Shipping Tests - Getting Started
Get started with running A/B tests on your Shopify shipping thresholds and rates with ABConvert
Last updated
Get started with running A/B tests on your Shopify shipping thresholds and rates with ABConvert
Last updated
Shipping tests are experiments designed to evaluate and optimize the delivery options offered during the checkout process. By testing different shipping methods, rates, or configurations, you can identify the most effective options that maximizes conversion rate and sales. Shipping tests are crucial in the e-commerce landscape, where shipping plays an important role in purchase decisions.
ABConvert uses Carrier Service API from Shopify to generate shipping rates. This service is available to stores in the Advanced or Plus plan.
Refer to this article for more on how to enable Carrier Service API:
Shipping tests are ideal when:
You want to compare different shipping rates (e.g., free shipping vs. flat-rate shipping).
You're introducing new delivery options (e.g., express shipping or local pickup).
You want to test out conditional shipping rates (e.g. adjust shipping fee based on product weight).
There are three types of shipping tests that provide value for different aspects in your store.
Flat Rate: Allows you to test for different shipping rates. You can assess which flat rate leads to better performance with analytics results. Besides, you can set a free shipping threshold at the same time to ensure a complete shopping experience for your customers.
Free Shipping Threshold: You can evaluates the impact of varying free shipping thresholds on customer behavior.
Advanced Shipping: Allows you to implement multiple condition-based shipping rates to each test group. This method is particularly effective for tailoring shipping strategies to specific order details including order price, item weight and transit time.
For more use cases, refer to this document:
Shipping tests are built around Shopify's shipping profiles and require careful configuration to ensure accurate results. The logic of shipping tests is:
Shipping Profiles and Zones: Each shipping test is linked to a specific shipping profile. You need to select the appropriate shipping zone for the test, ensuring that the rates apply only to customers in that region.
Adding Test Rates: Define the shipping rates for each test variant (e.g., flat rate, free shipping threshold, or advanced shipping conditions). These rates are dynamically applied based on the test group assigned to the customer.
Deleting Pre-existing Rates: Before launching the test, you must follow the steps in ABConvert to delete any existing rates that you want to A/B test in the shipping profile for the selected zone. The deleted rates will be automatically restored after you end the test. This ensures that only the test rates are applied during checkout.
Analytics Tracking: Web pixel tracks user interactions with shipping options, including selection rates and their impact on conversion metrics like average order value (AOV) and checkout completion rates.
Here’s an example of how a Shipping Test might look from a customer’s perspective:
Original Experience: A customer visits the checkout page and sees a standard shipping rate with no free shipping option.
Test Experience: Another customer visits the same checkout page but is presented with a test variant offering free shipping for orders over $50, encouraging the customer to add more items to their cart.
Shipping testing is a powerful tool in the e-commerce world. By understanding and applying different shipping strategies, you can enhance customer experience and boost your sales. We encourage you to follow the instructions in the next article to optimize your store's performance.
If you encounter issues with enabling carrier services, displaying shipping rates, or have questions about more advanced tests, don't hesitate to contact our support team at support@abconvert.io or via the in-app support widget. We're also here to assist with conflicts involving third-party apps.
