A/B Testing in E-commerce Improvement Strategies

If you follow our articles and videos, you’ve probably come across some content where we recommend testing to identify areas of improvement and ensure a good user experience in your e-commerce. Today, though, our tip is aimed at helping you figure out which changes will actually bring better results—through A/B testing.

You know when your team gets together for a brainstorm and a bunch of great—yet totally different—ideas come up, and you have to decide which one to go with?

In cases like this, the majority isn’t always right. Maybe one idea fits your team’s personal preferences, but doesn’t really move the needle toward your business goals. That’s why the best way to decide is to test it in practice!

How A/B Testing Works

A/B testing can be set up to evaluate the performance of an entire interface or just specific changes.

For example, if you’re considering launching a new version of your e-commerce site or a promotional page, comparing it to the current version can reveal a lot—before the official release.

On the other hand, when it comes to strategic changes aimed at boosting conversions or meeting another specific goal with your current interface, it’s best to test individual changes. For instance: increasing the font size in a key area, changing a button color, or rewriting a more compelling call-to-action…

However, these changes should be tested separately, each in its own A/B test. That’s because your team will need to know exactly which change caused an increase or decrease in performance. Was it the larger font? The button color? The new CTA text? Test one change at a time for clear results.

Sampling Criteria

If your e-commerce site has high traffic, you probably won’t want to show test versions to a large portion of your audience. In this case, it’s best to configure the test so that only a small percentage of visitors see the new interface or element.

On the other hand, if your site is small and/or has limited traffic, using a smaller sample might slow down your analysis—or even lead to statistically unreliable results. In that case, it’s better to apply the A/B test to 100% of your audience—meaning 50% see the current version, and 50% see the test version.

A/B Testing for Ongoing Improvement

A/B testing isn’t just useful for clearing up doubts, validating ideas, or measuring the ROI of a redesign. It’s also a powerful tool for continuous improvement. You can run weekly tests, for example, and keep growing your results with every new tweak!

That’s exactly why, at Visie, we believe it’s better to make small, frequent updates to your marketing strategies and e-commerce platform than to go long periods with no changes and then try to overhaul everything at once. With fewer changes done more often, it’s cheaper, easier to fix issues if they come up, and your store stays fresh all year round!

By Joana Kerr