The Strikethrough Effect
Sometimes perception is everything
The Strikethrough Effect test explores how customers respond when you display a “Compare At” price next to your selling price — highlighting a deal without actually changing the value of your product.
This test helps you understand how perceived discounts impact conversion rates, urgency, and average order value (AOV). When done right, it can create a sense of savings that nudges more customers to checkout.
Pro Tip!
Use realistic “Compare At” prices — if the discount feels too good to be true, customers might lose trust.
What This Test Might Look Like
| Product | Compare-At Price (Control) | Control Price | Test A Price | Compare-At Price (Test A) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product A | $42 | $40 | $42 | $44 |
| Product B | $63 | $60 | $62 | $66 |
Keep your Control Group as the regular price and compare it against a variant that includes the strikethrough Compare At price. This will help you measure whether showing perceived savings improves conversion without cutting real margins.
Example Insight
A beauty brand ran this test and found that simply adding a strikethrough to their top product lifted conversions by 22% — with no actual price change.
TestSignal Team