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Return on Investment (ROI)

Quick answer

Return on Investment (ROI) is a performance measure that is used to evaluate the efficiency or profitability of an investment, or to compare the efficiency of different investments. It's calculated by dividing the profit from an investment (return) by the cost of that investment. In A/B testing, it helps ecommerce teams connect a page change to purchase behavior, revenue quality, and customer trust.

Key takeaways

  • Return on Investment (ROI) helps ecommerce teams connect test changes to revenue and purchase behavior.
  • It should be evaluated alongside conversion rate, revenue per visitor, and downstream quality.
  • Device, traffic source, and intent segments can change how the result should be interpreted.

Definition

Return on Investment (ROI) is a performance measure that is used to evaluate the efficiency or profitability of an investment, or to compare the efficiency of different investments. It's calculated by dividing the profit from an investment (return) by the cost of that investment. The higher the ROI, the better the investment has performed.

What Return on Investment (ROI) means in A/B testing

In ecommerce experimentation, Return on Investment (ROI) is useful for connecting website changes to commercial outcomes. It helps teams understand whether a test is improving purchases, revenue per visitor, checkout behavior, or customer confidence.

Why Return on Investment (ROI) matters

Return on Investment (ROI) matters because ecommerce experiments are usually judged by revenue, purchase conversion rate, average order value, and customer trust. Understanding the term helps teams connect test results to business outcomes instead of vanity metrics.

Example of Return on Investment (ROI)

For example, an ecommerce team may test a product-page trust badge, shipping message, or checkout layout. Return on Investment (ROI) helps connect that change to measurable outcomes such as purchases, revenue per visitor, or add-to-cart rate.

How to use Return on Investment (ROI)

Use Return on Investment (ROI) when deciding which experiment metric matters most. Tie it to the customer journey stage being tested, then compare the result with revenue, purchase rate, and any downstream behavior that could offset the initial lift.

Common mistake

A common mistake is judging Return on Investment (ROI) with only one surface-level metric. Ecommerce tests should also consider purchase quality, revenue per visitor, average order value, and whether the lift holds across devices and traffic sources.

Related A/B testing terms

FAQ

What does return on investment (ROI) mean in A/B testing?

Return on Investment (ROI) is a performance measure that is used to evaluate the efficiency or profitability of an investment, or to compare the efficiency of different investments. It's calculated by dividing the profit from an investment (return) by the cost of that investment. In A/B testing, it helps ecommerce teams connect a page change to purchase behavior, revenue quality, and customer trust.

Why does return on investment (ROI) matter for experiments?

Return on Investment (ROI) matters because ecommerce experiments are usually judged by revenue, purchase conversion rate, average order value, and customer trust. Understanding the term helps teams connect test results to business outcomes instead of vanity metrics.

How should teams use return on investment (ROI) in an experiment?

Use Return on Investment (ROI) when deciding which experiment metric matters most. Tie it to the customer journey stage being tested, then compare the result with revenue, purchase rate, and any downstream behavior that could offset the initial lift.

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