Create a Theme Test

Select your original (A)

Open Shoplift and click Create a test.

Then select Test Content.

Select Test a theme or global element.

This opens the theme drawer, where you can see the themes in your Shopify theme library. Your live (published) theme is shown by default. Select it to use as your A (Original).

Select your variant (B)

Next, choose the theme you want to test against your original. Your B (Variant) can be any theme in your library. Select the theme to load it into your test draft.

If your variant theme is already set up the way you want it, skip ahead to step 4.

Edit your variant theme

If you need to make changes to your variant theme before testing, click Edit in Shopify from the test draft. This opens the Shopify Theme Editor with your variant theme loaded so you can make your changes.

From here you can edit anything in the theme: rearrange sections, swap out images, change the header layout, update your announcement bar, adjust global styles, and more.

If your changes require custom code (like editing Liquid templates, CSS, or JavaScript), you or a developer can open the theme files in the Code Editor instead. Go to Online Store > Themes, find your variant theme, and click Edit code.

When you're done, save your changes and return to Shoplift.

Configure your test settings

Set the following options before launching:

Traffic allocation

Choose what percentage of visitors see each version. Shoplift defaults to a 50/50 split, which is recommended for most tests. An even split reaches statistical significance fastest and gives you the clearest results.

Goal

Select the primary metric Shoplift uses to determine a winner. Revenue per visitor (RPV) is recommended for most tests because it captures both conversion rate and average order value in a single metric. Other options include conversion rate and add-to-cart rate.

Hypothesis

Write a short statement explaining what you expect to happen and why. A strong hypothesis follows this framework:

If [specific change you're making], then [expected outcome], because [reason you believe this].

For example: "If we add customer reviews above the fold on product pages, then RPV will increase, because social proof reduces purchase hesitation and builds trust."

A clear hypothesis helps you interpret results later. Even if your test doesn't win, a good hypothesis tells you what you learned.

Device targeting

Choose which devices your test runs on: All devices (recommended for most tests), Mobile only, or Desktop only. Use device targeting when your change only applies to one device type — for example, a mobile-specific sticky add-to-cart button.

Visitor targeting

Narrow your test to specific visitor segments:

• All visitors: recommended for most tests

• New visitors only: useful for testing first-impression elements like homepage layout

• Returning visitors only: useful for testing loyalty-focused features or repeat-purchase flows

Audience targeting

For even more precise targeting, set rules based on:

• UTM parameters: target visitors from specific campaigns or traffic sources (for example, only test your homepage layout for visitors arriving from your Instagram ads)

• Geographic location: target visitors from specific countries or regions

• Custom rules: combine multiple conditions to target exactly the audience you want