The Challenge: The Obvious May Not be Obvious
Free shipping is table stakes in the E-commerce world.
But what can you do when you offer free shipping but your customers still keep abandoning the cart because of shipping costs?
That’s the riddle the experts at GrowthHit had to solve when they were brought onboard to improve the revenue of an E-commerce client in the beauty industry.
As a first step, they used qualitative research methods to add some voice of customer data to understand the high site abandonment rate.
They collected data from an exit intent poll and also a true intent survey to gather insights around motivation, market positioning, customer buying preferences, and the causes for abandonment.
Based on the information they hypothesized that:
Emphasizing messaging around free shipping across all device types will lead to more purchases.
The Test: Simple is Effective
The team at GrowthHit created an A/B test using Convert Experiences.
They targeted all potential customers, on all devices.
CONTROL: The original site, with no “FREE SHIPPING” emphasis. Was served to 50% of the site traffic, for a cycle of 15 days. In total 26,306 visitors saw this version.
VARIANT: This take on the site sported a sticky banner with the FREE SHIPPING offer. It was placed sitewide to maximize exposure to the message. Served to 50% of the site traffic, for a cycle of 15 days. In total 26,306 visitors saw this version.
The Result:
| KPI Impacted | % Change | Confidence Of Result | Winner |
| Purchases | 8% increase in completed purchases | 90% | Variation (with FREE SHIPPING banner) |
We were shocked by the survey results. The primary complaints from visitors that didn’t buy were around shipping. Almost every product on the site qualifies for free shipping. Even though it wasn’t an actual issue for visitors, the confusion caused abandonment. We tested into messaging to alleviate those concerns and increased purchases by 8%.
Jeremy EppersonVP of Growth at GrowthHit
What Can You Learn From This Success Story?
- The customer is always right. If the data points to a roadblock the buyer may be facing, conduct research around it… even if you assume that the experience you’re offering is clear to the customer. Often removing confusion and making something extra clear can work wonders for your site. TAKE-AWAY: What part of your site messaging can you clarify further?
- Iterative Testing is powerful. Never underestimate the impact of nuanced, strategic changes – based on research. They can be relatively low effort, but the insights you get from these iterative tests can debunk assumptions and build excitement around a culture of testing. TAKE-AWAY: What data do you have to support quick turn tests that will help you understand customers and increase conversions?
GrowthHit’s goal is to save the 90% of startups that fail. It does that by running customer-centric growth teams.
GrowthHit has helped startups raise over $40M in funding and helped companies generate over $247M in revenue from tracked experiments.
It works with e-commerce, SaaS, lead generation, beauty, finance, fashion, fitness, and real estate.
At Convert, we’re on a mission to create meaningful, sustainable experiences for today’s users and future generations. As the only Climate Neutral Certified A/B testing platform, we’re proud to offer a robust, affordable, and feature-rich platform that’s been an industry favorite for over a decade. But we’re not just about optimization for profit. With a Conscious Business approach, we’re dedicated to making a real difference and driving positive change within the CRO space and the world.