Hiding homepage category slider: -2.9% conversion rate
Test run byDave DiederenSyntra Labs
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsHiding the Instagram-style category slider on the homepage lowered conversion rate by 2.9% and revenue per visitor by 2.95%, so the original won. Dave Diederen ran this test for a Shopify brand. The client had seen the slider as clutter.
- Conversion rate fell from 1.25% to 1.22% (-2.90%). The range was -13% to +8%, so the drop is not certain.
- Revenue per visitor fell from $1.09 to $1.05 (-2.95%). The tool estimated this at -$34,555 per month.
- The estimated loss was about 392 orders per month, so the store kept the slider.
The change
The Instagram-style category slider under the header was removed in the variant.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
Below the header, the homepage showed a row of round category images in the style of Instagram stories, such as Shop All, New Arrivals and Best Sellers.
Variant
The category slider was hidden, so visitors went from the header straight to the rest of the homepage.
Why it likely lost
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- the circles act as quick shortcuts into the main categories, which matters most on stores with many products.
- the format is familiar from social apps, so shoppers know to tap it.
- removing it made the page cleaner but gave people one less way to start browsing.
Caveats: The ranges cross zero, so the true effect may be close to none. Sample size and test length were not shared, and this is one store.
Who ran it
Dave Diederen (@DaveDiederen) shared this test on X. The numbers and screenshots are theirs.
View the original post on X
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we hide the homepage category slider, then conversion will stay the same or rise because the page is less cluttered.
- Primary metric
- Revenue per visitor
- Guardrails
- Collection page visits from homepage
- Homepage bounce rate
- Conversion rate
- Who should test it
- Stores with a category slider they are thinking of removing, especially with a wide range. A store with only a few products may see no difference either way.
Questions
Should I remove the category slider from my homepage?
This test suggests caution. Hiding it lowered revenue per visitor by 2.95%, though the result was not certain.
What is an Instagram-style category slider?
It is a row of round images under the header, each linking to a category like New Arrivals or Best Sellers. It looks like the story circles in social apps.
Does a cleaner homepage convert better?
Not always. Here the cleaner version, with the slider hidden, converted slightly worse than the original.
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