Top Trending A/B Tests for Retail Mobile Apps

Retailers aim to improve app engagement with A/B testing i.e extend the time users spend with an app, increase in-app activity, or drive direct purchases.

Every one of our customers at Artisan is working to improve app engagement with a/b testing – whether that means extending the time users spend with an app, increasing in-app activity, driving direct purchases, or something else entirely. And while there’s no magic formula for the job, we have learned a thing or two about what tests companies like to run for app optimization, and what variables tend to impact app success.

From our retail customers looking to drive purchases through the mobile channel, here is a list of common app goals and related tests performed on the Artisan Mobile Experience Management platform in an effort to improve app engagement with a/b testing. There is no right answer for any one of these tests. Results depend on the specific circumstances of the app and its users.

1) Goal: Increase click-through rate from product catalog screen to product detail screen

Some app users never move beyond the home screen of the app. Others click on one or two items, but then abandon ship. To encourage app users to move further down the purchase funnel, here’s a sampling of variables that we see companies test.

• Test 1: Highlight best-selling products or allow users to discover on their own
• Test 2: Vary the number of products displayed by increasing or decreasing the size of the images
• Test 3: List price discounts in percentages or in dollar amounts

2) Goal: Increase the number of users who add a product to the online shopping cart

In order to encourage users to add items to their shopping carts, companies are experimenting with several different variables. Examples include the following.

• Test 1: Edit text for the call to action (e.g. “buy now” versus “save now” or “add to cart”)
• Test 2: Shift the location of the “buy” button to determine where it gets clicked the most
• Test 3: Change the appearance of the “buy” button, including color, height, and width

3) Goal: Improve conversion rates from shopping cart to final purchase

Shopping cart abandonment is a common challenge for online retailers. Once a user has expressed interest in a product by adding it to the shopping cart, there are several common variables that companies test in the course of ongoing conversion optimization.

• Test 1: Experiment with a pop-up reminder noting that items are still waiting in the cart
• Test 2: Reduce the number of buttons  on the screen to focus on a singular call to action
• Test 3: Vary the text for the final call to action (e.g. “purchase” versus “place order”)

By conducting ongoing experiments, companies can improve app engagement with a/b testing by achieve higher conversion rates at critical parts of the app. For retailers, the result is a direct and positive impact on the bottom line.