Ask for an account after the first purchase, not before
Defer the sign-up prompt until after a shopper completes their first purchase, so they see value before being asked to create an account.
Decision
Deferring the account prompt increased sign-ups by 21% without reducing purchases. Ship.
signup_completed rose from 5.81% to 7.03%, a 21% relative lift, significant at p = 0.007. The purchase_completed guardrail was flat (p = 0.66), confirming the account ask was blocking sign-ups, not sales. The effect held across the full two-week window.
| Metric | Control | Treatment | Lift | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| signup_completed | 5.81% | 7.03% | +21.0% | 0.007 * |
| purchase_completed | 3.61% | 3.73% | +3.3% | 0.660 |
Design
If we ask first-time shoppers to create an account after their first purchase instead of before checkout, then signup_completed will rise without hurting purchase_completed, because the account ask no longer blocks the path to buying.
Control
Shoppers are asked to create an account before they can check out.
Treatment
Checkout proceeds as a guest; the account prompt appears on the confirmation screen after the first purchase completes.
Code changes (1 file)
Touches file that look higher-stakes, worth a closer review before merging: src/app/checkout/AccountGate.tsx
- if (!user) return <RequireAccount />+ // deferred-signup-prompt: guests can check out; we ask after they buy.+ if (!user && !deferSignup) return <RequireAccount />
Success metric
signup_completed
Rollout
50%
Metrics that must not get worse
purchase_completed
checkout_started