10-Point CRO Audit Checklist
By Vin McCauley — Founding team, ButcherBox ($0→$565M) & SmoothieBox
What to check:
- Count the number of form fields in checkout — every field past email + shipping + payment is friction
- Test checkout on a real phone, not desktop dev tools
- Audit cart abandonment rate by device segment in Klaviyo or Shopify analytics
- Check if you're forcing account creation before purchase
→ Action Item
Strip checkout to email → shipping → payment. Enable guest checkout. Add a progress bar if multi-page. Run an A/B test: one-click Apple Pay/Google Pay vs. standard checkout on mobile.
What to check:
- How many emails fire after a first order? (Should be 3–5 within 14 days)
- Does email #1 include social proof, product usage tips, or what's coming next in the unboxing experience?
- Does email #3 (day 5–7) include a review request or referral ask?
- Is there a win-back cadence for customers who haven't reordered in 30/60/90 days?
→ Action Item
Map your current post-purchase flow in Klaviyo. Write a "what's in the box" email same-day. Add a referral nudge in email #3 or #4. Set up a lapsed buyer flow (60–90 days no purchase) with a specific reactivation offer.
What to check:
- How many clicks to get to the cancellation option?
- Is there a pause/skip option visible before the cancel option appears?
- Does the cancellation flow acknowledge why they're leaving?
- Is there a save offer presented BEFORE the final cancel confirmation?
→ Action Item
Implement a "pause plan" option as the default alternative to cancellation. Build a retention flow with specific save offers triggered by cancellation intent. Track your save rate — if it's under 20%, your retention flow needs a rebuild.
What to check:
- Above the fold: clear value proposition, hero image of the actual product, singular CTA?
- Is your hero copy benefit-driven or feature-driven?
- Social proof elements visible without scrolling?
- Unnecessary navigation clutter or promotional banners competing with your primary CTA?
→ Action Item
Run a 5-second test. Audit your above-the-fold section. Remove navigation items that don't lead to purchase. Add a "trusted by X customers" counter near the hero. A/B test a benefit-first hero headline vs. your current version.
What to check:
- Is the "Add to Cart" button visible without scrolling on a standard iPhone screen?
- Is your sticky add-to-cart bar active on product pages on mobile?
- Are product images zoomable and swipeable on mobile?
- Is font size at least 16px for body text? (iOS zooms smaller form fields)
→ Action Item
Pull up your store on your own phone and order something. Note every friction point. Use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool. Ensure sticky add-to-cart bar is active on product pages — this alone can lift mobile conversion 5–10%.
What to check:
- How do you define "lapsed" — 30, 60, or 90 days since last order?
- Do you have a specific win-back sequence, or do lapsed customers get your standard newsletter?
- Does win-back content acknowledge that it's been a while?
- Are you segmenting by product purchased so win-back emails feature the right product?
→ Action Item
Build a lapsed customer segment in Klaviyo (60+ days since last order, excluding active subscribers). Write a 3-email win-back sequence: (1) "We miss you" + best-seller, (2) exclusive offer or new product drop, (3) final exit email.
What to check:
- Can a visitor determine price, what's included, and how to subscribe within 10 seconds?
- Is the most popular/recommended plan visually highlighted?
- Anchor pricing points that make your offer look compelling?
- Common objections ("Is it worth it?", "What if I cancel?") addressed near the price?
→ Action Item
Add an FAQ section directly below your pricing table. Visually distinguish your recommended plan with a badge. Test anchor pricing. Add a "cancel anytime" trust badge near the price.
What to check:
- Do product pages have star ratings and review counts visible above the fold?
- Is there social proof in the checkout flow?
- User-generated content (UGC) — customer photos, unboxing videos — on product pages?
→ Action Item
Add a review snippet to every product page above the fold. Embed Instagram/customer photos into product or hero pages. Add "Join X+ happy customers" in checkout. Run a post-purchase email asking for photo shares in exchange for a discount.
What to check:
- Last-click attribution only, or multi-touch attribution across the full customer journey?
- UTM tracking set up consistently across every paid channel?
- Email and SMS revenue tracked separately from paid social?
- Blended CAC vs. paid CAC vs. organic/referral CAC calculated monthly?
→ Action Item
Set up Shopify's native analytics to track revenue by acquisition channel. In Klaviyo, tag every campaign to see email-attributed revenue. Use ClickMagick or Triple Whale for cross-device multi-touch attribution. Calculate true CAC once per month.
What to check:
- Post-purchase survey asking "how did you first hear about us?" (directly improves attribution)
- "What problem were you trying to solve?" (informs ad messaging and landing pages)
- "Why did you choose us?" that surfaces real language for copy?
→ Action Item
Create a 3-question post-purchase survey in Klaviyo (fires within 24 hours of first order): (1) "What was the main reason you tried us?" (2) "How did you first hear about us?" (3) NPS 1–10. Use open-text responses to rewrite ad copy with real customer language. Track NPS monthly.