ABConvert provides you with the ability to conduct real-time split testing of your store's shipping rates and free shipping thresholds. We use Shopify third-party carrier services to generate these shipping rates and this will be automatically be created when you launch your first test.

The rates displayed at checkout will depend on the customer's test group, cart value, and delivery country. In addition, ABConvert rates can be shown alongside other dynamic services such as USPS or DHL, as well as any shipping rates that have been configured in your Shopify shipping zones.

Pressed for time? Watch our quick video guide here: Check it out!

Step 1: Activate Carrier Rates

To begin a new shipping test in ABConvert, click on "Create New Test" located at the top right of the screen. Our system will check your Shopify Carrier Service API status. If your have no access to use Carrier Service API, you will see this message:

If your have no access to use Carrier Service API, you will see this message:

Requirements to use the Carrier Service API

The Carrier Service API can be enabled based on your Shopify plan:

Advanced or Plus Plan: This feature is available by default.
Grow Plan: You can request access to the API by reaching out to Shopify Support. Please contact Shopify Support. They will assist you with the setup necessary for your store.
Basic Plan: As of January 1, 2023 stores on Starter and Basic plans, will no longer be able to request access to the Carrier Service API. (Source)

Step 2: Create Your Test

Once in the Shipping Test page you're presented with all the options required to get your shipping test up and running. We'll walk through the different blocks available for configuration in this section.

Test Information

This block contains the test name which is used to easily reference this test and analytics in the future as well as the hypothesis (description) for what you're hoping to achieve. This cannot be changed once a test has started.

Traffic Percentage

This section allows you to configure what % of traffic will see which variant.
We recommend leaving this on 50/50 to get the most accurate results.

🎯 Initially you might notice a significant disparity in the amount of traffic between the two variants, but over time, it will even out to within 1 - 2% of the predetermined percentage.

Shipping Test Type

ABConvert offers two types of tests currently, namely the Free Shipping Threshold and Flat Rate Shipping.

Free Shipping Threshold test is useful when you want to compare the performance of different thresholds, such as whether offering FREE Shipping over $120 results in better AOV and unchanged CVR compared to offering FREE Shipping over $80.

On the other hand, Flat Rate Shipping is useful when you want to test the maximum shipping prices that you can charge while maintaining the same CVR. This test can also be combined with a free shipping threshold to keep the customer experience unchanged from your current setup.

Variants

In the variants section, you can specify the free shipping threshold for each group if you choose the free shipping threshold test type, or set the flat rate shipping rates if you choose the flat rate shipping test type.

The values are defined in your store's default currency.

Shipping Countries

The shipping countries section is where can you choose which country your test will be active for. Please note that all checkouts with products in a selected shipping country will be part of the shipping test.

🎯 Although you can conduct multiple shipping tests concurrently, each active test is restricted to one test per country. This ensures that we obtain the most precise outcomes for every test and country you're evaluating.

Shipping Configuration

Before launching your shipping test, the Checkout Configuration section needs to be set up. This section allows you to customize how the rate is displayed at checkout by choosing a shipping rate name and creating a personalized shipping description. In addition, ABConvert is the ONLY shipping test app to offer the unique feature of setting a custom transit time to measure the effects of shorter or longer shipping times.

At the bottom of this step, a checkout preview is available to show you precisely what will be displayed during checkout and what rates might appear depending on the test group.

Here is an example configuration:

That's it! Your shiny new test is all setup and ready to go. Just hit the next button at the bottom and we'll start providing shipping rates. If there are any errors we'll also let you know prior to the test going live.

Delete shipping rate

Shopify currently returns only one rate with the lowest price if there are multiple rates with the same name. You will need to delete the rate you are testing to ensure accurate shipping.

We normally recommend you remove the origin rate during the testing period in order to prevent conflict. However, if you have multiple rate such as Standard v.s. Express. You just have to remove the rate that you are testing.

Remember, do name the Shipping rate different than the existing rate (the rate you have not removed).

You can either delete your rate manually in your "Shipping and Delivery" settings in Shopify and add the rate back after you end the test, or you can select the rate to delete in our final review modal. Our app will delete the rate and recover it for you after you close the test.