Shipping and Returns Emphasis A/B Test Example

Frequent trips from the product page to the shipping or returns page, repeated support requests on these topics, or session recordings of visitors who hunt for the terms and then leave all point to this test. The expected behavior is that visitors see the terms on the product page and add to cart with less hesitation. If the real problem is the shipping fee or the return terms themselves, emphasis will not fix it; changing the policy is a separate question, so keep the policy fixed for the whole test.

Purchase conversion rate (CR)

Compare purchases per assigned visitor when existing shipping and return information is given more prominence.

Also track

• Add-to-cart rateCheck whether shoppers take the first purchase step.
• Return rateTrack returns, but do not assume clearer information will necessarily reduce them.
• Section interaction rateTrack measurable interactions with the section; an interaction does not prove the information was read.
• Time to purchaseMeasure time to purchase separately from time spent on the page.

• ChangeChoose one way to emphasize the existing shipping and return information.
• Keep constantKeep the information, terms, prices and CTA structure unchanged.
• BehaviorTrack add-to-cart and purchase behavior together.
• ClarityMake sure simplifying the presentation does not remove or obscure any terms.
• Separate testsTest format, placement or grouping separately.

1. 1Do not call the emphasis a winner if section interaction and add-to-cart rise while purchase conversion stays flat. Interaction does not prove visitors read the information, and time to purchase should be read separately from time on page.
2. 2Build the emphasis from short, separate messages; merging shipping and returns into one long sentence or overloading the section hides the benefit. Do not push the information far down on mobile, and review mobile and desktop results separately.
3. 3Compare return rates in both arms only after the return window for those orders has closed. Do not assume clearer information will lower returns, and keep in mind that the result covers only the emphasis method you tested.
4. 4A small difference in purchases is no reason to stop the test early; run it long enough to cover shopping behavior across different days of the week. Get the sample per variant from the sample size calculator up front, divide it by daily traffic per arm and round the run length up to full weeks.