'In-Stock Only' filter moved to the top: +2.33% conversion rate
Test run byBlend CommerceCRO agency
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsMoving the 'In-Stock Only' filter from the bottom to near the top of the filter panel lifted conversion rate by 2.33% for auto parts brand Aeromotive.
Blend Commerce ran this A/B test on collection pages.
The same test on sister brand PerTronix showed almost no change.
- Conversion rate: +2.33%.
- Add to cart: +8.04%.
- Checkout visits: +19.71%, so more shoppers reached checkout.
- Product page visits fell 0.37%, which suggests shorter paths to purchase.
- On sister brand PerTronix, the same change made little difference.
The change
The 'In-Stock Only' filter moves from the bottom to the top of the filter panel.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
Collection pages showed out-of-stock products by default. The 'In-Stock Only' filter sat at the bottom of the filter panel.
Variant
The 'In-Stock Only' filter was moved near the top of the filter options, so shoppers could spot it right away.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- User testing showed shoppers struggled to find in-stock parts. Putting the filter in view removed that friction.
- Aeromotive buyers often need a part now, so hiding unavailable items saves them time.
- PerTronix buyers tend to plan builds well ahead, so stock status mattered less to them.
Caveats: Sample size, duration and significance were not shared. The same change had minimal effect on a sister brand, so results depend on how urgently your shoppers buy.
Who ran it
Blend Commerce ran this test for Aeromotive and published the results (Blend Commerce A/B test). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Blend Commerce →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we move the 'In-Stock Only' filter to the top of the filter panel, then conversion will rise because shoppers find available products faster.
- Primary metric
- Conversion rate
- Guardrails
- Add-to-cart rate
- Filter usage
- Revenue per visitor
- Who should test it
- Stores with large catalogues and frequent stock-outs, where buyers need items quickly. If your customers research and plan purchases far ahead, expect a smaller effect.
Questions
Should collection pages hide out-of-stock products?
It depends on your shoppers. Aeromotive gained from making in-stock items easier to reach, but sister brand PerTronix saw little change.
Does filter order matter?
Yes, it can. Filters at the bottom of a long panel are easy to miss, so place the ones that match buying intent near the top.
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@oliverkenyon@oliverkenyon
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