We know that many, if not most, of the visitors to a specific product page are looking for the numbers. Your Auto Loan isn’t going to function differently from any other Auto Loan, so what are the rates? What are the term options? And maybe your rates are the best in your area, so you’ve got that settled. But maybe your rates are the same or even a bit higher. If that’s the case, how do you convince a rate shopper to choose your institution?
There are many touchpoints your bank or credit union might make with an individual that can all help convince a rate shopper to choose you, but if they’ve made it all the way to your product page, let’s explore how to seal the deal.
As an agency working exclusively with banks and credit unions, something we see a lot is separate rates pages. And that’s your first mistake. You are giving rate shoppers no reason to choose you if your rates aren’t the absolute best. Or even if they are, and a competitor has something else to offer, you still might lose the sale.
If someone visits your Auto Loan website page, they should be able to see all the details of the loan, including your current rates. Don’t send them to a list of all your product rates—they don’t need to think about other products right now. Let consumers focus on their current need without distraction. Give users exactly what they came to your site for: the numbers for the product they’re in the market for. No more, no less.
"Let consumers focus on their current need without distraction."
Okay, we’ve decided to include each product’s rates on relevant pages, but now we need to choose where to place the rates on the page. And there are two schools of thought to help you decide what will work best for your bank or credit union.
First up, the obvious—place your rates at the very top of the page. Placing rates at the top of a product page is the most straightforward, and arguably the most user-centric, approach. It acknowledges a simple truth: most visitors arrive with a specific question in mind, and they want it answered quickly. When rates are immediately visible, users don’t have to hunt, scroll, or decode marketing language to find what they came for.
From a user experience perspective, this approach prioritizes clarity and transparency. It reduces friction, builds trust, and respects the visitor’s time. For credit unions in particular, leading with rates often aligns with a member-first philosophy, reinforcing the idea that the institution has nothing to hide and values openness over persuasion.
However, this approach comes with trade-offs. When rates are the first—and sometimes only—thing users see, decisions may be made in isolation. Visitors might compare numbers without ever absorbing the broader value of the product: flexible terms, relationship-based perks, local service, or member benefits that differentiate the institution beyond price. In this model, the rate becomes the headline, whether or not that’s the full story the institution wants to tell.
The other option is to move rates lower on the product page. Rather than immediately leading with numbers, this model uses the top of the page to frame the product—highlighting key benefits, limited-time offers, unique features, or ideal use cases—before introducing the numbers.
This approach is commonly used when an institution wants to emphasize differentiation. For banks and credit unions, that differentiation might include relationship-based pricing, flexible underwriting, local decision-making, member perks, or promotional incentives. By ensuring this information is seen before the rate, institutions gain a chance to influence perception before visitors default to rates-only evaluation.
When executed well, it encourages users to think in terms of overall value rather than the lowest possible rate. However, rate shoppers in particular are quick to abandon pages that appear to withhold information they expect to find easily. So moving the target too low on the page will introduce friction and opportunity for abandonment.
When executed thoughtfully, pages can be both user-friendly and strategically effective—serving rate shoppers and relationship builders at the same time. We’ve tested both “Rates First” and “Context First” tactics, and the results weren’t that surprising. By moving rates from first to second, third, or fourth on the page, we see page visitors scrolling to the rates before either applying or abandoning. Beyond that, you risk higher drop-off rates.
We recommend keeping rates close to the top, but depending on your current promotions, your institution’s differentiators, and your goals, you can include one to three sections above them. By doing this, institutions respect user intent without surrendering the narrative entirely to price. Users get the information they came for without friction, while the institution gains a brief but meaningful opportunity to frame that information. The rate becomes part of a broader story, not the whole story.
The most effective bank and credit union websites are built with intention, aligning user expectations with institutional goals at every step of the journey. At FI GROW Solutions, we help banks and credit unions move beyond assumptions and internal debate to create website strategies grounded in user behavior, business objectives, and long-term growth. Whether you’re optimizing existing product pages or rethinking your entire digital experience, we’ll help you structure your site in a way that serves both your members and your bottom line.
Ready to build a website strategy that works for your bank or credit union? Let’s talk.