Help center
Targeting & triggers
Exit-intent popups: when they work and when they don't
Exit-intent is one of the most overused targeting rules. Here's how to use it well — and when to skip it.
Exit-intent is the trigger that fires when a visitor moves their mouse toward the browser address bar (desktop) or signals they're about to leave. It catches the abandoning visitor — but only sometimes.
When exit-intent wins
- Product pages with high consideration (mid-to-high price). The visitor is comparing — give them a reason to stay.
- Checkout abandonment with a discount. 5% off can rescue a non-trivial chunk of carts.
- Long-form content pages where the visitor has clearly engaged but is leaving.
When exit-intent flops
- Cold traffic that bounces in 5 seconds. They didn't engage; a popup won't change that.
- Mobile, mostly. Browser support for true exit-intent on mobile is patchy. Use scroll-up velocity as a proxy.
- Sites where the popup overlaps with the back-button motion — feels aggressive.
A balanced setup
We recommend combining triggers, not relying solely on exit-intent:
- Timed (5–10s) for first-time visitors on the homepage.
- Scroll depth (50%) on content pages — catches engaged readers.
- Exit-intent on product and cart pages — last-chance offer.