Why eCommerce Collection Pages Fail—And What to Do About It.
If your eCommerce site gets traffic but low product interaction, here’s what could be going wrong.
We recently worked with an online retailer that had strong traffic across collection pages—but minimal clicks through to product pages. After a behavioural audit, we uncovered a clear blocker: users were scrolling, but not acting.
Here’s what we changed—and the psychological principle behind why it worked.
Users Weren’t Taking Action—Here’s Why
Despite strong intent signals, users weren’t progressing through the funnel. GA4 and Hotjar data showed that it took up to 5 clicks to reach core product areas. Search data reinforced the pattern—many users were actively looking for categories already available but buried in the nav. The deep structure was causing friction, forcing visitors to work harder than they should.
What We Changed to Unlock Conversions
We focused on two key improvements:
Added clear, clickable category tiles to reduce browsing effort and mirror user search intent
Implemented a sticky filter so users could refine their results on mobile and desktop without losing their place
The goal was to reduce complexity and surface the most important options faster.
Why It Worked: Decision Psychology in Action
This approach reflects Cognitive Ease, a concept introduced by psychologist Daniel Kahneman in Thinking, Fast and Slow (2011). Read more at NobelPrize.org
Cognitive ease describes the brain’s preference for information that’s simple to process. When users encounter clear layout, visual structure, and intuitive options, they feel less mental resistance—and are more likely to act.
By simplifying navigation and reducing friction, we made the site feel easier. That perceived ease led to better engagement, stronger product exploration, and higher intent behaviours.
The Impact: Engagement Lift, Simpler Flow
Within 30 days:
Clicks to product pages increased
Time on site improved across key segments
Filter usage and scroll depth improved—especially on mobile
Small structural changes, big behavioural gains.
What This Means for Your Business
If your users are scrolling but not clicking—or searching for content that’s already buried in your nav—it’s time to simplify. You don’t need a rebuild. You need CRO insight-led UX design that reduces friction and supports decision-making.
That’s what we deliver.
Want More Conversions from Your Collection Pages?
We help eCommerce brands optimise high-traffic pages using psychology, data, and design.
No lock-in contracts. No endless testing cycles. Just fast, focused CRO that works.
→ Book your eCommerce CRO Audit now
Let’s turn scrolls into clicks—and clicks into customers.
