@CROguy_
@joshtCROWhy shipping messaging matters at checkout
Checkout is where the shipping price becomes real.
Shoppers see the fee, choose a delivery option and decide whether the total still feels fair.
It's also the last chance to answer doubts about delivery speed and returns.
Measured results
Shipping price tests
Dave Diederen tested flat $2, $5 and $7 shipping fees against free shipping.
Dave reported that the fees beat free shipping on every key metric.
The $5 fee lifted conversion rate +2.37%, revenue per visitor +5.56%, profit per visitor +7.50% and AOV +3.11%.
On another store, Dave raised the shipping price, testing $6.95 and $7.95 against control.
Conversion rate did not change, while revenue per visitor rose +1.57%, profit per visitor +2.21% and AOV +2.59%, worth +A$20,478/month.
Dave's rule of thumb is to raise the price $1 per test group.
A third test tweaked shipping rates (volume-grab vs margin-grab) and added +$28K/month, with +1.14% conversion rate and +1.81% profit per visitor.
Reassurance near the pay button
Dave added three USPs below Pay Now: a satisfaction guarantee, orders shipped and delivery speed.
Conversion rate rose +9.90%, revenue per visitor +10.07% and profit per visitor +10.79%, with AOV unchanged.
Nothing new was promised; the same points were repeated at the last step.
@DaveDiederen@DaveDiederen@DaveDiederen@DaveDiederenLosing or flat tests
None lost. The flat metric was conversion rate in the $6.95/$7.95 test, which is the expected result: the gain came from more money per order, not more orders.
Four wins from one practitioner is thin. Shipping price tests depend on margins, AOV and what competitors charge, so results may not carry over.
Watch conversion rate and profit per visitor together.
Untested ideas
- Option names: Milos suggests renaming shipping options to delivery times, so shoppers pick a date rather than a carrier.
- Higher prices: Dave Diederen suggests testing a higher shipping price, in line with the wins above.
- More reassurance: Dave suggests urgency, USPs, reviews and FAQs on the checkout page, including 2-4 reviews that answer specific objections.
- Offer framing: Josh Thompson lists a checkout rebuild that tested "Fast, Free Shipping in 2 Days" against "Free Shipping Over $50".
- Thresholds: Kasper Dolk suggests gamifying the free shipping threshold in checkout with extra quantities.
Placement and design patterns that won
- A small paid shipping fee instead of free shipping, tested in steps.
- Short USP lines with icons directly below the pay button.
- Delivery speed stated as a benefit, not left to the shipping options list.
Related tests elsewhere on the store
See cart shipping messaging, product page shipping messaging, free shipping thresholds at checkout, checkout USP bars and the guide to price testing.