Cart & Checkout
Visible vs Hidden Coupon Code Field A/B Test
Hiding the coupon field behind a link may reduce exits from shoppers who leave to search for a code. Shoppers with a code should still be able to find and use the field easily.
A/B test scenario. This page is a test plan, not the result of a real experiment.
- Cart
- Revenue per visitor (RPV)
Control vs Variant
The same value, presented two ways.
- Changed
- Format
- Page
- Cart
- Difference
- changed
Hypothesis
If the coupon field sits behind an "I have a discount code" link instead of an open box, shoppers without a code may be less likely to leave and hunt for one. Provided code holders can still find the field easily, revenue per visitor (RPV) could go up.
Test plan
When to run this test
Session recordings of visitors pausing on the open coupon field and then leaving, or support tickets from shoppers asking where to find a code, are signs that the box pulls shoppers off course. If the box is the distraction, payment-step exits fall and order completion rises, while coupon redemption and promotion participation stay within the loss threshold you set in advance. If invalid-code errors are unclear or checkout has other friction, fix those first, because hiding the field does not solve them.
How to measure success
Revenue per visitor (RPV)
Compare post-discount revenue per assigned visitor when the coupon field presentation changes.
Also track
- Order completion rateTrack whether more assigned visitors complete an order.
- Coupon redemption rateKeep the field easy to find for shoppers with a code, and monitor redemption.
- Payment-step exit rateCompare exits from checkout; this alone does not explain why a visitor left.
- Promotion participationTrack eligible visitors' participation against a predefined acceptable-loss threshold.
How to set it up
- ChangeShow the coupon field collapsed behind a link instead of as an open field.
- Keep constantKeep coupon rules, active promotions, field behavior and checkout flow unchanged.
- Checkout exitsTrack checkout exits without assuming that every exit means the visitor went looking for a coupon.
- MeasurementMonitor coupon redemption and promotion participation.
- Separate testTest link wording or field placement separately.
What to watch when reading the result
- 1Decide on post-discount revenue per visitor; order completion, coupon redemption and promotion participation explain where a change comes from. If RPV rises while redemption or participation drops past your predefined threshold, shoppers with a code may not be finding the field, and the change should not go live on that basis.
- 2Treat the result as specific to this link wording and this placement; if you want to change either, test it separately. Check on mobile and desktop that the link is not buried below the CTA and that code holders can open the field easily.
- 3In a borderline result, do not treat fewer payment-step exits as proof that shoppers stopped searching for codes; back that reading with session recordings or surveys. Revenue metrics can be noisy, so also check whether the order completion gap is larger than chance with the A/B test significance calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can hiding the coupon field make checkout harder for code holders?
Yes, if the link is difficult to notice. Use a clear label and an easy way to reveal the field. Monitor coupon use, checkout completion and feedback about finding the field.
Why use revenue per visitor rather than order completion?
The presentation can affect both order count and discounts granted. Use revenue per visitor after discounts as the primary outcome. Order completion, coupon use and campaign participation help explain the change.
Does lower checkout abandonment prove visitors stopped searching for codes?
No. Abandonment measures departure, not its reason. Do not infer a coupon-search journey from exit data alone. Use additional evidence before attributing the change to that behavior.
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