A/B test: sort categories by bestsellers instead of newest
If your listings' default sort changes from "newest" to "bestsellers", then more visitors will open product pages, because the first thing they see is what other customers like most.
By Fernando Blanco Dosil · Updated November 2, 2026
Why it might work
Almost nobody changes the sort order of a listing. Whatever you put at the top is what most people see, and on mobile that is four to six products. Many platforms sort by date added, so the top spots go to whatever was uploaded last, sometimes without good photos or reviews.
Sorting by sales puts at the top what has already proven it convinces people. It is a one-setting change with no design work, which is why it is one of the first things I would test in a store with a long catalogue.
How to set it up
In Bixlow you describe the change to the agent, it builds it on your site and launches it as an A/B test once you approve it.
- Check that your platform can sort by sales and over what time window (the last 30 or 90 days is usually sensible).
- In the variant, change the default sort on category listings to "bestsellers".
- Leave the sort selector as it is, so people who want new arrivals can still find them.
- Run it across all categories, for all traffic.
What to measure
| Metric | |
|---|---|
| Primary metric | Clicks to a product page from the listing |
| Metric that must not get worse | Orders per visitor |
| Where it is measured | Category listings |