This blueprint helps you decide when to run a multi-armed bandit (MAB) and when to run a true A/B test. An A/B test gives you a controlled read on what worked and why. A bandit shifts traffic toward the leading variant as the test runs, so you collect more conversions during the test but learn less about why.
Bandits work best when people convert quickly compared with how long the test runs. Clicks, same-visit sign-ups, and short promotions where people buy on the spot are good fits. When people take days to buy, a bandit moves traffic before most results are in, and the numbers end up skewed toward early buyers. In that case a fixed 50/50 split is usually the safer choice.
- Decide if and when to use MAB or AB.
- Check whether your customers convert fast enough for a bandit to help.
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