#80: The 19% of traffic that drives all the revenue

Welcome to Conversion Party. This week, we’ve got…

• 🕳️ CRO Deep Dive: Mobile is where the party’s at, but desktop is where the real cash lives. Learn how to win on both.

• 🗺️ Goings On: Not nothin’

• 🤟Community love spotlight -  Osh | CRO & Landing Pages @ Conversion Alchemy for Shopify Brands
  

🕳️ CRO Deep Dive
The Mobile vs. Desktop Breakdown You Can’t Ignore

Discover the strategies and tactics you need to optimize for more revenue in ecommerce. In this section we explore data-driven approaches, real world examples, and proven best practices to help you drive more sales and revenue.

We’re all obsessed with mobile. And why not? It’s 81% of traffic.

But heatmaps and analytics tell a different story.

After analyzing thousands of ecommerce sites, we’ve found that even though desktop traffic is just 19%, it drives significantly more revenue. Why?

The average order value (AOV) on desktop is 15% higher.

This isn't about choosing one over the other; it’s about understanding the unique customer on each device.

Let’s dive in 👇

The Mobile Shopper: The Fast, Frictionless Fix

Think of the mobile shopper like a person grabbing a snack at a gas station. They’re in a hurry, distracted, and looking for something quick and easy.

• Behavior: They have a short attention span and make single-session decisions. They want immediate gratification.

• What they buy: Perfect for low-ticket impulse items ($20 supplements, $50 shirts). These are purchases they don't need to research for long.

• Strategic Tip: Optimize for speed. Your site needs to load in a flash. Use clean, simple layouts with big, thumb-friendly buttons. Focus on products that are easy to understand at a glance. Think of your mobile site as a quick, "get in and get out" experience.

The Desktop Shopper: The Deliberate, High-Value Hunter

The desktop shopper is like someone buying a car. They’re sitting down, focused, and ready to spend a lot more money.

• Behavior: They’ll visit your site multiple times, read detailed product descriptions, and compare options. They’re in a "research and deliberate" mindset.

• What they buy: This is essential for high-ticket items ($2,000+ sofas, complex electronics). These are purchases that require trust and a lot of information.

• Strategic Tip: Prioritize detailed, education-focused content. Use videos, long-form copy, and extensive FAQs to answer every possible question. Make your product pages a one-stop-shop for everything a customer needs to feel confident in a big purchase.

Your Action Plan: How to Win on Both Platforms

Understanding the difference is just the first step. The real win comes from adjusting your strategy.

Analyze AOV by Device: 

• Don’t just look at total sales. Dive into your analytics and see how AOV breaks down between mobile and desktop. Are you missing a desktop goldmine?

Optimize the Path to Purchase:

• For Mobile: Simplify everything. The checkout flow should be as short as possible. Allow guest checkout. Use payment options like Apple Pay and Google Pay to reduce friction.

• For Desktop: Add more information. Build trust by including customer reviews, badges ("As seen in..."), and in-depth specs. Use multiple touchpoints, think a blog post, a detailed product page, and a comparison table, to help them in their research journey.

Target with Purpose:

• For Mobile Traffic: Use retargeting to bring them back. A person who browsed on their phone might be a strong candidate to convert later on their desktop when they are ready to make a serious decision.

• For Desktop Traffic: Use your analytics to see which pages they visit. If they're reading your blog, they're in a research mindset. Serve them content that helps them make a decision.

The Bottom Line

Key Insight: The higher the AOV of a brand, the more you should focus on desktop. Brands should analyze their AOV breakdown by device separately rather than looking at overall metrics to understand which platform actually drives their revenue.

Mobile may bring in the crowds, but desktop brings in the cash. The brands winning at CRO aren’t just optimizing for one device; they’re winning on both by understanding what each unique customer needs to convert.

Actionable CRO Checklist: Optimize for Both

Don't just look at total traffic. Look at your AOV by device.

Here’s a quick checklist to make sure you’re not ignoring a key part of your revenue:

✔️ Analyze your AOV by device. Is desktop really driving more revenue? Don’t assume, check your analytics.
✔️ For mobile: Is your checkout process lightning fast? Have you removed all unnecessary steps?
✔️ For desktop: Are your product pages detailed enough to answer every possible question?
✔️ For both: Are you using retargeting to bring back those mobile shoppers for a second look?

Want the full expanded checklist?

Ready to uncover the hidden friction points on your site?

Sign up for a free to get the behavioral data and insights you need to make smart, data-backed decisions.

Want to learn more about other success stories? 
📖 Read more about them here →

🗺️ GOINGS ON
Not Nothin’

Stay in the loop with our latest partner activations, from webinars and in-person meetups to fresh content collaborations. We’ll highlight upcoming events, share key takeaways from recent gatherings, and give you an inside look at what’s brewing in our network.

[FREE Webinar] Fixing the fractures in your BFCM funnel

BFCM is on its way, bringing a massive influx of traffic, sales, and yes, returns. Is your store ready?

Many brands treat conversion rate optimization like a simple task to check off. But to truly win this season, you need to think about it as an ongoing conversation with your customers.

 Join us and our partners at Stamped, KNO, Reactiv, Postscript, AfterShip, Roswell and more for a free virtual event: "Fractures in the Funnel: Tactics For Optimizing Your Store Before BFCM".

We'll show you how to prepare your store to maximize conversions and deliver an exceptional customer experience.

You'll learn about:

→ Fixing the biggest friction points in your funnel
→ Making simple changes for immediate results
→ Developing long-term strategies for sustainable growth

Can’t make it? No worries, register anyway and we’ll send you the replay.

Q4 Summit NYC! Your holiday playbook starts here

EcomFounders (the crew behind Ecom AI Summit, Shoptalk’s biggest party, and past Q4 Summits with leaders like Keith Rabois, Sandra Campos, and Harley Finkelstein) is BACK in NYC this September.

 Last year we packed Terminal 5 with 500+ brand operators sharing exactly how to win the holiday season.

This year, Q4 Summit 2025 is going even bigger:

→ The most impactful strategies to crush your holiday targets
→ Candid insights from operators actually doing it
→ Networking with the top brands, investors, and partners in the game

[Read] 1,000 Shopify Plus Analyzed by Instant Commerce: here’s what they found

Ever wondered what separates top-performing Shopify stores from the rest?

This new report from Instant looks into the above-the-fold design strategies of the top 1,000 brands on Shopify, specifically focusing on mobile experience.

Key discoveries:

→ Critical design patterns that drive conversions
→ Mobile-first strategies that create intuitive shopper experiences
→ Actionable insights you can implement today

The data reveals trends about how leading brands capture attention and convert visitors in those crucial first seconds.

 🤟 COMMUNITY LOVE

Our featured tweet of the week, where we share bite-sized insights or a quick tip that’s making waves in the world of e-commerce. Consider it your fast track to staying updated on what’s trending.