Skipping the cart and going straight to checkout: double-digit lift
Test run byPrismflyCRO agency
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsRemoving the cart step so shoppers went straight toward checkout gave a double-digit lift in conversions; the exact figure wasn't shared.
Prismfly ran this A/B test for CrunchLabs, which sells STEM subscription kits.
CrunchLabs is a single-product brand, which is why skipping the cart made sense.
- Conversions: a double-digit lift, with the exact figure not given.
- Prismfly's wider program reported +35% sitewide purchase conversion and single tests up to +22% revenue, but those figures are not tied to this test.
The change
The buy button skips the cart and goes straight to checkout.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
Shoppers went through the standard flow: add to cart, view the cart, then go to checkout.
Variant
The cart step was skipped entirely, so shoppers moved straight toward checkout.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- With one product, the cart adds a step without adding a choice. Removing it shortens the path to paying.
- Each extra page is a chance to drop off, and subscription buyers have already decided by the time they click.
- Sending shoppers straight to checkout keeps the momentum from the product page.
Caveats: No exact number was shared for this test. The program also tested subscription frequency options and badging, and the headline program figures cover all of that work.
Who ran it
Prismfly ran this test for CrunchLabs and published the results (Prismfly case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Prismfly →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we send shoppers straight to checkout instead of the cart, then conversions will rise because one fewer step means fewer chances to drop off.
- Primary metric
- Purchase conversion rate
- Guardrails
- Average order value
- Units per order
- Checkout abandonment rate
- Who should test it
- Brands that sell one product or one subscription, where the cart has little to do. Stores with large catalogs or strong cart upsells could lose order value, so watch AOV closely.
Questions
Should I skip the cart page on my store?
It tends to suit single-product or subscription brands, where the cart adds a step but no choice.
Stores that rely on cart upsells or multi-item orders should test it carefully and watch order value.
Does a buy now button replace the cart?
A buy now or direct-to-checkout button skips the cart for that purchase.
Some stores keep both options so shoppers can still build a larger order.
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