# A/B test: filters in plain sight on mobile category pages

> If you show your two most-used filters, say size and price, as buttons above the mobile listing instead of inside a panel, then more people will reach a product page, because opening a panel on a phone is a step many people never take.

- Source: https://bixlow.com/en/ideas/visible-mobile-filters
- Language: en
- Updated: 2026-11-02
- Publisher: Bixlow

## Why it might work

On desktop the filters sit on the left where everyone sees them. On mobile they hide behind a "Filter" button that opens a panel with fifteen options. Someone looking for size 10 jeans has to open it, find the size, apply and close. Many would rather scroll and see what turns up, and after the third item that isn't in their size they leave.

Two visible buttons, "Size" and "Price", cut that path down to one tap. The other filters can stay in the panel.


## 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.

1. Check which filters your shoppers use most. If you don't know, in fashion it is usually size and price; elsewhere, brand or type.
2. In the variant, show those two as large buttons above the listing that open their options directly.
3. Keep a "More filters" button for the rest.
4. Run it on mobile only, on category listings.


## What to measure

|  | Metric |
| --- | --- |
| Primary metric | Clicks to a product page from the listing |
| Metric that must not get worse | Orders per visitor on mobile |
| Where it is measured | Category listings on mobile |


> **When I would not test it.** If your categories hold twenty products, nobody needs to filter: a short scroll shows everything. This test makes sense with long listings and products whose variants matter, like sizes.


## FAQ

### Which two filters should I pick?

The ones people already use in the panel. If your platform does not track that, start with whatever generates the most customer service questions.

### What about the other filters?

They stay in the usual panel. The idea is not to remove options but to put the two that matter one tap away.

### Why not use orders as the primary metric?

Because there is a long way from listing to order. Reaching a product page is the signal closest to the change. You watch orders to make sure they do not drop.

## Further reading

- [Next idea: sort by bestsellers](https://bixlow.com/en/ideas/sort-by-bestsellers)
- [What an A/B test is](https://bixlow.com/en/glossary/ab-test)
- [The A/B testing platform](https://bixlow.com/en/platform/ab-testing)