Search bar shown in the mobile header: +17.45% conversion rate
Test run byBlend CommerceCRO agency
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsReplacing the mobile search icon with a visible search bar lifted ecommerce conversion rate by 17.45%.
Blend Commerce ran this A/B test for a sports drinks brand over 33 days.
More shoppers viewed search results and clicked 'Add to Bag'.
- Ecommerce conversion rate: +17.45%. This is the headline win.
- Search result views: +16.86%. More people used search once it was in plain sight.
- 'Add to Bag' clicks: +8.63%. The extra searches turned into more products being added.
The change
The search icon becomes a visible search bar under the mobile header.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
The mobile header hid search behind a small icon. Shoppers had to tap it before they could type a query.
Variant
The search bar was shown open in the mobile header, ready to type into on every page.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Shoppers who search usually know what they want, so making search easier tends to bring in high-intent visitors.
- Most of this brand's sessions were on mobile, where a hidden icon is easy to miss.
- A visible field removes one tap and signals that search is there to use.
Caveats: Sample size and confidence level were not shared. The test ran for 33 days.
Who ran it
Blend Commerce ran this test for a sports drinks brand and published the results (Blend Commerce A/B test). The numbers are theirs; the summary and commentary on this page are ours.
Read the original case study on Blend Commerce →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we show an open search bar in the mobile header instead of an icon, then more mobile visitors will buy because high-intent shoppers can find products faster.
- Primary metric
- Mobile conversion rate
- Guardrails
- Revenue per visitor
- Clicks on navigation menu
- Search exits (searches with no product click)
- Who should test it
- Stores with mostly mobile traffic and a catalogue big enough that people search for specific items. It is less likely to help a store with a handful of products, where search is rarely used.
Questions
Should the search bar be visible on mobile?
For stores where many shoppers search, often yes.
In this test a visible bar lifted conversion rate by 17.45%.
It costs some header space, so check that it does not push key content too far down.
Why do searchers convert better?
People who search tend to know what they are looking for.
Making search easier to reach gives more of them a quick path to the product.
Similar tests
@oliverkenyonBlend CommerceBlend CommerceBlend CommerceBlend CommerceBlend Commerce