The Approach
Over the first 90 days, Blend focused on removing friction across the full eCommerce decision journey rather than making isolated cosmetic changes.
Using insights from Shopify Analytics, GA4, heat mapping, and session recordings, we prioritised CRO activities that would:
- Help users reach relevant products faster
- Reduce hesitation at key decision points
- Increase confidence in size, grind, and subscription choices
All recommendations were prioritised using Blend’s structured PECTI framework (Proof, Ease, Cost, Time, Impact), ensuring focus on changes most likely to drive conversion rate and revenue efficiency within a short timeframe.
Homepage & Navigation Wins
Improving Subcategory Visibility on the Homepage (A/B Test)
Our audit data revealed that while the homepage accounted for a significant share of sessions, only a small percentage of mobile users accessed the subcategories. This created early-journey friction for users who already had roast or format preferences.
What We Tested
We conducted an A/B/C test to determine which design would effectively highlight the categories without distraction.
The Test
- Variant 1: Circle-style subcategory design
- Variant 2: Pill-style subcategory design
Result (Winner: Pill design)
- +19.41% increase in collection views
- +8% increase in conversion rate
- +9% increase in revenue per visitor
- +1% increase in AOV
- +8% increase in subscription average units per order
Why This Worked
The pill-style subcategory design reduced early-journey friction by making category navigation immediately recognisable and easier to act on, particularly on mobile.
Users arriving with existing roast or format preferences could self-select faster, without needing to scroll, search, or interpret decorative elements. The pill layout followed familiar UI patterns (filters and tags), lowering cognitive effort and guiding users into relevant collections more confidently.
This small reduction in decision effort at the top of the funnel improved flow into collections and product pages, compounding higher conversion rate, revenue per visitor, and subscription units per order.
Redesigning the Mobile Category Menu (A/B/C Test)
Psychologically, mobile users need more explicit visual cues to navigate quickly without excessive scrolling or menu fatigue. 69% of Stone Creek Coffee's traffic came from mobile devices, making mobile optimisation and product discovery critical.
What We Tested
We designed an A/B/C test to enhance the mobile menu and streamline the purchasing process, making it faster and easier for users.
The Test
- Original: Existing category structure
- Variant 1 & 2: Redesigned category menus with improved imagery and scanability
Result (Winner: Variant 2)
- +18% increase in conversion rate
- +28% increase in revenue per visitor
- +8% increase in AOV
- +6% increase in subscription revenue per visitor
- +4% increase in collection page views
Why This Worked
On mobile, users rely heavily on visual scanning rather than exploration. The redesigned menu reduced menu fatigue by improving visual hierarchy and recognisability, allowing users to identify relevant categories faster without excessive scrolling.
Variant 2 performed best because clearer imagery and stronger structure helped users pre-qualify options before clicking, reducing hesitation and mis-clicks. This improved the quality of traffic entering collection pages, which in turn lifted conversion rate, average order value, and subscription engagement.
By making product discovery feel faster and more intuitive on mobile, the menu shifted users from browsing mode into purchase mode earlier in the journey.
Collection Page Wins
Using Sub-Categories / Story Widgets (A/B Test)
Based on our CRO and A/B Testing expertise, we understand that once users reach a collection page, subcategory navigation can help reduce choice overload and guide users to relevant products faster.
What We Tested
Our A/B/C test was designed to display these sub-categories on collection pages.
The Test
- Variant 1: Pill-style subcategories
- Variant 2: Circle-style subcategories
Result (Winner: Circles on mobile)
- +11% increase in conversion rate
- +12% increase in revenue per visitor
- +385% increase in subscription revenue per visitor
Why This Worked
On mobile, users face higher friction navigating collections due to limited screen space and the extra effort to access menus. Introducing sub-category navigation directly on collection pages reduced choice overload and allowed users to refine their journey without backtracking or scrolling.
The circle-style subcategories performed best on mobile because they were visually distinct, tap-friendly, and quick to scan, making them feel like clear navigation shortcuts rather than additional content. This helped users self-segment earlier in the journey, particularly into subscription-relevant product paths, driving a significant uplift in subscription revenue per visitor alongside gains in conversion and revenue.
Desktop users already had easy access to category navigation via hover menus, so the same treatment added less value. As a result, this optimisation was most effective when deployed specifically for mobile behaviour.
Product Detail Page Wins
Adding Key Value Propositions Near Add to Cart (A/B Test)
The area around the Add to Cart button is the highest-impact decision point. Trust and reassurance messages are important to customers, especially new customers, and audit data for Stone Creek Coffee showed key reassurance messages were positioned too low to influence intent.
What We Tested
Our A/B test aimed to deliver trust points at the moment of decision-making, near the Add to Cart button.
The Test
- Original: Existing value proposition placement
- Variant: Redesigned layout with value propositions closer to Add to Cart
Results
- +6.41% increase in conversion rate
- +11.93% increase in revenue per visitor
- +8.35% increase in add to cart rate
- +5.19% increase in AOV
- +48.33% increase in subscription orders per visitor
- +42.91% increase in subscription revenue per visitor
Why This Worked
The Add to Cart area is the point of highest purchase anxiety. By moving key value propositions closer to this decision point, we reduced last-minute hesitation and reinforced trust exactly when users were deciding whether to commit.
Surfacing reassurance messages at the moment of intent helped new and returning users feel more confident about product quality, delivery, and subscription commitment, rather than forcing them to scroll away from the action. The clarity removed friction between interest and action, increasing Add to Cart behaviour and strengthening downstream conversion, average order value, and subscription uptake.
Removing Express Checkout Options on PDPs (A/B Test)
During our screen recording analysis using Microsoft Clarity, we identified that the express checkout options distracted users from making core product decisions around size, grind, and purchase type.
What We Tested
We tested removing this option and leaving the standard add-to-cart button to see whether it affected purchasing decisions.
The Test
- Original: Express checkout visible on PDP
- Variant: Express checkout removed from PDP
Results
- +13% increase in conversion rate
- +20% increase in revenue per visitor
- +6.29% increase in AOV
- +10% increase in add to cart rate
- +3.35% increase in subscription revenue per visitor
Why This Worked
Express checkout options introduced a premature exit point before users had fully committed to key product decisions such as size, grind, and purchase type. This created a cognitive interruption at a moment when focus should have been on product selection rather than payment.
By removing express checkout from the PDP, we simplified the decision path and kept users anchored on the core Add to Cart action. This reduced distraction, encouraged more deliberate product configuration, and increased Add to Cart behaviour, which compounded into higher conversion rate, revenue per visitor, and average order value.
Improving Size Value Framing on PDPs (A/B/C Test)
When users are presented with multiple size options, uncertainty around value per unit can stall decision-making. If the economic advantage of larger sizes isn't immediately clear, users default to safer, smaller choices or abandon the decision altogether. Clear value framing helps users confidently identify the option that offers the biggest long-term value, reducing hesitation and increasing commitment.
What We Tested
We set up an A/B/C test to determine the impact of language and badges on sizes with the aim of increasing the Revenue per Visitor and Conversion Rates.
The Test
- Variant 1: “Save X% per oz” messaging by size
- Variant 2: Variant 1 plus “Most Popular” badge
Result (Winner: Variant 1)
- +41% increase in conversion rate
- +26% increase in revenue per visitor
- +50% increase in subscription revenue per visitor
- +117% increase in subscription orders per visitor
- +9% increase in add to cart rate
Why This Worked
Clear value framing reduced decision effort at the size-selection stage. Showing "Save X% per oz" made the economic advantage of larger sizes instantly understandable, helping users identify the best option without needing to calculate the value themselves.
This clarity shifted behaviour from comparison to commitment. Users were more confident choosing larger sizes and subscriptions earlier in the journey, increasing Add to Cart behaviour and subscription uptake. While more users selected lower-priced subscription options, overall purchase confidence increased, driving higher conversion rate and revenue per visitor despite a lower average order value.
Not every optimisation requires an A/B test. Where audit insights, behavioural evidence, and UX best practice clearly pointed to unnecessary friction, we prioritised direct implementation to remove blockers immediately and accelerate performance.
Improving Grind Guide Visibility
What we changed
The Grind Guide existed but was not visible at the moment users were required to make a grind selection. We surfaced it directly alongside the grind selector on PDPs.
Why it mattered
For new customers, grind choice is a high-anxiety decision. Making guidance visible at the point of selection reduced uncertainty, increased confidence, and prevented hesitation that can stall Add to Cart behaviour.
Checkout Wins
Surfacing Trust Signals at Checkout
What we changed
Trust-building elements, such as refund policies and customer reassurance messaging (reviews) were repositioned closer to checkout action points.
Why it mattered
At checkout, users aren't looking for new information. They're seeking confirmation that their purchase is safe and supported. Bringing reassurance closer to the final decision reduced last-minute doubt and helped users complete checkout with confidence.
Adding Product Recommendations at Checkout
What we implemented
We introduced a checkout recommendation module using Rebuy to surface relevant add-ons at the highest-intent stage of the journey.
Why it mattered
This allowed for incremental AOV growth without interrupting the checkout flow. Recommendations were presented as supportive add-ons rather than distractions, increasing basket value without introducing friction or additional navigation steps.
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