The Best Post-Purchase Survey Question You’re Not Asking
Most brands treat the thank-you page like a pat on the back.
Order placed. Revenue in. Done and dusted. ✅
Except—it’s actually your biggest missed opportunity.
Matthew Stafford shared what he calls the single most profitable optimization tactic they’ve ever run.
And no, it’s not some tool, a redesign, or a magical popup.
It’s a single question.
“What almost made you not buy?”
That’s it.
Not “How did we do?” or “Would you recommend us?”
Just that simple, raw, straight-to-the-point ask.
Why does this work so well?
🎯 Timing is everything
You’re asking right after the purchase—when trust is fresh and they’re in the mood to help. (There’s science behind reciprocity. This is it in action.)
🎯 It cuts through your team’s assumptions
Analytics might show drop-offs and heatmaps, but they won’t tell you the why.
This question? It tells you what’s unclear, confusing, or just plain annoying—straight from the buyer who almost bailed.
🎯 It surfaces what you’ve stopped seeing
You’ve seen your site a thousand times. You’re running on autopilot. Your brain literally filters out friction.
Your customers? They see everything.
Now what?
So let’s say you ask this question. People respond. Now what?
Step 1: Group responses into buckets
Pricing confusion
Shipping or return policy issues
Unclear product info
Lack of trust cues
Too many CTAs, not enough clarity
Step 2: Prioritize recurring issues
If 30 people said they weren’t sure what size to pick—guess what you’re fixing first?
Step 3: Test changes and track the impact
Make the updates. Then watch conversion rates improve. (Like… actual business growth. Not vibes.)
Final tip: Don’t stop running it.
Seriously—keep this question live forever.
Your site evolves. Products change. People change. Their concerns do too.
Your job is to keep listening.
Because that’s how you stop guessing—and start optimizing like a pro.
And if someone on your team says, “We don’t want to ask that, it might scare people off,”
just remind them:
They already bought. They’re literally your best customer. Trust them.
