Does removing the checkout header menu lift desktop conversion?

Our desktop checkout had a full header menu and a vehicle check that repeated details shown below. We tested removing both. Over 13 days, conversion fell 0.7%, short of our confidence bar.

Not significant Desktop 13 days Not called

SURFACE

Checkout

DEVICE

Desktop

VERTICAL

Ecommerce (B2C)

PRIMARY METRIC

Conversion rate

VARIATIONS

1

The hypothesis

By removing the header menu and the duplicate vehicle check, we will cut distractions and exits from checkout, resulting in a higher completion rate.

A header menu gives visitors easy ways to leave checkout. The vehicle check also repeated details already shown in the cards below it, adding reading without adding value.

What we changed

Header menu and duplicate vehicle check removed from checkout

Var A removed the menu items from the checkout header, so visitors had fewer ways to leave. It also removed the vehicle verification section, since the same details appeared in the cards further down.

VAR A: REDUCE DISTRACTIONS

Menu items removed from the header
Duplicate vehicle check removed

The result

Conversion fell 0.7% without the menu, short of our confidence bar

CONVERSION RATE

-0.7%

Over 13 days, the simpler checkout converted 0.7% worse than the original. It looked strong in the first week, then leveled out with more traffic, so we paused the test after 13 days.

What we would do next

Look for friction beyond the header

Removing the menu and the repeated vehicle check did no harm, but it did not move conversion either. That suggests the header was not where visitors were dropping off, so a next test would focus on the form and the total.