Visible search bar in the mobile header: +13% conversion
Test run byBlend CommerceCRO agency
Commentary byLiftArchiveOur analysis, not theirsShowing a search field by default in the mobile header raised conversion rate by 13% for USA Containers.
Revenue per visitor rose 12%. Blend Commerce ran this two-week mobile A/B test in Intelligems, and it reached 80% significance, below the usual 95% bar.
- Conversion rate: +13% on mobile.
- Revenue per visitor: +12%.
- Collection page views and add-to-cart rate rose slightly.
- Average order value: -1%, and product page view rate: -2%. Small drops.
- The result reached 80% significance, which is weaker evidence than the usual 95%.
The change
Search icon replaced with a visible search field in a slimmer mobile header.
Simplified mockup drawn by LiftArchive from the shared screenshots.
Control
On mobile, search sat behind an icon in the header. Shoppers had to tap it before they could type.
Variant
The search icon was removed and a search field showed by default. The header was made shorter, with tighter spacing, so the field didn't push content down.
Why it likely won
Our reading of the result, not the practitioner's claim.
- Only 0.76% of shoppers used search, but those who did converted 50% above average. Making it visible put that route in front of more people.
- About three quarters of traffic was mobile, where an extra tap matters more.
- Shoppers looking for a specific part could type it instead of browsing menus.
Caveats: The test ran for two weeks on mobile only and reached 80% significance, below the usual 95% threshold. Sample size was not shared.
Who ran it
Blend Commerce ran this test for USA Containers 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 the search field by default in the mobile header, then mobile conversion will rise because shoppers with a specific need reach the right product faster.
- Primary metric
- Mobile conversion rate
- Guardrails
- Revenue per visitor
- Average order value
- Searches with no results
- Who should test it
- Stores with large or technical catalogs where shoppers know what they want. It will probably help less for small ranges or browse-led shopping, such as fashion.
Questions
Should the mobile search bar be visible or behind an icon?
In this test, a visible field lifted mobile conversion 13%.
It works best when search users already convert well.
Does a visible search bar take too much space on mobile?
It can. This brand made the header shorter so the field didn't push content further down the screen.
Is 80% significance good enough?
It's weaker than the usual 95% standard. You can act on it if the risk is low, but keep checking that the gain holds.
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