JD Williams delivers an additional 2.9% overall conversion rate uplift with social proof rollout

JD Williams has previously successfully experimented with real-time social proof messaging from Taggstar, increasing online conversion rates by sharing in real-time what other shoppers were looking at and buying, which led to increased intent to purchase. 

They wanted to know if combining such messaging on the product listings page (PLP), product details page (PDP), and basket could increase conversion further by ensuring messages were seen at multiple points in the customer journey. 

JD Williams planned a test where it would add social proof messages across the full funnel for a 20-day period in August 2022. As well as understanding its impact on conversion rates JD Williams also wanted to assess how the additional messaging impacted add-to-bag and cart abandonment rates.

Here, conversion rates increased by 5.1%, with a 4.4% decrease in the abandoned basket rate on desktop. Social proof messaging also prompted a 2.5% increase in the add-to-basket rate for desktop users. 

JD Williams has since rolled social proof messaging out to 100% of users and has continued iterative testing to optimise the performance of individual pages. Continual optimisation is a vital part of the Taggstar offer, and the brand works closely with its customers to ensure maximum results at all times. The brand has also incorporated different messaging and seasonal treatments.

Michael Kindon, Head of Web Operations for N Brown, said: “Rolling out social proof messaging from Taggstar across PLP, PDP, and the basket page delivered great results for JD Williams, generating a 2.9% uplift in conversion rates. Our focus on continual optimisation means that we have continued to push the boundaries of social proof messaging since.” 

“In this test, we witnessed increased consumer stickiness thanks to Taggstar’s social proof messaging, with mobile users, in particular, more likely to navigate from the PLP to proceed to add to basket and continue to convert rather than abandon their basket. We also saw strong conversion rate uplifts and reduced abandon basket rates on desktop.” 

Peter Buckley, CRO at Taggstar, said: “N Brown is one of our longest-standing customers, having implemented social proof messaging across its brands since 2016, but like all successful brands, it doesn’t sit still with a hunger for continual optimisation driving the success of its social proof messaging strategy. In this latest test we once again showed the power of social proof across both desktop and mobile for this critical 40 years-plus female customer base.”