Every time I see a store with a huge catalog launch a product finder quiz, I have the same thought: this is either going to work really well or completely flop.
It usually starts with support getting flooded with “Which one should I buy?”, so the team builds a quiz. Great idea. Then someone adds another question. And another. Six months later it’s a 10-question survey.
The biggest mistake is that most of them only help the business. If a question doesn’t get the shopper closer to the right product, it probably shouldn’t be there. A quiz is supposed to feel like a game, not a customer survey. People don’t mind answering questions when they’re interesting or feel like they’re leading somewhere. They do mind feeling like they’re helping you segment your email list.
The other thing that bugs me is asking for an email before showing anything useful. I’d rather let people finish the quiz first and ask for the email to unlock the results. They’ve already invested the time.
And I’ve seen plenty of quizzes that never really had a chance. Someone builds it, hides it on a random page, never links to it anywhere, and a few months later decides that quizzes don’t work.
So has anyone here tested a product finder quiz against a regular discount popup? Which one actually collected more emails? And roughly how many SKUs does your store have?
Great point about the balance. Quizzes that feel like a survey rather than a fun tool usually don’t convert well. I’d be curious to see the data on that comparison too.
I’d compare them on the action after the recommendation, not just email captures.
For a large catalog, a quiz is worth testing when it removes real choice overload: fewer than about five questions, each one changes the recommendation, and the results page gives 2-3 products with a reason for each. If the quiz asks business-segmentation questions that don’t help the shopper decide, it will usually lose to a simple popup because the shopper has done more work without getting more confidence.
I’d run it against the popup by splitting traffic to the same collection entry point and tracking quiz starts, completed results, email submits, product clicks from results, add-to-cart, and orders. The key number is not “which collected more emails,” it is revenue and add-to-cart per visitor who saw the prompt. Also watch support tickets or search terms. If “which one should I buy?” drops after launch, the quiz may be doing useful work even if email capture is similar.
Catalog size matters, but choice complexity matters more. Ten similar supplements need guidance sooner than 80 very different products with clear categories.
Hey @Taras_claspo ,
I think the key is matching the experience to the size and complexity of the catalog. For stores with a small product range a quiz can sometimes add unnecessary friction whereas for larger catalogs it can genuinely help shoppers find the right product faster.
I also agree that showing value before asking for an email usually makes for a better experience. If customers feel they’ve already received something useful they’re often more willing to share their email.
Thank You !