Sticky filter and sort bar on mobile listings: +7.53% add-to-cart
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsMaking the filter and sort bar sticky on Theater's mobile listing pages raised add-to-cart rate by 7.53%.
ConvertPolo ran this A/B test for Theater, a fashion and lifestyle brand, and it was published as a VWO case study.
- Add-to-cart rate: +7.53% against the original listing page.
- No conversion rate or revenue figures were shared for this test, so the effect on purchases is unknown.
The change
Filter and sort bar stays on screen while shoppers scroll.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
On mobile listing pages, the filter and sort options sat at the top. Shoppers had to scroll back up each time they wanted to refine results.
Variant
A filter and sort bar stayed fixed on screen while shoppers scrolled. They could narrow by colour, price or other attributes without losing their place.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Shoppers often decide to filter only after scrolling and seeing too many options. A sticky bar is there at that moment.
- Scrolling back to the top is extra effort on a phone, and the agency noted most shoppers didn't do it.
- Narrower results put more relevant products in front of shoppers, which makes adding one to cart more likely.
Caveats: No sample size, test duration or significance level was published. Only add-to-cart rate was reported, not purchases.
Who ran it
ConvertPolo ran this test for Theater 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 ConvertPolo →
How to run this test on your store
- Hypothesis
- If we keep the filter and sort bar visible while shoppers scroll mobile listing pages, then more of them will refine results and add a product to cart, because the tools are there when they need them.
- Primary metric
- Add-to-cart rate from listing page sessions
- Guardrails
- Conversion rate
- Filter usage rate
- Product page views per session
- Who should test it
- Stores with large categories that need filtering, especially fashion with sizes and colours. Stores with short listings of a few products will see little benefit.
Questions
Should filters be sticky on mobile?
For Theater, a sticky filter and sort bar raised add-to-cart rate by 7.53%. It helps most on long listing pages.
Does a sticky bar take up too much screen space?
Keep it slim, with a single row for filter and sort.
Watch product views per session to check it isn't crowding the grid.
What should a mobile filter bar include?
Theater's let shoppers filter by colour, price and other attributes. Show the filters your shoppers use most.
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