How to create a product image experiment

This guide shows you exactly how to set up and run a product image test using Elevate. We'll cover everything from creating your test to analyzing the results, so you can figure out what images work best for your store.

Step 1: Create an Experiment

Begin by accessing your Elevate A/B Testing dashboard. From there, look for the 'Experiments' section in the main menu. Once you've found it, click on 'New Experiment' and select 'Product Image Experiment' from the available options to start your journey.

Step 2: Define Your Test

Every successful experiment starts with clear documentation. Give your experiment a descriptive name that helps you identify it at a glance, such as "Summer Collection Image Test" or "Holiday Bundle Images." While optional, we strongly recommend adding a detailed description explaining what you're testing and writing out your hypothesis. Your hypothesis should clearly state what outcome you expect and why you expect it. This documentation will prove invaluable when analyzing your results later.

Step 3: Select Product for Testing

Pick the product you want to test from your store. For your test variation, you can upload new product images or reorder your existing gallery images. Your original product variation will remain unchanged as the control for your experiment.

Step 4: Configure Traffic Distribution

By default, your traffic will be split evenly between your original product and the duplicate. For example, if you have two variations, each will get 50% of your traffic. You can adjust these percentages however you want - just make sure they add up to 100%.

Step 5: Set Your Experiment Goal

What do you want to measure? Pick a main goal that will determine your winning variant. You can choose from our recommended metrics: revenue per visitor, conversion rate, average order value, add-to-cart rate, or checkout start rate. Don't worry - we'll still track all other metrics for you, but your main goal helps us identify when your test has a clear winner.

Step 6: Add Audience Targeting (Optional)

Want to get more specific with who sees your test? You can target your audience based on their device type (mobile, desktop, tablet), location, traffic source, or whether they're new or returning visitors. For more advanced targeting, you can even use UTM parameters. Just remember this step is completely optional - you can run your test without any targeting if you want.

Step 7: Launch Your Experiment

With your setup complete, click 'Create Experiment' to move into the review phase. The system will perform initial checks to ensure everything is configured correctly before launch.

Step 8: Elevate Review

This is where we ensure your image variations display correctly across your entire store. Just click the "Submit for review" button and our team will verify all image configurations. Don't worry - this only needs to be done once and then you're set for all future image tests. If our team is online, this review process typically takes less than 10 minutes. If not, it will be handled as soon as someone is available, with a maximum wait time of 12 hours.

Step 9: Launch Your Experiment

Once our team has completed the review, you're ready to launch! Simply click the "Launch Experiment" button to begin testing your products images. Your experiment will start collecting data immediately, and you can monitor the results in real-time through your dashboard.

Next Steps

Once your experiment is live, keep an eye on its performance through your dashboard. Let the experiment run until you have enough data to make confident decisions about your product images.