code to make sure your test works correctly everywhere.

6. Run Your A/B Test  

When you’re ready, split your audience into two or more random groups (most A/B testing tools do this automatically). Group A will see the original version of your page, and Group B will see the updated version. Be sure to track the important metrics and collect data from each group during the test.

7. Look at the Results  

Once your test is finished, check the results. Focus on the important metrics you decided to track, like conversion rates, bounce rates, click-through rates, or average order value. Did your changes match your expectations? If not, what did you learn from the test? Most A/B testing tools have features that help you look at and understand the data.

8. Keep Testing and Improving  

A/B testing is an ongoing process. The results of one test can lead to new questions or ideas for future tests. Use what you’ve learned to make small changes and test them again to keep improving your Shopify store’s performance.

What to A/B Test  

With A/B testing, you can try out different parts of your Shopify store, like the text on headers, page layout, images, buttons, colors, or the checkout process. Let’s see how to run specific tests for your store.

 Testing Shipping Thresholds   

Shipping thresholds are the minimum order amounts customers need to reach in order to get free or discounted shipping. Research shows that 78% of shoppers are more likely to buy more if it means they get free shipping. Adjusting your shipping thresholds can help reduce cart abandonment and increase the average amount customers spend.

The right shipping threshold depends on things like your product type, margins, and shipping costs. Start by checking your current average order value, and set the threshold just a little higher than that.

Use A/B testing to try different shipping thresholds. For example, one group of customers could get free shipping on all orders, while another group only gets it on orders over $75. This way, you can find out which shipping offer works best for your store.

How to Test Upsells and Cross-sells  

Upselling and cross-selling are great ways to get customers to spend more. You can encourage them to buy more by offering product bundles, subscriptions, or different quantities.

For example, we worked with Dr.Amar and tested the idea of setting the default quantity to two soaps on the product page. This change led to a 54% increase in revenue per user.

Here are some places you can test upsells and cross-sells on your store:

  • Product pages: Add sections like “Frequently Bought Together” or “Customers Also Bought” to suggest related products.

  • Cart page: For example, a clothing brand might add a “Complete the Look” section in the cart, suggesting matching items while the customer reviews their choices.

  • Checkout page: Let customers add relevant products to their order right before they finish checking out.

  • Thank you pages: After customers place their order, use the confirmation page to offer discounts or suggest products that go well with what they’ve already bought.

Many stores use a mix of these strategies. But the key is to test each option to see which works best for your customers.

How to Test Product Recommendations  

Customers can feel overwhelmed with too many choices on a website. Personalized product recommendations can help them make decisions, making them more likely to buy.

A/B testing helps brands figure out the best way to suggest products. This can include testing different messages, where to place recommendations, using quizzes to suggest products, or even using AI chat to suggest items based on the customer’s behavior.

How to Test Product Detail Pages (PDPs)  

Product detail pages (PDPs) show important information like product descriptions, features, size and color options, pricing, images, and reviews. These pages help customers understand the product’s value and guide them toward buying it with clear buttons or links to encourage a purchase.

A/B testing different parts of the PDP—such as the layout, text, or pictures—is key to improving these pages and increasing sales.

For example, we helped the hair extension brand increase their sales by 26%. By using our Testing Trifecta method, which involves deep customer research, we discovered that shoppers didn’t understand how to use the products and weren’t reading the product descriptions.

We tested several ways to show how to use the products, including videos and images. In the end, we found that using three GIFs worked best to increase sales and return on ad spend (ROAS). However, this solution won’t work for every brand.

The brands that do the best with testing and improving their stores take time to research what works for their specific customers. Our Testing Trifecta combines both data and customer feedback to figure out what’s stopping customers from buying and why. This helps you come up with smart ideas to make changes that will improve sales.

A/B Testing Tips and Best Practices 

A/B testing might seem easy, but it’s important to get accurate data. If the results are not reliable, you could make changes that don’t fit what your customers want, which can hurt both trust and sales. Here are five simple tips for running successful A/B tests:

  1. Mix Big and Small Tests: It’s tempting to focus only on big changes, like redesigning your homepage, but smaller tests matter too. For example, testing how you show shipping fees can make a difference. Try to test both big and small changes to understand what works best.

  2. Give It Time: Run your A/B tests for at least 3 to 4 weeks, even if you reach the sample size earlier. Aim for 100 conversions per variation. Make sure to test across full weeks, because customer behavior can change depending on the day of the week.

  3. Stay Focused: Keep your tests specific to the problem you want to fix. If you think trust is an issue, focus on changes that could build trust, like adding customer reviews or trust badges. Changing your whole page design would make it hard to figure out which change actually worked.

  4. Divide Your Audience: When looking at results, break your audience into groups based on things like age, location, or whether they’re new or returning customers. This helps you see how different types of people respond to your changes.

  5. Keep Track of Your Tests: Write every test you run, including your idea, the control version, the changed version, the results, and what you learned. This helps you avoid repeating tests and lets you improve your strategy for future tests.

Following these tips will help you run A/B tests that are effective and help boost your conversion rates.

bg page rankings
WE’VE DRIVEN OVER

155,000

PAGE 1 RANKINGS

on Google for our clients