Lovehoney refines website with testing

Adult toy e-tailer is working with multivariate testing technology experts to help improve online conversion rates and customer engagement

Lovehoney has selected testing, personalisation and cross-channel optimisation technology provider Maxymiser to help increase overall conversion levels and customer engagement throughout their website.

The UK online retailer of adult toys and lingerie will use multivariate testing (MVT) to help increase engagement levels and conversion rates across the website. It is using MVT system MaxTEST to improve the customer journey through the website shopping and checkout process – a crucial element in the growth and success of Lovehoney as an online-only retailer.

Delivering best possible shopping experience

Matthew Curry, Lovehoney head of e-commerce, commented: “We want to give the best possible experience to our customers and to make sure all our customers are able to direct their way through our website in an open and enjoyable way, minimising any fear they may have about purchasing adult products online.

“Maxymiser will allow us to better understand the dynamics of our customer base, by seeing how our customer segments react to different test experiences.”

Lovehoney sees its customers fall into two categories, the ‘tepid explorers’ who are usually new to the site and its products and may often feel anxious when searching the site. They also cater to the ‘free enlightened,’ who are comfortable browsers and shoppers within the adult category and have more than likely been to the site various times. Lovehoney hopes to increase the engagement of the ‘tepid explorers’ by making the purchasing experience as friendly and informative as possible, in order to turn those consumers into ‘free enlightened’ customers.

Moving beyond basic web testing regime

Curry added that, prior to Maxymiser the company had undertaken a considerable amount of testing with a visual website optimiser (VWO). “Although this provided us with a stepping stone into testing, it also came with its limitations,” he said.

“When using a VWO there is no shoulder to cry on, you can’t just pick up the phone and ask for assistance in creating complex tests. This was something that we wanted and needed in order to progress our testing strategy further. Maxymiser has excelled in providing us with this full-service approach and they are always around to help.”

Lovehoney has been working with Maxymiser since November 2012. Its first tests are ready to go live on the checkout page, with five more in the planning stages that will cover the basket page, category page and product page. Maxymiser reported that its process to testing, reviewing and learning impressed Lovehoney in addition to the provider’s ability to respond quickly as the retailer approaches a key event in its annual calendar: Valentine’s Day.

Curry concluded: “We have been so impressed with Maxymiser that we are looking into deploying on our sister company Coco De Mer’s website. We have been able to learn an awful lot about process-driven testing since working with Maxymiser and I am extremely impressed with their speed and service. I love that even if the outcome isn’t what we would like on any particular test, we are still able to learn from the test and gain some insight, something that is rarely possible with a self-service solution. This strategic approach to testing and optimisation will prove a key component of ensuring our continued online business success.”