Three free treats popup vs 15% off: +26% email capture, +$60,000/mo
Test run byConvertiblesCRO agency
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsOffering three named, pictured free treats on a first order over $60 beat a 15% off email popup, lifting email capture by 26%, order value by 25%, and revenue by about $60,000 a month.
Convertibles ran this test of a control plus four variations for an 8-figure dog treats brand and published it as a Convertibles case study.
The offers ranked in a clear order: three gifts, then one gift, then $10 off $60, then 15% off.
- Email capture rate: +26% for three free gifts against 15% off.
- Average order value: +25%, helped by the $60 minimum.
- Monthly revenue: about +$60,000, as reported by the agency.
- One free gift beat both dollar-off offers, and $10 off $60 beat 15% off.
- $20 off $120 was held back by its higher threshold.
The change
15% off popup becomes three pictured free treats over $60.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
A sitewide popup offered 15% off with no minimum spend. It showed brand colours, trust badges and a photo of a dog.
Variant
The winning popup said "These three gifts are FREE" and pictured two Himalayan Yak Cheese Chews and a 6" Hickory Smoked Bully Stick, free on a first order over $60, with a while-stocks-last line. Other versions offered one free chew, $10 off $60, and $20 off $120.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Two extra low-cost treats made the offer look far more valuable without costing much more.
- A pictured treat is easier to want than a percentage, especially when the buyer is shopping for their dog.
- A $60 minimum is a few items, which feels reachable early in a visit; $120 likely felt like too big a commitment.
- The while-stocks-last line gave shoppers a soft reason to act now.
Caveats: The winner changed the offer type and added a $60 minimum, product photos and a scarcity line at once. Results are agency-reported, and sample size, duration and confidence were not shared.
Who ran it
Convertibles ran this test for an 8-figure dog treats brand and published the results (Convertibles case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Convertibles →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we replace our percentage-off popup with named, pictured free gifts above a reachable minimum spend, then email capture and order value will rise because the offer feels more valuable and concrete.
- Primary metric
- Revenue per visitor
- Guardrails
- Gross margin per order
- Email capture rate
- Conversion rate
- Who should test it
- Stores with low-cost, well-understood items to give away, especially in emotional categories such as pets, children or self-care. For commodity products bought mainly on price, a discount may still win.
Questions
Do free gifts beat discounts in popups?
Not always. They tend to win when the gift looks valuable compared with its cost and is easy to picture.
How do you pick free gifts without hurting margin?
Choose items with high perceived value and low cost, such as consumables, samples or accessories. Avoid giving away your main high-margin products.
Why did the bigger $20 off $120 offer lose?
The popup appears early, before most shoppers have built a basket.
A $120 minimum asks for a large commitment at that moment, while $60 felt reachable.
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