Native theme header replaces app header: +17.02% conversion rate
Test run byVastaCRO agency
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsReplacing a third-party app header with a lighter, theme-native header lifted conversion rate by 17.02% and revenue per visitor by 6.44%.
Vasta ran this test for Canada Welding Supply, an industrial equipment store, and published it as a Vasta case study. Only the header changed.
- Conversion rate: +17.02%. More visitors went on to buy once the header worked cleanly.
- Revenue per visitor: +6.44%. The revenue lift was smaller than the conversion lift, which suggests the extra orders were somewhat smaller on average.
- Vasta projects about $69,995 in extra monthly revenue. That is the agency's own projection, not a measured figure.
The change
The app header is rebuilt in native theme code with search front and centre.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The header came from a third-party app. On some screen sizes the logo overlapped the search box, mobile tap targets were cramped, and the extra JavaScript slowed the first paint and made the layout jump.
Variant
A header built in the theme's own code, with a smaller logo, a search bar in the centre and wider tap zones. Pricing, copy and product layouts stayed the same.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Search was easier to reach and use. On a store with a large catalogue of industrial parts, search is often the main way people find products.
- Wider tap zones cut mis-taps on mobile, so fewer visitors left by accident.
- Less third-party JavaScript meant a faster first paint and no layout jitter, which removes small moments of frustration at the top of every page.
Caveats: The test ran 50/50 for 14 days and the agency says it reached statistical confidence, but sample size and the exact confidence level were not shared. The monthly revenue figure is the agency's projection.
Who ran it
Vasta ran this test for Canada Welding Supply and published the results (Vasta case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Vasta →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we replace our app-based header with a lightweight theme-native header that gives search more room and enlarges tap targets, then conversion rate will rise because shoppers can find products faster and make fewer mis-taps on mobile.
- Primary metric
- Conversion rate
- Guardrails
- Revenue per visitor
- Search usage rate
- Mobile bounce rate
- Who should test it
- Stores running a header from a third-party app or page builder, especially those with large catalogues where search drives sales. If your header is already native, fast and bug-free, expect a much smaller effect.
Questions
Do header apps slow down a Shopify store?
They can. Many add their own JavaScript and styles on every page, which can delay the first paint and cause layout shifts.
A header built into the theme usually loads less code.
How big should mobile tap targets be?
Common accessibility guidance suggests around 44 to 48 pixels square, with space between targets.
Cramped icons and links lead to mis-taps and exits.
Should search be prominent in the header?
For stores with many products or part numbers, yes.
Visitors who search often know what they want, so making search easy to find and tap tends to help.
Similar tests
@oliverkenyon@oliverkenyon@oliverkenyonVasta
@DaveDiederen
Blend Commerce