Finish color swatches plus new model picker: +19.35% add to cart
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsFlos USA showed visible color swatches for its Choose Finish option and reworked the model selector, and add-to-cart conversion rose 19.35%.
The two changes shipped together, so the lift can't be credited to swatches alone.
Wingify Services ran the test, which was published as a VWO case study.
- Add to cart: +19.35% for variant 2 (swatches plus new model selector).
- Variant 1 (swatches only): it lost to variant 2. Its number was not shared.
- Because the winner bundled two changes, the lift belongs to the combination.
The change
The winner shows finish swatches and a new model selector, shipped together.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The Choose Finish option on product pages had no visible color swatches.
Variant
Variant 1 showed visible color swatches. Variant 2, the winner, added the swatches plus a reworked model selector.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Lighting finishes are hard to picture from names alone, so seeing the color removes guesswork.
- A clearer model selector helps shoppers be sure they're choosing the right size or version.
- Less confusion about options means fewer people leave to compare or ask questions.
Caveats: The winning variant bundled swatches with a model selector change, so neither change can claim the lift alone. No sample size, duration or confidence level was shared.
Who ran it
VWO ran this test for Flos USA and published the results (VWO case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on VWO →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we show finish options as color swatches and make model choice clearer, then more shoppers will add to cart because they can see exactly what they're buying.
- Primary metric
- Add-to-cart rate on product pages
- Guardrails
- Orders per visitor
- Return rate due to wrong finish or model
- Page load time
- Who should test it
- Stores selling products in several finishes, colors or models, like lighting, furniture or hardware. It adds little if your products come in one option or already use swatches.
Questions
Do color swatches increase add to cart?
They can. At Flos USA, swatches combined with a clearer model picker lifted add to cart by 19.35%.
Are swatches better than a dropdown?
For visual choices like finish or color, swatches show the option directly.
A dropdown makes shoppers read and imagine it.
Did the swatches alone cause the lift?
Not provably. The swatches-only version lost to the combined version, and its result wasn't shared.
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