Videos instead of written reviews on PDP: -1.60% revenue per visitor
Test run byDave DiederenSyntra Labs
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsReplacing written reviews with only product videos on a product page lowered revenue per visitor by 1.60%. Dave Diederen ran this test, and conversion rate also dipped 2.00%. A third version with videos added under the reviews did not win either.
- Revenue per visitor: -1.60% for videos only ($2.10 to $2.07), estimated at about -$43,480 a month. The range was -7% to +4%, so this is close to flat.
- Conversion rate: -2.00% (5.57% to 5.46%). A small loss.
- Profit per visitor: -1.59% ($1.70 to $1.67), the metric the test was judged on.
- Average order value: no change ($37.76 vs $37.92).
- The version with videos placed under the reviews also trailed control: 5.40% conversion and $2.01 revenue per visitor.
The change
Written reviews are replaced by a product video section.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The product page showed written customer reviews.
Variant
The written reviews were removed and replaced with a product video section only. A second variant kept reviews and added videos underneath.
Why it likely lost
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- written reviews handle specific objections and are quick to skim, which videos don't replace.
- videos build desire, but they work as an add-on to reviews, not a substitute.
- video content quality matters. If the clips look like ads or don't show real use, they add little.
Caveats: The confidence ranges include zero, so this is close to a flat result. The post does not share sample size, duration or the video content used.
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 written reviews with product videos, then conversion will rise because video shows the product in real use. (In this test, it did not.)
- Primary metric
- Revenue per visitor
- Guardrails
- Conversion rate
- Average order value
- Engagement with the reviews section
- Who should test it
- Stores with a strong library of customer videos who want to add them to the product page. Keep written reviews in place and test videos as an addition, not a swap.
Questions
Should product videos replace written reviews?
Not based on this test. Swapping reviews for videos lowered revenue per visitor by 1.60%.
Do videos on product pages increase conversions?
Dave Diederen says video sections usually win across brands, but only as an addition to reviews and with real-use content.
Why do written reviews still matter?
They answer specific doubts and are easy to skim. Removing them took away that reassurance in this test.
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