# Visible mobile search bar instead of an icon: +9.97% conversion rate

- Outcome: Won
- Page type: Site-wide (Ecommerce)
- Elements: Filters, sorting & site search, Navigation & mega menus
- Test run by: [Blend Commerce](https://liftarchive.com/practitioners/blend-commerce/)
- Commentary by: LiftArchive (our analysis, not theirs)
- Original source: https://blendcommerce.com/blogs/ab-tests-shopify/increase-mobile-conversion-exposed-search-bar
- Page: https://liftarchive.com/test/wilsons-pet-food-mobile-exposed-search/

Showing a visible search field under the mobile header, instead of hiding search behind an icon, lifted conversion rate by 9.97% for Wilson's Pet Food. Blend Commerce ran this test for the pet food brand. The result reached 87.31% confidence, which is below the usual bar, so treat it as a strong lead rather than proof.

## Result

**+9.97% conversion rate**

- Conversion rate: +9.97%.
- Revenue per visitor: +6.10%, and total revenue +6.8%.
- Checkout begin rate: +8.76%, with abandoned carts down 12.29%.
- Average order value: -3.35%, a negative. Shoppers bought more often but spent a little less per order.

## Control

On mobile, search was collapsed behind an icon in the header, so shoppers needed an extra tap to start typing.

## Variant

A white search field sat in plain view directly under the mobile header.

## Why it likely won (our reading)

- Before the test, the few visitors who searched converted at 11.47%, against a 4.44% site average. Making search visible put that path in front of more people.
- Pet food shoppers often know the exact product they want, so typing is faster than browsing menus.
- Search may lead people straight to one item, which could explain the slightly smaller orders.

## Caveats

Confidence was 87.31%, below the usual 90-95% threshold. The source does not share sample size or duration.

## How to run this test

- Hypothesis: If we show a visible search field under the mobile header, then more shoppers will find products and buy, because searchers convert far above average and the icon hides that path.
- Primary metric: Conversion rate
- Guardrail: Average order value
- Guardrail: Revenue per visitor
- Guardrail: Search exits or zero-result searches
- Who should test it: Mobile-heavy stores with a large catalogue where many buyers know what they want, and where site searchers already convert well above average. It matters less for small catalogues that are easy to browse.

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Credit: Blend Commerce ran this test and owns the result. Summary and commentary by LiftArchive (https://liftarchive.com/test/wilsons-pet-food-mobile-exposed-search/).
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.