Infinite scroll instead of pagination: +3.01% revenue per visitor
Test run byDave DiederenSyntra Labs
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsReplacing pagination with infinite scroll on a collection page lifted revenue per visitor by 3.01% and conversion rate by 2.76%. Dave Diederen ran this test for a store with a large catalog. Average order value did not change.
- Revenue per visitor: +3.01% ($2.51 to $2.59), estimated at about $31,784 extra per month.
- Conversion rate: +2.76% (4.28% to 4.40%). The range ran from -1% to +7%, so treat this as a likely but small lift.
- Profit per visitor: +3.12% ($1.63 to $1.68).
- Average order value: no change ($58.67 vs $58.81).
The change
The next-page button is replaced by products that load as you scroll.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The collection page used pagination, so shoppers clicked to load each new page of products.
Variant
The collection page used infinite scroll, loading more products automatically as shoppers reached the bottom.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- each page click is a small decision point where some shoppers stop browsing.
- with a deep catalog, letting people keep scrolling shows them more products and raises the odds they find the right one.
- shoppers do not lose their place, which makes comparing many items easier.
Caveats: Sample size and test length were not shared, and the confidence ranges cross zero. Dave Diederen notes it suits stores with many SKUs and may not matter for small catalogs.
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 pagination with infinite scroll on collection pages, then more shoppers will find and buy a product because they can keep browsing without stopping to load pages.
- Primary metric
- Revenue per visitor
- Guardrails
- Page load speed
- Product page click-through rate
- Average order value
- Who should test it
- Stores with large catalogs where shoppers compare many styles or colors. It will make little difference with only a handful of products, and can hurt if the footer holds links people need.
Questions
Is infinite scroll better than pagination for ecommerce?
In this test it was, by a small margin. Revenue per visitor rose 3.01% and conversion 2.76% for a store with many SKUs.
Does infinite scroll change average order value?
No. AOV stayed at about $58.70, so the gain came from more orders.
When is infinite scroll not worth it?
Dave Diederen notes that stores with only a few products are unlikely to see a meaningful difference.
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