Explained contact fields in Shopify checkout: +18% transactions
Test run bySurefootCRO agency
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsGrouping email and phone into a labelled Contact Information block, with short text explaining how each would be used, lifted BioLite's transactions by 18%.
Drop-off from checkout step 1 to step 2 fell by 14%.
Surefoot ran this A/B test inside BioLite's Shopify checkout and published it as a case study.
- Transactions: up 18%, on both desktop and mobile.
- Drop-off from step 1 (shipping address) to step 2 (shipping method): down 14%.
- Email capture: up 20%.
The change
Email and phone moved below the address into a labelled block with helper text
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The standard Shopify checkout first step. It asked for email and phone up front, with no explanation of why they were needed.
Variant
Email and phone moved into a clearly labelled Contact Information section below the shipping address. Helper text next to each field explained how it would be used.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- User research found shoppers paused when asked for personal details without knowing why. The helper text answered that question at the exact moment it came up.
- Starting with the shipping address puts a familiar task first, so the more personal ask comes after the shopper has some momentum.
- A labelled block makes the form look more organised and the request feel smaller.
Caveats: Sample size, duration and confidence level were not shared in the case study. BioLite sells off-grid energy gear, so results may differ for other categories.
Who ran it
Surefoot ran this test for BioLite and published the results (Surefoot case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Surefoot →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we group email and phone into a labelled contact block below the shipping address and explain how each is used, then more shoppers will move past the first checkout step because the request feels safer and clearer.
- Primary metric
- Completed transactions
- Guardrails
- Step 1 to step 2 checkout drop-off
- Email capture rate
- Phone number completion rate
- Who should test it
- Shopify stores that see heavy drop-off on the first checkout step, especially if they ask for a phone number. It may matter less where shoppers mostly check out with saved details or express pay.
Questions
Can you A/B test Shopify checkout?
Yes, within limits. Surefoot tested this change inside BioLite's Shopify checkout and built a toggle so the team could turn it off if a Shopify update conflicted.
Should checkout ask for a phone number?
If you need it, explain why next to the field, for example for delivery updates.
Unexplained requests for personal details are a common reason shoppers hesitate.
Where should the email field go in checkout?
It varies. In this test, placing contact fields after the shipping address with helper text beat asking for them first.
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