Top 5 Conversion Optimisation Myths Debunked

Conversion optimisation isn't about quick fixes, redesigns, or chasing one metric. This guide debunks the most common CRO myths holding eCommerce brands back and explains what actually drives sustainable growth.

Why CRO Myths Are Costly

Despite CRO being a well-established growth discipline, many brands still avoid it or misuse it because of persistent conversion misconceptions.

These myths don't just slow optimisation efforts. They actively cost revenue, profit and momentum.

If you misunderstand what CRO really is (and isn't), you may:

• Invest in the wrong fixes
• Redesign unnecessarily
• Chase surface-level metrics instead of commercial (revenue) impact

We're debunking the top 5 CRO myths we frequently encounter when auditing Shopify stores, and what brands should focus on instead.

Myth #1: We Don't Need CRO, We Just Need Better Targeting

It's tempting to believe that better ads or improved targeting will solve conversion issues.

But if your:

• Value proposition isn't clear
• Trust signals are missing
• PDPs or checkout introduce friction

... then better targeting simply sends more qualified users into the same (broken) funnel.

The Reality

Better targeting doesn't fix a weak website. 

If your PDPs, cart or checkout are unclear, sending more qualified traffic simply exposes the same conversion leaks. At scale.

What CRO Actually Does (In Practice)

CRO shouldn't sit in isolation from acquisition. A CRO Audit will pinpoint where users are dropping out, why they are hesitating, and what changes should be addressed first to get your customers to buy now, buy more, and buy again.

A CRO Audit will typically uncover:

• Which part of your funnel is suppressing revenue (PDP clarity, cart friction, checkout confidence)
• What users are hesitating on and why, using behavioural data and qualitative insight
• Which customer journeys convert profitably, by device, intent and entry point
• Which levers should be prioritised first: Conversion Rate, Average Order Value, or Repeat Purchase behaviour

These insights will guide your CRO Implementation and A/B testing, helping you address the on-site issues that prevent already qualified users from making a purchase.

Once your site is converting efficiently, you're ready to scale traffic. Ultimately, better targeting (or ads) doesn't fix onsite friction. But CRO removes it.

Case Study: Value Propositions on PDP

After identifying checkout hesitation during our post-BFCM analysis, we tested the impact of adding key value propositions below the Add to Cart button across PDPs.

An A/B/C test compared brand-based versus product-based messaging across UK and Irish stores. While results varied by market, the UK site saw a 149% increase in Conversion Rate when brand trust signals were introduced.

The uplift came from improved on-site clarity and confidence, without changes to traffic or targeting.

→ View the Full Case Study

Myth #2: Quantitative Data Tells You Everything

Analytics dashboards are comforting. Numbers feel objective. But numbers only tell you what happened, not why it happened.

For example, a drop-off at checkout shows where users leave. It doesn't explain whether it's shipping shock, confusion, or trust hesitation.

The Reality

High-performing CRO combines quantitative (Shopify & GA4 Analytics) and qualitative data (heatmapping, session recordings, user testing, etc.).

That means combining:

• Analytics and funnel data
• Session recordings and heatmaps
• On-site polls and surveys
• Message mining

This moves you from guessing what's up to evidence-backed hypotheses and decisions.

Case Study: Sticky Add to Cart on Desktop PDPs

During user testing, we observed that desktop users often lost sight of the Add to Cart button while scrolling through long product pages and accordion content. While analytics showed solid engagement, they didn’t explain the hesitation.

Introducing a sticky Add to Cart bar on desktop kept key purchase actions visible and reduced friction. The test delivered a +25.95% increase in Conversion Rate and a +29.9% increase in Total Revenue, with additional lifts in Add to Cart clicks, Products per Visitor and Average Order Value.

The insight didn’t come from dashboards alone. It came from watching real users struggle, then validating the fix through testing.

Myth #3: We Need a Full Redesign

When conversion stalls, redesigns often feel like the clean-slate solution.

New theme. New layout. New start.

But redesigns are risky if not done right. When everything changes at once, it becomes difficult to isolate what actually improves performance and what quietly makes it worse.

In practice, redesigns often fail because:

• Dozens of variables change simultaneously
• Proven conversion elements get removed or altered
• Conversion rate commonly dips post-launch before recovering (if it does at all)

The Reality

Most sites don't need a rebuild. They need targeted optimisation.

During a CRO Audit, we are typically able to isolate specific friction points on PDPs, in the cart, or at checkout and address them through focused testing and iteration. This allows brands to protect what's already working while improving what isn't.

CRO works iteratively:

• Identify friction through behavioural and qualitative research
• Test focused improvements against live traffic
• Evolve the experience based on evidence

There are scenarios where a redesign is the right call. A rebuild is often justified when:

• The underlying codebase has become unstable due to years of layered customisation
• Advanced functionality has been bolted onto a template theme that wasn't built to support it
• Core site architecture creates performance, maintainability or scalability issues
• Ongoing CRO or feature development becomes disproportionately expensive or risky

This is common with fast-scaling brands that outgrow their original theme or VP build.

In these cases, the redesign isn't driven by aesthetics, but by technical debt. The goal is to create a stable, flexible foundation that allows CRO testing, performance optimisation and new functionality to happen safely and efficiently.

Mini Case Study: CRO-Led Resign + Ongoing Optimisation

This brand underwent a full Shopify redesign in late 2023, having outgrown its previous theme and codebase. The rebuild focused on creating a more stable, scalable foundation that could support ongoing CRO and experimentation.

Following launch, we continued working with the brand on a retained CRO basis.

Over the next 12 months, despite a reduction in overall traffic, the site delivered substantial improvements across core commercial metrics:

• Conversion Rate: +120%
• Revenue per Visitor: +117%
• Total Sales: +30%
• Subscription Rate: +239%
• New Subscriber Rate: +252%
• Online Store Visitors: -40%

Despite the drop in on-site visits (-40%), Sales still increased by 30%.

These uplifts didn't come from increased acquisition. It came from improving how effectively the site converted, monetised and retained existing traffic.

Why This Matters

The Redesign created the right technical foundation, but the sustained performance gains came from ongoing CRO: testing, iteration and optimisation across PDPs, checkout and subscriptions.

This is a good example of when a redesign is the right call, but only when it's paired with continuous optimisation rather than treated as the end of the journey.

See more of our award-winning work here.

Myth #4: CRO Is a One-Off Project

Many brands approach CRO as a short sprint.

• Undergo a CRO Audit
• Run tests for a quarter
• See a conversion lift
• Move on

That approach usually delivers a temporary bump, then plateaus. Not because CRO "stops working", but because the easiest wins get exhausted and optimisation stops just as new constraints emerge.

The Reality

CRO isn't a campaign. It's a continuous optimisation system.

In practice, CRO work shifts over time because the site, the customer, and the commercial priorities change.

• Customer behaviour evolves as expectations, devices and buying patterns shift.
• Product ranges expand, bundles are introduced, and subscriptions or loyalty mechanics are layered in.
• Competitors iterate constantly, resetting the baseline for what “good” looks like.
• New friction and opportunities appear as traffic mix and intent change.

A one-off CRO phase can improve conversion rate, but sustained growth comes from compounding small, validated improvements across the funnel.

Dozens of 1–2% uplifts on PDPs, in the cart, at checkout and post-purchase don’t look dramatic in isolation, but together they materially change revenue performance.

How This Shows Up In Practice

In a mature CRO program, the focus naturally evolves:

• Early phases often prioritise conversion blockers and clarity issues
• Later phases shift towards Average Order Value, subscriptions and upsell mechanics
• Ongoing optimisation focuses on repeat behaviour, retention and lifetime value

Each phase builds on the learnings of the last.

This is why high-performing brands don't "finish" CRO. They embed it into their operating rhythm, reviewing performance, updating hypotheses and testing continuously rather than treating optimisation as a task to tick off.

CRO works best when it compounds over time.

Case Study: Ongoing CRO Compounds Over Time

This brand engaged Blend to improve conversion performance on an ongoing basis rather than through a short optimisation sprint.

The work began with a full CRO Audit to identify the primary conversion constraints and establish a clear optimisation roadmap. From there, we operated in a hybrid model alongside the client’s in-house development team, aligning on which initiatives they would implement directly and which Blend would lead across strategy, design and A/B testing.

Over a 10-month period, the cumulative impact of ongoing CRO delivered significant improvements across key performance metrics:

• eCommerce Conversion Rate: +18%
• Total Sales: +163%
• Online Store Visitors: +96%
• Average Order Value: +3%
• Revenue per Visitor: +34%
• New Subscriber Rate: +112%
• Subscription Rate: +92%

These results didn’t come from a single breakthrough test. They were the result of multiple, validated improvements across PDPs, checkout and subscription flows, compounding over time.

Why This Matters

A short CRO sprint can unlock quick wins. Sustained growth comes from treating CRO as an ongoing system, not a one-off project.

This example demonstrates how continuous optimisation, underpinned by clear prioritisation and collaboration, can significantly improve conversion efficiency, customer value, and retention over time.

Myth #5: CRO Is Only About Conversion Rate

Yes, conversion rate matters. But optimising for conversion rate in isolation is one of the fastest ways to distort decision-making. A rising conversion rate can look positive on a dashboard while quietly introducing issues elsewhere in your business.

When conversion rate is treated as the only goal, optimisation efforts can:

• Hurt profit margins through unnecessary discounting
• Suppress AOV by simplifying choices too aggressively
• Create dependency on promotions to maintain short-term lifts
• Mask deeper issues in retention, returns, or customer quality.

A higher conversion rate doesn't automatically mean healthier revenue.

The Reality

Strong CRO optimises the entire buying ecosystem.

During a CRO Audit, we don't ask "how do we increase conversion rate?" first. We ask which lever is currently limiting revenue performance.

At Blend, we frame this as through the Buy Trifecta^TM

• Buy Now: improes clarity, confidence and flow so more qualified visitors complete a purchase
• Buy More: Increase order value sustainably through bundles, upsells, subscriptions or pricing structure
• Buy Again: Strengthen retention by reducing friction, improving expectations and supporting repeat purchases

Only one of these levers is usually the primary constraint at any given time.

If you want a quick sense-check on which lever deserves your attention first, our CRO Benchmarks compares your store's performance against realistic benchmarks and highlights whether Conversion Rate, Average Order Value, or Repeat Purchase behaviour is the primary constaint.

You'll get personalised CRO recommendations and A/B test ideas based on your inputs in under 60 seconds and it will help you determine where to focus next. 

For example:

• If Conversion Rate is strong but AOV is flat, pushing conversion harder often delivers diminishing returns.
• If AOV is healthy but repeat purchase is weak, CRO effort should shift beyond the intial transaction.
• If conversion rate is low, fixing clarity and friction may unlock revenue without touching pricing or discounts.

This is why conversion rate is treated as a diagnostic signal and not a success metric in isolation.

True optimisation improves revenue quality: better orders, better customers, and more predictable growth.

[Case Study] A CRO test that increased AOV without discounting, reduced returns through clearer PDPs, or improved repeat purchase behaviour via post-purchase optimisation.

How to Apply This in Practice

If any of these CRO myths feel familiar, it’s usually a sign that optimisation decisions are being made without enough research, structure or prioritisation.

A strong CRO approach doesn’t start with tactics. It starts by identifying where the real constraint sits in the funnel and working from there.

In practice, that means:

Identifying the primary constraint first

Not every metric needs attention at once. CRO works best when effort is focused on the area currently limiting revenue, whether that’s conversion rate, order value or repeat purchase behaviour.

Balancing quantitative and qualitative insight

Numbers show where users drop off. Behavioural data and customer feedback explain why. Both are required to make confident optimisation decisions.

Testing before redesigning or scaling

CRO validates changes against live traffic, reducing risk and preventing costly decisions based on opinion or best practice alone.

Optimising for profitable growth (not vanity metrics)

A lift in conversion rate only matters if it improves revenue quality, margins and customer value over time.

This is exactly what a structured CRO Audit is designed to do. Remove the guesswork. Surface the real issues. And create a clear, prioritised path forward.

What To Do Next

If you’re unsure which of these myths may be limiting your store, a CRO Audit provides clarity before more time, budget or development effort is invested.

A CRO Audit helps pinpoint:

• Where users are getting stuck or hesitating across PDPs, cart and checkout
• Which metric is actually holding revenue back, rather than optimising everything at once
• What to test first to unlock measurable commercial impact

Instead of reacting to symptoms or chasing isolated ideas, you get a prioritised optimisation roadmap grounded in real user behaviour and business context.

From there, you can choose to implement changes internally, work with a CRO partner, or take a hybrid approach - but you’ll be making decisions with evidence, not assumptions.

If you're ready to move beyond assumptions and start your CRO journey with data-backed recommendations, book a CRO Mapping Call with the Blend team.