CASE STUDY / ECOMMERCE + CRO
Same store. Two very different reasons to shop.
I wanted to know whether a fragrance shopper responds more to finding a really good deal, or feeling confident they’ve found the right scent. So I designed two homepage directions to test that question.
EXPLORE THE CASE STUDY
AT A GLANCE
01 / THE STARTING POINT
Its value proposition is pretty clear: authentic fragrances, a huge catalogue and warehouse-style pricing. That works beautifully when you already know which bottle you want.
But sometimes I know I want something warm, sweet, clean, sexy or summery… and I have absolutely no idea what that perfume is called. That tension is where this project started.
This is an independent exploration inspired by FragranceBuy’s live store ↗. It was not commissioned by FragranceBuy.
02 / THE QUESTION
“That price is too good to pass up.”
“Wait… I actually want that.”
03 / TWO DIRECTIONS
If savings, urgency and product access are front and centre, shoppers with buying intent may reach products and the cart faster.
If shoppers can explore by scent and get answers to their questions early, they may browse deeper and feel more confident buying.
04 / MAPPING THE EXPERIENCE
Before getting into visual design, I mapped what every section needed to do: catch attention, create urgency, answer a question or move someone closer to the cart. Each page needed its own rhythm.
05 / DIRECTION A · DEAL-LED
I leaned into what FragranceBuy already does well: warehouse pricing, visible discounts and fast ways into product. This direction is deliberately louder.
Authenticity, warehouse pricing and the discount are visible before the first scroll. There’s no mystery about why you’d shop here.
I’d expect more hero CTA clicks from shoppers ready to buy.
What it is, what it costs, what you’re saving and how to buy it sit together. Shoppers can act without opening every product page.
I’d watch quick-add clicks and add-to-cart rate, then check whether that intent survives checkout.
“What the FragComm is buying” answers what’s popular. Shop by format helps someone go straight to boxed bottles, testers, gift sets or decants.
I’d track product clicks and products viewed per session by entry point.
Instead of keeping the threshold tucked away until checkout, a progress bar makes it tangible: “You’re $53.18 away.”
I’d test whether this lifts revenue per visitor without creating more cart abandonment.
06 / MEASURING A
The core signals are hero CTA click-through, product and quick-add clicks, add-to-cart and revenue per visitor. I’d also watch cart abandonment so an easier add doesn’t just move friction downstream.
My expectation: A may work harder for shoppers who already know what they want.
MEASUREMENT PLAN / DIRECTION A
07 / DIRECTION B · TRUST + DISCOVERY
Sometimes the sticking point isn’t price. It’s “Will I like it? Is it real? What’s a tester?” This direction tries to answer those questions before asking for a purchase.
Not everyone knows a fragrance name. They might know they want fresh and clean, or warm and spicy. So discovery starts in language people actually use.
I’d look for scent finder and quiz starts, then follow those sessions into products.
Why is it cheaper? Is it real? What’s a tester? I made those answers part of the shopping journey instead of hiding them in a help page.
I’d compare engagement with these explanations against downstream product and cart behaviour.
Warm, fresh, floral and sweet cues give each product a little more meaning. They help bridge “I’ve never smelled this” and “Actually… this sounds like me.”
I’d measure product discovery clicks, PDP visits and add-to-cart from this module.
Some shoppers need fragrance basics. Others need reviews, authenticity proof or a clear return policy. B layers those signals throughout the journey.
I’d watch education, review and FAQ engagement alongside eventual conversion.
08 / MEASURING B
Scent Finder clicks and quiz starts tell me if the new entry point is useful. Education, reviews and FAQs tell me whether shoppers use the reassurance. Add-to-cart and conversion tell me whether any of it actually helps people buy.
My expectation: B may create deeper engagement for people who are still figuring out what they want. Bounce rate is a guardrail for shoppers who simply want a deal.
MEASUREMENT PLAN / DIRECTION B
09 / THE FINAL DIRECTIONS
Here are both complete homepage concepts, exactly as designed. Open either image to see the full page at its original proportions.
10 / IF I COULD SHIP THIS
Does amplifying the existing deal behaviour help high-intent shoppers move to product and cart more effectively?
Does guided discovery and visible reassurance help browsing-led shoppers choose and purchase?
Look at acquisition source, new vs. returning shoppers and whether someone arrives with a specific product in mind. Set a primary outcome and sample size before running each test.
These are proposed experiments. Neither concept was run against live traffic, so this project does not claim measured conversion lifts.
11 / WHAT I LEARNED
This started as a homepage redesign and got much more interesting once I asked, “Why is this person here in the first place?” The same person might want a screaming deal when they know the fragrance, and a little guidance when they don’t.
So the question I’d really want to test is: when does a shopper need each one?