# Uploaded photo preview in the cart: +5% cart-to-checkout

- Outcome: Won
- Page type: Cart (Ecommerce)
- Elements: Product images & gallery, Checkout steps, fields & flow
- Test run by: [ABConvert](https://liftarchive.com/practitioners/abconvert/)
- Commentary by: LiftArchive (our analysis, not theirs)
- Original source: https://www.abconvert.io/case-studies/german-jewelry-brand
- Page: https://liftarchive.com/test/german-jewelry-brand-cart-upload-image-preview/

Showing an image preview of the shopper's uploaded photo in the cart, instead of a plain file path, lifted cart-to-checkout rate by 5% and order rate by 8%. ABConvert ran this test for a German personalized-jewelry brand and published it as an ABConvert case study. The preview used Shopify's built-in feature, so no extra development was needed.

## Result

**+5% cart-to-checkout**

- Cart-to-checkout rate: up 5% compared with the file path version.
- Order rate: up 8%, so the extra checkouts carried through to completed orders.
- Baseline rates were not shared, so it's unclear whether these are relative lifts or percentage points.

## Control

The cart listed the custom jewelry item with only a text file path for the photo the shopper had uploaded.

## Variant

The cart showed a visual preview of the uploaded design, using Shopify's existing preview feature.

## Why it likely won (our reading)

- A file path doesn't prove the right photo was attached. A preview removes that doubt.
- Personalized pieces can't be returned easily, so shoppers want reassurance before paying.
- Seeing their own photo on the item may also make the purchase feel more personal and finished.

## Caveats

No sample size, dates or significance level was shared. The results are reported by the testing vendor.

## How to run this test

- Hypothesis: If we show a preview of each uploaded image in the cart, then more carts will reach checkout, because shoppers can confirm the right image was used.
- Primary metric: Cart-to-checkout rate
- Guardrail: Order completion rate
- Guardrail: Cart page load time
- Guardrail: Support tickets about wrong uploads
- Who should test it: Stores that sell products customized with uploads, such as photos or artwork. It won't apply if you don't take uploads or already show a preview.

---

Credit: ABConvert ran this test and owns the result. Summary and commentary by LiftArchive (https://liftarchive.com/test/german-jewelry-brand-cart-upload-image-preview/).
Usage: Free to use, quote and build on, with credit and a link: name the practitioner or organization that ran the test and link to its LiftArchive page. The results belong to the practitioners who ran and shared them; the summaries and commentary are LiftArchive's.