How Incrementality Cuts Waste + What and Where to Test in Ecommerce
OPERATORS · with Austin Harrison · June 3, 2026 · 72 min
Summary
This episode cuts through common misconceptions about incrementality testing in ecommerce. It reveals how to accurately measure marketing's true impact, move beyond in-platform data limitations, and avoid wasting ad spend on flawed signals. Operators will learn how to strategically layer incrementality with MTA to unlock new customer acquisition channels and optimize their media mix for significant growth.
Key takeaways
Don't rely solely on in-platform data; layer incrementality testing on top of MTA to uncover hidden opportunities, like Ridge's YouTube spend success.
Prioritize clean test conditions over test duration; noisy environments produce weeks of useless data, as Katy Mimari's botched test illustrates.
Consider moving up-funnel on platforms like Meta, as these campaigns are currently outperforming conversion campaigns at scale for rapid growth.
Implement robust holdout groups and understand their interchangeability to ensure accurate incrementality insights and avoid broken signals.
Beyond raw conversion, focus on creative testing that resonates and separates fast-growing brands in the competitive 2026 ecommerce landscape.
Is your incrementality testing giving you accurate data or are you burning budget on a broken signal? Austin Harrison (CEO, Northbeam) joins Sean Frank (CEO, Ridge) and Katy Mimari (CEO, Caden Lane) to challenge the most repeated advice in ecommerce measurement: that longer tests are always better, holdouts are interchangeable, and incrementality alone is enough to make media decisions. They break down when a growing brand needs incrementality versus MTA, and how running tests inside a noisy environment can produce weeks of data worth nothing. Sean pulls from Ridge’s own results to show how layering incrementality on top of MTA unlocked YouTube spend that in-platform data never would have justified, while Katy’s botched first test proves clean test conditions matter as much as the tool itself. They also dig into why moving up funnel on Meta is outperforming conversion campaigns at scale, and what separates the fastest-growing ecommerce brands in 2026 on creative. Powered ByFulfilhttps://bit.ly/3pAp2vuSaras Analyticshttps://bit.ly/9OP-YtdescAftersellhttps://9ops.co/4i3bb5Richpanelhttps://9ops.co/richpanelNorthbeamhttps://www.northbeam.io/Postscripthttps://9ops.co/postscriptOperators Newsletterhttps://9operators.com/
