Numbered pagination instead of 'Load more' scroll: +10.3% RPU
Test run byDRIP AgencyCRO agency
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsReplacing infinite scroll and a 'Load more' button with classic numbered pagination on listing pages lifted revenue per user by 10.3%.
DRIP Agency ran this test for Kickz, a German sneaker and streetwear retailer, and published it as a case study on its own site.
DRIP's reading was that page numbers give shoppers more control over browsing.
- Revenue per user: +10.3%, as reported by DRIP Agency.
- Pages per session, product clicks and conversion rate were not shared.
The change
'Load more' infinite scroll vs numbered pagination
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
Listing pages loaded more products as shoppers scrolled, with a 'Load more' button to pull in the next set.
Variant
Listing pages used traditional numbered pagination, so shoppers moved between fixed pages of products.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Page numbers tell shoppers where they are and how much is left, which can make browsing feel more manageable.
- It is easier to return to a product found on page 3 than to find it again in a long scroll.
- Endless scroll can keep people browsing without deciding. A clear end to each page may prompt a choice.
Caveats: DRIP Agency reported the uplift without sample size, test duration or confidence level. The test was one of 83 Kickz ran with DRIP from 2020 over three years, and no test date was given.
Who ran it
DRIP Agency ran this test for Kickz and published the results (DRIP Agency case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on DRIP Agency →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we replace infinite scroll with numbered pagination on listing pages, then revenue per user will rise because shoppers feel more in control and can find products again more easily.
- Primary metric
- Revenue per user
- Guardrails
- Product page click-through from listings
- Pages viewed per session
- Bounce rate on listing pages
- Who should test it
- Stores with large catalogues where shoppers compare many items, like fashion or footwear. It may not help small catalogues or mobile-heavy stores where scrolling feels natural.
Questions
Is pagination better than infinite scroll for ecommerce?
For Kickz, numbered pages beat infinite scroll with 'Load more' by 10.3% in revenue per user.
Other stores have seen the opposite, so it is worth testing.
Does pagination hurt SEO or speed?
Numbered pages give each set of products its own URL, which search engines can crawl.
Page speed depends on how each page is built, not on the pattern itself.
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