The Top 5 Ecommerce Tests You Should Run Right Now

The Top 5 Ecommerce Tests
You Should Run Right Now
To Get Ready for a Huge Christmas 2013!

Chris Goward
Founder & CEO

@chrisgoward

Tweet this: @chrisgoward @optimizely #ecommerce
© 2007-2013 WiderFunnel Marketing Inc. | www.widerfunnel.com

Ryan Lillis
Strategic Optimization
Consultant

@optimizely

Meet Ryan
• Strategic Optimization Consultant at
Optimizely
• Previously at Test & Target

ryan.lillis@optimizely.
com

• He has advised all types of business
from Fortune 100 to small start ups

©© 2007-2013 WiderFunnel Marketing Inc. www.widerfunnel.com
2007-2013 WiderFunnel Marketing Inc. |

We make sophisticated website optimization
easy.
• Over 5,500 customers in all verticals
• Dedicated technical support and strategic consulting
E-commerce resources this month:
www.optimizely.com/ecommerce-ab-testing

Meet Chris Goward
• Developed WiderFunnel’s processes, including the LIFT
Model™ & Kaizen
• Conversion rate lift of 10% to 750% for every multi-test
client
• In demand as a speaker globally

Chris Goward
Founder & CEO
WiderFunnel
@chrisgoward

• New book by Wiley:
“You Should Test That!”
Get a free chapter at: YouShouldTestThat.com


We partner with our clients to dramatically
lift their profit with marketing optimization
•

Strategy, design, copywriting & testing

•

Every client has seen 10% to 700%+ lift

More free tips at www.WiderFunnel.com/Blog


5 Areas to Test Right Now
But first, some context...


Persuasional

Informational
Transactional


Landing Pages

Interior Pages
Conversion Pages

Test #1 – Your Landing Pages
The best value proposition test point.


Situation
Competitive search keywords “Human Growth Hormone”
Competitors focused on product purity
Shoppers worried about product efficacy & FUD

The Goal
More e-commerce revenue


Which Landing Page Won?
A


B

Controlled Test Result

%
49
Sales Lift


The POPs, PODs and POIs Value Proposition Framework
Your Points of Difference
(PODs)

Your Points of Parity
(POPs)

Prospect’s
Desires

Competitor’s
Features

Your
Features

Your Point of Irrelevance
(POIs)

Test #2 – Your Home Page
The most over-scrutinized, under-optimized page.


Rotating messages are
a Distraction

Test #3 – Your Category Pages
The most over-looked pages.


Situation
Industry-leading website
Stagnant conversion rate
We identified the category pages as a priority


Which Category Page Won?
A


B

Controlled Test Result

%
16.1
Sales Lift


Test #4 – Your Product Detail Pages
The decision-point.


Background
Solid brand awareness
Disappointing conversion rate
Google told them to work with WiderFunnel


Knowing what to test: Using the LIFT Model™

Relevance

Clarity
TM

Urgency
Distraction
Anxiety
(Note: For more, search “WiderFunnel Lift”)


Value Proposition: “Free Shipping”
may be more compelling?

Distraction: Show All Categories
opens a new page
Relevance: Scrolling products take
most prominent position
Clarity: Design does not imply sale
price
Clarity: Blue text is confused with links

Distraction: Shipping link opens new
page in new tab.
Distraction: Reviews are more
prominent than features.
Distraction: Cross-selling more
Clarity: Features included in
Description tab at bottom.

Clarity: Shipping tab does not include
shipping price.

Develop Test Hypotheses
WEAKNESS

STRENGTH

Relevance: Scrolling products
take most prominent position

Hypothesis: Moving product
reco box below the fold

Clarity: Design does not imply
sale price

Hypothesis: Redesigning
CTAs to emphasize sale price

Distraction: Reviews are more

Hypothesis: Increasing
prominence of product features


Which Product Page Template Won?
A


B

Controlled Test Result Why?
–

16% Sales Lift!


Test #5 – Your PCTAs
The site-wide checkout entry-point


Over-emphasis on security
creates anxiety


Does this create
trust?


How do you prioritize?
It’s as easy as PIE


The PIE™ Prioritization Framework

1. Potential
2. Importance
3. Ease


The PIE™ Prioritization Framework
Web Analytics

1. Potential

Voice of Customer

2. Importance

Traffic Volume

3. Ease
Technical
“Political”

Cost

PIE Prioritization
Test #

Test Type

Potential Importance Ease

Rating

1.1

Landing Page Template

10

10

10

10

2.1

Home A/B Cluster

10

10

9

9.3

2.2

Home Isolation 1

8

10

9

9.0

3.1

Category Template A/B Cluster

10

9

7

8.7

3.2

Category Isolation 1

8

9

8

8.3

3.3

Category Isolation 2

8

9

8

8.3

4.1

PCTA Isolation 1

6

10

8

8.0

Product Detail Template A/B Cluster

10

10

4

8.0

Shopping Cart Isolation 1-3

8

9

6

7.7

Product Detail Isolation

8

10

5

7.7

Site-wide elements

6

7

9

7.3

Shopping Cart A/B Cluster

9

9

3

7.0

Blog Template PCTA

8

2

7

5.7

5
6.1-3
7.1
8
8.1
9


Ask the Right Questions.
Don’t Worry About the Right
Answers.
5 more A/B tests to run today


The Right Questions
• DON’T ASK: “What are the variations we are testing?”

• ASK: “What question are we trying to answer?”
• Conceptual Validation – define the broad question trying to be
answered, and determine the simplest and easiest way to validate
that concept.


Test #1 – Thematic vs. Specific
What type of images perform better?


Test #1 – Specific
Variation 1: Image One

Variation 2: Image Two
buy one, get one 50% off kids’ shoes, plus
deals on clothing and more

Girls’ shoes | boys’ shoes | clothing
| uniforms | backpacks

Hypothesis: The second image will outperform the first.

Test #1 –Themes
Image Theme Test
Hypothesis: Product images will outperform lifestyle images.
Variation 1: Models & Products


Variation 2: Products Only

Value of Themes
Image themes allow you to stretch your insights and test intelligently.


DON’T ASK
Will image A outperform image B?

DO ASK
How does this type of imagery compare to that type
of imagery?

Test #2 – No Design vs. Design
Is simple better?


Test # 2– Designer Test
Variation 1: Simple Breadcrumb

Variation 2: Stylized Breadcrumb

Home > Shop iPad > iPad Accessories > Headphones

Hypothesis
The second breadcrumb with graphical images will allow users to easily
navigate the site, resulting in a conversion rate increase.


Test # 2– No Designer Test
Variation 1: Simple Breadcrumb


Variation 2: Prominent Breadcrumb


Hypothesis
The prominent breadcrumb will be more easily noticed and allow users
to more easily navigate the site, resulting in a conversion rate increase.


Value of No Design Test

No Design Tests…
• Utilize fewer resources
• Take minutes to set up
Depending on the results, design resources can be most effectively
utilized in a follow-up test.

DON’T ASK
Will style outperform simplicity?

DO ASK
How much does prominence affect performance?

Test #3 – No IT vs. IT
How much technical involvement is necessary?


Test # 3 – No IT vs. IT
Variation 1:
Single, Longpage
Checkout

Variation 2:
Multi-page,
Checkout

Hypothesis: A multi-page checkout with fewer fields per page will drive
a higher conversion rate.

Test # 3 – No IT vs. IT
Variation 1:
Single, Longpage
Checkout

Variation 2:
Collapsed
sections, on
Single page
Next

2S
hipping
3 Options
4 Payment

Hypothesis: Users are overwhelmed and a checkout funnel that
exposes fewer fields initially will drive a higher conversion rate.

Value of No IT Test

No IT Tests…
• Can be set up in minutes or days vs.
months or years, yes, years.
Remember: You don’t always have to modify your backend content
systems to “fake it” for the purposes of a test.


DON’T ASK
How can I change the backend to support this
test?

DO ASK
Can I test this concept without changing the
backend?

Is conceptual validation perfect?
No. But...


Value of Conceptual Validation

Conceptual validation allows you to..
• Prioritize your team’s resources
• Test quickly
• Run intelligent tests
Over the long run, this approach is sure to generate a better website
tomorrow than you have today.

Testing Timeline: Countdown to the Holidays
August –
September

September –
• 2 months of simple, October
conceptual testing.

October –
November

• 1 -2 months of
• Test setup should be detailed
quick, overlapping.
development/design •
work.
• Most tests should
run for only two
• Prep for launching •
weeks.
more complex tests
of previously
Tweet this: @chrisgoward @optimizely #ecommerce concepts.
validated

Final testing push
to the holidays.
Test to confirm what
you discovered–
potentially prior to a
code freeze.

Questions?
Tweet this webinar: @chrisgoward @optimizely
#ecommerce


Thank you!


The Top 5 Ecommerce Tests You Should Run Right Now

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