'Recommended' badge on one of four packages: about +6% purchases
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsMarking one of four packages as "Recommended" lifted purchases by almost 6% on the RuneScape website.
Jagex, the company behind the game, ran this A/B test, and it was published as a VWO case study.
It was a follow-up: the control was the winner of an earlier test that showed four packages side by side.
- Purchases: up almost 6% against the previous winner.
- The earlier test, which added the four-package section, had lifted purchases by almost 10%, so the two changes stacked.
- Confidence level and sample size were not shared.
The change
One of the four packages carries a Recommended label
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The Treasure Hunter page showed four packages of in-game keys with equal weight. This page had already beaten the original design in an earlier test.
Variant
The same page, with one of the four packages labelled "Recommended".
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Four similar options can stall a buyer. A clear pick removes the need to compare every package.
- A recommendation acts as a default. Many people take the option the seller points to when they are unsure.
- the badge may also signal which package offers the best value, which makes the choice feel safer.
Caveats: These were in-game digital item purchases from an existing player base, tested in 2016. Sample size and confidence were not shared.
Who ran it
Jagex ran this test and published the results (VWO case study). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Jagex →
How to run this test on your site
- Hypothesis
- If we mark one plan or package as Recommended, then more visitors will buy because they no longer have to compare every option to decide.
- Primary metric
- Purchase conversion rate from the pricing or package page
- Guardrails
- Average order value
- Share of buyers choosing each package
- Refund or cancellation rate
- Who should test it
- Any SaaS, app or digital product with three or more similar plans or bundles. It matters less if you only offer one or two options, or if buyers already know exactly which tier they need.
Questions
Does a 'Recommended' badge on a pricing plan increase sales?
In this test it lifted purchases by almost 6%.
Results vary, so test which plan you recommend as well as whether to show the badge.
Which plan should I mark as recommended?
Usually the one that fits most buyers and gives a healthy margin.
The case study did not say which package Jagex picked.
Can a recommended label lower revenue?
It can if it nudges people toward a cheaper option than they would have chosen. Watch average order value alongside purchases.