A/B test patterns · 6 min read
Checkout with less friction
Cut account walls, clarify payments and delivery, and keep pricing estimates honest.
Explained like for kids
Buying candy should not require inventing a password. Ask for the minimum, show the price clearly, and shout free delivery if it’s free — like writing “FREE STICKER” on the jar.
Examples
Each example has a kid-friendly “why,” then a clear Don't and Do with a real UI mock so you can see the difference.
Skip mandatory account creation
Like for kids: The candy store shouldn’t make you invent a secret club password before you pay.
Don’t
Create account + password before purchase
Huge friction. HotelTonight hypothesized this killed bookings.
Create account to book
Password
Do
Name + email on summary; password later / reset
HotelTonight: +15% conversions after removing mandatory account creation.
Order summary
Name
Set a password later via email link
Clearer price before the ride
Like for kids: If the ice cream might cost “something,” kids get nervous. A clear number feels safe.
Don’t
Fuzzy “estimated fare” that feels opaque
Uncertainty reduces usage. People avoid surprise totals.
Fare estimate: varies
Request rideDo
Clearer upfront pricing estimate
Uber’s clearer pricing: double-digit increase in rides per user.
$12.40
Upfront price · 12 min away
Highlight free delivery
Like for kids: If stickers are free with the toy, put a big FREE badge — don’t hide it in fine print.
Don’t
Free delivery buried in shipping FAQ
People abandon carts over imagined fees.
Leather boots · $120
See shipping policy ›
Do
Surface free delivery on product / cart
Clarks: +2.6% conversions by highlighting free delivery.
Leather boots · $120
FREE deliveryObvious payment choices
Like for kids: Cash, card, or lunch ticket — labels should be huge and obvious at the register.
Don’t
Ambiguous payment option labels
Mis-taps and abandoned checkouts.
Do
Clear icons + plain labels for each method
Chick-fil-A: +6% credit card payments after clarifying options.
Remember these
- Don’t force full account creation mid-checkout.
- Show clear price estimates before commit.
- Highlight free delivery when it applies.
- Make payment options unmistakably clear.
Patterns from abtest.design (HotelTonight +15%, Uber clearer pricing, Clarks +2.6%, Chick-fil-A payment clarity). Rewritten in plain language for learning — not a reprint of the originals.