# Low-stock and scarcity messages in the cart: +16.49% conversion rate

- Outcome: Won
- Page type: Cart (Ecommerce)
- Elements: Low-stock & scarcity messaging, Sales, urgency & limited-time offers
- Test run by: [ConvertPolo](https://liftarchive.com/practitioners/convertpolo/)
- Commentary by: LiftArchive (our analysis, not theirs)
- Original source: https://wingify.com/success-stories/sparify-convertpolo-revenue/
- Page: https://liftarchive.com/test/sparify-cart-low-stock-fomo-messages/

Adding limited-stock and scarcity messages to the cart lifted conversion rate by 16.49% and revenue by 24.57%. ConvertPolo ran this test for Sparify, a motorcycle gear and parts store, on its mobile site, and it was published as a VWO case study.

## Result

**+16.49% conversion rate**

- Conversion rate: +16.49% on mobile.
- Revenue: +24.57%. Revenue grew faster than conversions, so order values may also have moved up.
- Both numbers are reported by the agency and the testing vendor.

## Control

The cart showed no stock levels and no urgency cues. Nothing nudged shoppers to check out now rather than later.

## Variant

Limited-stock and scarcity messages appeared in the purchase journey, prompting shoppers to complete checkout instead of putting it off.

## Why it likely won (our reading)

- Shoppers who reach the cart are close to buying. A reason to act now can tip a postponed purchase into an order.
- Motorcycle parts often fit specific models, so a low-stock warning on a part someone needs feels relevant.
- Stock information also answers a practical question: will this item actually ship?

## Caveats

Mobile only, and no sample size, duration or confidence level was shared. Scarcity messages only build trust if the stock counts are real.

## How to run this test

- Hypothesis: If we show real low-stock messages in the cart, then more shoppers will complete checkout because they won't want to risk the item selling out.
- Primary metric: Conversion rate from cart to order
- Guardrail: Revenue per visitor
- Guardrail: Customer complaints about stock accuracy
- Guardrail: Return rate
- Who should test it: Stores with limited or variable stock, such as parts, drops or small batches. If your stock is always plentiful, fake scarcity can damage trust, so don't test it.

---

Credit: ConvertPolo ran this test and owns the result. Summary and commentary by LiftArchive (https://liftarchive.com/test/sparify-cart-low-stock-fomo-messages/).
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.