Flat shipping fee instead of free shipping threshold: +7.90% RPV
Test run byDave DiederenSyntra Labs
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsRemoving the free shipping threshold and charging a flat shipping fee on every order lifted revenue per visitor by 7.90% in Dave Diederen's test. Conversion rate rose 5.45% and average order value rose 2.32%. They say they have seen the same pattern on other stores.
- Revenue per visitor: +7.90% ($2.81 to $3.03). This was the primary metric.
- Conversion rate: +5.45% (2.52% to 2.65%). Slightly more visitors placed an order.
- Average order value: +2.32% ($111.53 to $114.12). Losing the threshold did not shrink baskets in this test.
- Profit per visitor was not shown. The tool estimated +$77,394 in monthly revenue.
The change
The variant drops the free shipping threshold and progress bar and charges one flat shipping fee.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The store offered free shipping once the cart passed a spend threshold, promoted with a free shipping message.
Variant
The threshold was removed. Every order paid the same flat shipping fee, whatever the cart value.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- a threshold gives shoppers a reason to pause and go looking for something to add, and some never come back.
- one fixed shipping price is easy to understand, so there is less to work out before paying.
- the flat fee is also extra revenue on every order, which helps revenue per visitor directly.
Caveats: Every metric's range crosses zero (RPV -8% to +27%), so the lift is not conclusive on its own. Sample size, test length, the threshold amount and the fee amount were not shared.
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 replace the free shipping threshold with a flat fee on every order, then more visitors will check out because they no longer stall trying to reach the threshold.
- Primary metric
- Revenue per visitor
- Guardrails
- Average order value
- Profit per visitor
- Cart abandonment rate
- Who should test it
- Stores where many carts sit just under the threshold and the threshold mostly drives hesitation. Stores that rely on the threshold to push basket size, or sell in markets where free shipping is expected, may lose more than they gain.
Questions
Does removing free shipping hurt conversion?
Not in this test. Conversion rate rose 5.45% after the threshold was replaced with a flat fee, though the range still crossed zero.
Does a free shipping threshold raise average order value?
Here, AOV was slightly higher without it (+2.32%). Results will depend on where your threshold sits compared with your typical basket.
What should I watch when testing a flat shipping fee?
Watch revenue per visitor first, then AOV and margin. The fee adds revenue to every order, so check that the extra income isn't hiding fewer orders.
Similar tests
@DaveDiederen@DaveDiederen@DaveDiederen@DaveDiederen@DaveDiederen
@Rubendgrf