Testing With Power and Precision
Testing isn’t a rigid formula; it’s a dynamic framework for uncovering truths about your customers and business. At Shoplift, we believe A/B testing should be simple at its core, but powerful enough to accompany you in search of even the obscurest of those truths.
The foundation of any successful experiment lies in its structure, and for us, that structure comes down to five essential pillars:
1. The Hypothesis
What do you believe will happen, and why?
A test begins with a hypothesis, a clear articulation of your assumptions about customer behavior and the outcomes you expect. Without this, experimentation becomes guesswork rather than a path to insight.
2. The Audience
Who qualifies to participate, and why?
Identifying the right audience isn’t just about who visits your site but about who represents the behaviors and characteristics relevant to your hypothesis. Granularity here shapes the relevance of your findings.
3. The Trigger
When and under what conditions should participants enter the test?
A trigger defines the moment and context where the hypothesis comes to life, whether it’s a page load, an API call, or an action taken by the user. Precision here determines whether your experiment is asking the right questions.
4. The Experience
What specific change on your storefront is shown to participants?
The experience is the manifestation of your hypothesis—a carefully crafted alternative that tests your assumptions while minimizing variables that could muddy the results.
5. The Metric
What behavior will validate or disprove the hypothesis?
Metrics are the test’s compass, providing the lens through which outcomes are evaluated. They must not only reflect the customer behaviors you’re trying to influence but also align with your broader strategic goals.
Each pillar works in harmony to transform a hypothesis into actionable insights, and together they lead to better test strategies. Yet, how you define these elements determines whether you’re solving trivial questions—or the ones that redefine your business strategy.
These elements form the scaffolding for every test, and Shoplift’s journey reflects this philosophy.
We began by introducing the framework of template testing, offering merchants the ability to experiment with specific types of pages at scale to unlock workflows previously unavailable in ecommerce.
Then, we expanded to theme testing, enabling experiments to run across the entire storefront. To date, nearly 30% of tests are store-wide tests that ask the big questions: how do global navigation changes impact conversion? Which cart experience drives stronger AOVs?
Today, with the launch of our first public API, we’ve reached the next frontier, allowing merchants to define every aspect of the experiment themselves.
Introducing the Shoplift API
Testing with our API transcends the limitations of fixed triggers and predefined conditions. It empowers you to experiment at the level of your unique business model:
- Test logic beyond visual changes: run tests that modify backend logic, such as custom discount calculations or shipping rules, to evaluate operational efficiency and profitability.
- Optimize logged-in and logged-out experiences: tailor experiences to different user states, like rewarding loyalty with faster, more seamless purchases.
- Behavior-triggered experiments: test changes that trigger based on user behavior, such as showing a pop-up after prolonged idle time or offering dynamic upsells based on cart contents.
- Custom UX features: test advanced features like sticky vs. static navigation bars, custom animations, or collapsible menus to improve your store’s usability and interactivity.
- Full funnel testing: run tests that apply congruous changes across several pages at once to optimize towards the ideal funnel.
- Speed Optimization Experiments: test custom optimizations for page load times, such as lazy-loading images or deferring non-critical scripts, to see how speed impacts conversion.
- And much more (explore the JavaScript API docs)
These are just some of the experiences that you can create with our API to build towards a better storefront experience. This isn’t just about flexibility—it’s about creating experiments that are as nuanced and dynamic as your customers. Shoplift’s API testing gives you the tools to challenge your assumptions and find answers that matter.
Other product updates:
- We now support third-party consent management platforms. Learn more →
- You can now provide custom names on your variants to allow an additional level of detail on what you are testing.
- Our URL split testing feature is out of beta and is available today on Core, Advanced, and Pro plans. Learn more →
- Our one-click GA4 integration is exiting private beta soon. If you’d like early access, apply here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the Shoplift API different from template and theme testing?
The Shoplift API removes the constraints of predefined triggers and conditions, allowing you to define every aspect of your experiment based on your unique business logic. While template and theme testing focus on visual changes across specific pages or your entire storefront, the API enables behavior-triggered experiments, backend logic modifications, and custom user experience features that respond dynamically to how your customers interact with your store.
Can I test backend logic changes with the Shoplift API?
Yes, the API enables testing of backend modifications, including custom discount calculations, shipping rule variations, and other operational logic that impacts profitability and efficiency. These tests go beyond visual changes to help you optimize the fundamental mechanics of how your store operates.
How does the API handle different user states like logged-in customers?
The API allows you to create distinct experiences based on user authentication status, enabling you to tailor the shopping experience for logged-in loyalty members versus first-time visitors. This granular audience control helps you test strategies for rewarding repeat customers while optimizing acquisition funnels for new shoppers.
What are behavior-triggered experiments?
Behavior-triggered experiments activate based on specific user actions or patterns rather than simple page loads. Examples include showing targeted pop-ups after prolonged idle time, offering dynamic upsells based on cart contents, or adjusting the experience based on browsing behavior. The API gives you complete control over when and how your test variants are presented.
Does the Shoplift API require developer resources to implement?
While the API provides advanced capabilities that developers can leverage for complex use cases, Shoplift's philosophy centers on accessibility. The JavaScript API documentation provides clear implementation guidance, and the platform maintains the same ease-of-use that defines our template and theme testing features.
