Sticky filter and sort bar on mobile: inconclusive on sales
Test run byBlend CommerceCRO agency
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsMaking the filter and sort bar sticky on mobile collection pages raised filter and sort clicks by 299.58% for Little Bible Stories, but did not lift sales.
Blend Commerce ran this A/B test in Intelligems.
Conversion rate and revenue per visitor dipped slightly, and neither change was significant, so we treat this as inconclusive.
- Filter and sort clicks: +299.58%, so shoppers used the controls far more.
- Conversion rate: -2.23%, not significant.
- Revenue per visitor: -1.80%, not significant. Average order value was flat.
- Returning visitors did slightly better, with 2% more product page views and small gains in revenue per visitor.
- Blend Commerce shipped it as a UX improvement, not a revenue win.
The change
The filter and sort bar stays on screen while shoppers scroll on mobile.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
Filter and sort controls sat at the top of mobile collection pages and scrolled out of view.
Variant
A sticky filter and sort bar stayed on screen as shoppers scrolled down the collection page on mobile.
Why it likely came out this way
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- More filtering does not mean more buying. Easier access changed how shoppers browsed, not whether they bought.
- New visitors may not know the range well enough to use filters well, which could explain their small declines.
- Returning visitors know what they want, so quick filtering helped them a little more.
Caveats: Mobile only. The sales changes were not statistically significant, and sample size and duration were not shared.
Who ran it
Blend Commerce ran this test for Little Bible Stories and published the results (Blend Commerce A/B test). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Blend Commerce →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we keep filter and sort controls sticky on mobile collection pages, then conversion will rise because shoppers can narrow the range without scrolling back up.
- Primary metric
- Conversion rate
- Guardrails
- Revenue per visitor
- Product page view rate
- Results split by new and returning visitors
- Who should test it
- Stores with long mobile collection pages and many products to narrow down. Don't expect a sales lift from filter clicks alone; it may only help repeat shoppers.
Questions
Do sticky filters increase mobile conversion?
Not in this test. Filter use rose sharply, but conversion and revenue dipped slightly, and neither change was significant.
Is it worth shipping a change that only improves engagement?
It can be, if sales are not hurt and it makes browsing easier.
Keep watching revenue by visitor type after launch.
What should I test after a sticky filter bar?
Blend Commerce suggested trying clearer filter labels or default states, to help first-time visitors turn filtering into product finds.
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