Most “checkout tests” mean one product URL and Add to cart. Real buyers do not behave that neatly. They land from a collection, hit Buy Now, search for a SKU, or tap a homepage featured product. If only one path works, revenue still leaks.

What Friction Observatory runs

• Product — classic product → cart → checkout
• Collection — open a collection, pick a product, continue
• Buy Now — skip the cart draw when your theme offers it
• Homepage — featured / hero product into checkout
• Search — find a product via storefront search, then checkout

Theme apps and custom liquid often break one path while leaving another green. Watching five paths turns “it worked on my product page” into storefront truth.