# Visible search bar on mobile: +45% AOV for returning visitors

- Outcome: Won
- Page type: Site-wide (Ecommerce)
- Elements: Filters, sorting & site search
- Test run by: [Blend Commerce](https://liftarchive.com/practitioners/blend-commerce/)
- Commentary by: LiftArchive (our analysis, not theirs)
- Original source: https://blendcommerce.com/blogs/ab-tests-shopify/45-increase-in-aov-for-returning-customers
- Page: https://liftarchive.com/test/pertronix-exposed-mobile-search/

Showing a full search bar in the mobile header, instead of hiding it behind an icon, raised average order value by 45% among returning visitors for automotive parts brand PerTronix. Blend Commerce ran the A/B test. The published figures cover returning visitors only, and the overall result was not shared.

## Result

**+45% AOV for returning visitors**

- Average order value for returning visitors: +45%.
- Revenue from returning visitors: +46%.
- Average purchase revenue per user for returning visitors: +35%.
- Overall and new-visitor results were not shared, so the effect across all traffic is unknown.

## Control

On mobile, search sat behind a small icon in the header, so visitors had to tap it to open a search field.

## Variant

The search bar was shown open in the mobile header, ready to type into.

## Why it likely won (our reading)

- Car parts buyers often know the exact part they need. A visible search bar is the fastest route to it.
- Returning visitors already understand the product range, so they lean on search more than new visitors do.
- Returning visitors were 23% of visits but about 43% of revenue, so helping them moved revenue a lot.

## Caveats

The reported numbers are for returning visitors only, a segment found after the test, and the overall result was not given. Blend Commerce does not share sample size, test length or confidence.

## How to run this test

- Hypothesis: If we show the search bar open in the mobile header, then more shoppers will search and buy because they can find specific products faster.
- Primary metric: Revenue per visitor (all mobile visitors)
- Guardrail: Search usage rate
- Guardrail: Conversion rate for new visitors
- Guardrail: Header height and scroll depth
- Who should test it: Stores with large catalogues or part-number shopping, where many buyers arrive knowing what they want. Small catalogues where browsing works well may not gain much, and the bar takes header space.

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Credit: Blend Commerce ran this test and owns the result. Summary and commentary by LiftArchive (https://liftarchive.com/test/pertronix-exposed-mobile-search/).
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.