How Fanatics Made Experimentation a Strategic Growth Driver | GrowthBook | Growthbook Blog
Blog post from GrowthBook
Over the past decade, Fanatics has transformed its experimentation approach from a small conversion rate optimization team conducting 10 tests a month to a robust program running nearly 100 monthly experiments across its extensive e-commerce platform. This shift, underpinned by a strong data-driven culture and executive support, has resulted in significant annual growth, with experimentation contributing roughly 8% annually. A key factor in this evolution is the commitment to learning and institutionalizing knowledge through a structured wiki, which not only stores test results but also generates new experiments and informs decision-making. Meta-analysis of experiments further converts individual test outcomes into broader institutional insights, while the rigorous approach to metrics ensures true causality is verified before declaring success. Fanatics also prioritizes risk avoidance, recognizing the value in identifying and preventing detrimental changes, thereby safeguarding growth. The program's success is attributed to leadership buy-in, infrastructure that sustains learning, and a culture of humility and inquiry that encourages continuous improvement.