# Guest Checkout vs Required Account A/B Test

Page: https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/lab/ab-test-library/tests/guest-checkout-vs-required-account-ab-test

## Hypothesis

If shoppers no longer have to create an account before buying, visitors who are not signed in can go straight to placing the order without an extra decision or form. The expected payoff is a higher purchase conversion rate (CR) and less checkout abandonment.

## When to run this test

Heavy drop-off on the account creation screen, half-finished signup forms, or survey answers from shoppers who did not want to register suggest the required account is a barrier at checkout. If that barrier is real, signed-out visitors complete the order without stalling at registration. Where the exits trace back to shipping costs or payment errors, look at those first. Before launch, verify how guest orders match customer records, how order tracking works and how support handles them; otherwise a conversion gain can turn into extra support work.

## Primary metric

**Purchase conversion rate (CR)**: Compare purchases per assigned visitor to see whether guest checkout changes buying.

## Other metrics

- **Checkout abandonment rate**: Compare checkout starters who leave without completing an order.
- **Checkout completion time**: Measure time from checkout start to order confirmation using the same method in both arms.
- **Repeat purchase rate**: Compare customers who buy again over the same follow-up period after their first order.
- **Cancellation and return rate**: Track post-purchase cancellations and returns over the same follow-up window.

## What to check before and during the test

- **Change**: Add a guest checkout option that lets visitors place an order without creating an account.
- **Keep constant**: Keep products, prices, shipping, payment methods and required order information the same.
- **Order completion**: Measure completed orders among visitors assigned at checkout.
- **Follow-up period**: Track repeat purchase, cancellation and returns over the same period in both arms.
- **Account creation**: If an account invitation appears after purchase, show it in the same place and under the same conditions in both arms.

## What to watch when reading the result

- The purchase conversion rate carries the decision, but also look at checkout completion time and the cancellation and return rate. If more orders arrive together with more cancellations or returns, do not count guest checkout as a win on conversion alone.
- Compare repeat purchases, cancellations and returns only once both arms have had the same follow-up period. The scope is this checkout flow and signed-out visitors; if a post-purchase account invitation is part of the changed experience, read the result as belonging to the whole flow.
- Keep the guest option visible and easy to use in the variant, and do not add fields unrelated to the order; otherwise a weak result may reflect the execution rather than the idea. If conversion barely moves, check whether the checkout traffic was enough with the [sample size calculator](https://alidemirbas.com.tr/en/calculators/sample-size-calculator).

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Who should be eligible for a guest-checkout test?

Eligible visitors who are not signed in and would otherwise need an account are a useful starting population. Preserve order tracking, support access and necessary customer information. Guest checkout can reduce friction, but its effect depends on the store.

### Can I decide before repeat purchases are observable?

Use purchase conversion as the primary outcome. Compare repeat purchases, cancellations and returns over equal follow-up windows. If those are decision guardrails, wait until the agreed window has matured.

### Which operational processes should be checked first?

Verify how guest orders connect to customer records, order tracking and support. A buyer who cannot locate an order can turn an initial conversion improvement into additional support work.

### How should I handle an account invitation after purchase?

Buyers who already created an account in control do not need another invitation. Define any invitation in the guest variant before launch. If it changes with checkout, interpret the result as the whole flow; isolate its effect in another test.