Challenge

Boston Proper partnered with Stylitics to Beta test enriched product metadata and measure its impact on SEO and SEM performance. The goal was to increase product discoverability in organic search and Google Shopping Ads by aligning metadata more closely with the terms shoppers actually use.

Key Challenges:

• Improving Product Discoverability: Product metadata lacked the consistency and depth needed to effectively align with shopper search terms, limiting visibility in organic search and Google Shopping Ads.
• Scaling Search Relevance: Needed a way to dynamically enhance product data without a major catalog overhaul.
• Proving Incremental Value: Required a controlled test to confirm the impact of enriched metadata on CTR, conversion, and ROAS before committing to a broader rollout.

We value Stylitics as an agile, data- informed partner that understands the nuances of the digital marketing and ecommerce ecosystem. Their collaboration has helped us improve how we connect with customers and optimize SEM efficiency and ROAS across channels.
– Matt Verrecchia, Sr. Director, Integrated Marketing

Solution

Stylitics implemented a controlled A/B test to measure the impact of enriched product metadata on Google Shopping performance.

Test Methodology:

• Randomized Product Split: Boston Proper’s catalog was randomly divided into test and control groups to measure the impact of enrichment.
• Ongoing Enrichment: Products in the test group received daily metadata enrichment via a Supplemental Data File into Boston Proper’s Google Merchant Center (GMC).
• A/B Execution in GMC: Stylitics launched the test using GMC feed rules, while Boston Proper’s media partner, Tinuiti, managed a single campaign for both groups to ensure identical bidding strategies and spend.

At Boston Proper, every decision we make starts with our customer in mind. She’s confident, stylish, and expects a seamless experience wherever she shops with us. Stylitics has helped us elevate that journey by making it easier for her to discover pieces she loves. Their partnership brings both creativity and precision to how we connect with our customer, turning every click into an opportunity to inspire style and make shopping feel effortless.
– Tamara Dougherty, VP, Marketing, ECommerce & CX

Results

The test produced measurable gains in visibility, engagement, and revenue performance.

Performance & Efficiency Impact:

• Increased Visibility: Test items generated higher impressions and clicks by better matching shopper search intent, bringing more qualified traffic into the funnel.
• CTR Lift: Click-through rate increased by 7.6% for test items compared to control (5 bps).
• Cost & Efficiency: Cost per click (CPC) rose by 6.1% (from $0.76 to $0.81), reflecting the higher volume of qualified traffic. This modest increase in spend was more than offset by downstream performance gains.
• ROAS Growth: Return on ad spend increased by 6.32%, translating to a meaningful annualized revenue impact for the 4,400-item catalog.
• Conversion & AOV Gains: Shoppers in the test group converted more often and with higher average order values, showing stronger alignment between ads and shopper intent.
• ROI: Even with the higher spend, the test delivered a 16.4x return in annualized incremental revenue—consistent with the 15–20% ROI lift range retailers can expect.

Looking Ahead

Following the success of this initial test, Boston Proper is exploring opportunities to apply product metadata enrichment more broadly across its catalog to further improve discoverability, align with shopper search intent, and strengthen SEO/SEM performance.

Download the case study.