Shopify popup examples that actually grow your email list
A Shopify popup can be one of the simplest ways to turn website visitors into email subscribers. But a popup that simply says “Subscribe to our newsletter” is rarely enough.
The best Shopify popups give visitors a clear reason to sign up, appear at the right moment, and make the next step easy. They also match the visitor’s intent instead of showing the same message to everyone.
In this guide, we’ll look at Shopify popup examples that do more than collect emails. We’ll break down what each popup does well, when to use it, and what you can apply to your own store.
Why Shopify popups still matter for email growth
Most visitors will not buy the first time they visit your store. That means relying only on the first purchase leaves you with little way to reconnect with people who leave.
An email popup gives shoppers a reason to stay connected. Once someone opts in, you can send welcome emails, product recommendations, promotions, back-in-stock alerts, and other relevant messages.
But there is an important difference between having a popup and having a popup that people actually want to complete.
A good popup answers three questions quickly:
- Why should I sign up?
- What will I get?
- What do I need to do?
If visitors cannot understand those answers within a few seconds, they are more likely to close the popup.
10 Shopify popup examples worth learning from
1. Espiritu: Make the reward impossible to miss
Espiritu uses a simple offer: 15% off the first order in exchange for signing up.
The strongest part is the visual hierarchy. The reward is large and immediately visible, while the product imagery reinforces what the store sells. Visitors can also clearly see a way to decline the offer.
What works
- The incentive is immediately clear.
- The discount is more prominent than secondary copy.
- Product imagery makes the popup feel connected to the store.
- The visitor can easily choose whether to subscribe.
What to learn
If you offer a discount, do not hide it inside a paragraph.
Instead of:
Join our newsletter to receive updates and special offers.
Try:
Get 15% off your first order
Join our email list and receive your code.
The visitor understands the value before deciding whether to enter their email.
2. Nutrimuscle: Turn one popup into a customer journey
Nutrimuscle takes the traditional discount popup further.
The first step collects the visitor’s email. Later steps collect additional information such as phone number, sport type, and activity frequency. The campaign then displays a discount and product recommendations.
This is useful because the popup is not only collecting an email address. It is also collecting information that can help the store personalize future marketing.
What works
- Starts with a simple email request.
- Collects additional information after the visitor has already engaged.
- Uses the information for segmentation.
- Connects the signup with product recommendations.
What to learn
You do not need to ask for everything on the first screen.
A better approach can be:
Step 1: Email
→ Step 2: Product interests
→ Step 3: Personalized offer
This keeps the first interaction simple while giving you more useful customer data.
3. Budgy Smuggler: Ask what shoppers actually want
Shopify highlights Budgy Smuggler as an example of collecting useful information alongside an email address.
Instead of simply asking visitors to subscribe, the popup asks which products they are interested in, such as men’s, women’s, or children’s swimwear.
That small question can make future email campaigns much more relevant.
What works
The store can use the answer to send more targeted product recommendations instead of sending the same products to everyone.
For example:
| Shopper interest | Future email content |
|---|---|
| Women’s swimwear | Women’s new arrivals |
| Men’s swimwear | Men’s collections |
| Children’s swimwear | Kids’ products and offers |
What to learn
If your store sells products for different audiences, consider adding one simple preference question to your popup.
Just avoid asking for information you will never use.
4. émoi émoi: Make signup more interactive
Not every popup needs to look like a traditional email form.
émoi émoi uses a spin-to-win popup to make email signup more interactive. According to Wisepops, the campaign captured more than 8,000 new emails in 30 days.
The important idea is not necessarily the spinning wheel itself. It is the use of gamification to make the signup feel like an experience.
What works
- Creates curiosity.
- Makes the visitor interact with the popup.
- Turns an ordinary signup into a small reward experience.
- Can work especially well for promotions or seasonal campaigns.
When to use it
Gamified popups can be useful for:
- Seasonal sales
- New product launches
- First-order offers
- Giveaways
- Special events
But they should still feel appropriate for your brand. A luxury store may benefit more from a simple, elegant offer than a colorful game.
5. The Frankie Shop: You don’t always need an image
A common assumption is that every popup needs a large product image.
The Frankie Shop shows another approach. Its popup uses a simple black-and-white design that matches the site’s visual style, while the copy clearly explains the benefits of subscribing.
What works
- Strong contrast makes the popup noticeable.
- The design feels like part of the website.
- There is no unnecessary visual content.
- The copy focuses on the value of subscribing.
What to learn
Simple does not mean boring.
If your brand already has a strong visual identity, a clean popup with good typography can be more effective than adding another image just because you can.
6. Blume: Give visitors more than one reason to subscribe
Blume uses a relatively simple popup but combines several benefits, including a promotional code, free returns, and free shipping. Wisepops reports that the campaign converts around 5% of visitors.
The useful lesson here is that your value proposition does not always need to be a discount alone.
Instead of offering only:
Get 10% off.
You could communicate:
Get 10% off your first order
Plus free shipping and easy returns.
This can be particularly useful if your store has other benefits that reduce purchase hesitation.
What to learn
Think about the complete value of joining your list, not just the coupon.
Your incentive could include:
- Discount
- Free shipping
- Early access
- Exclusive products
- Free gift
- Useful content
- Members-only offers
7. Rouje: Combine a strong offer with preference data
Rouje combines lifestyle imagery with a clear email offer and preference checkboxes.
Visitors can select the type of content they want, such as fashion or beauty. A later step also collects additional information.
This is a good example of balancing conversion and personalization.
The structure is simple:
Strong visual
↓
Clear incentive
↓
Email signup
↓
Preference selection
↓
More personalized marketing
The important part is that the extra information has a clear purpose.
If someone selects beauty content, there is a reason to send them more beauty-related emails later.
8. Asphalte: Give visitors a reason beyond a discount
Discounts are not the only way to grow an email list.
Asphalte uses a full-screen popup to invite visitors to participate in a product survey and help shape a future collection. Wisepops reports that this campaign converted thousands of leads.
The interesting part is the value exchange.
Instead of:
Give us your email and get 10% off.
The message becomes:
Help us create the next collection.
This can feel more natural for brands that want to build a community around their products.
Other non-discount incentives
You could offer:
- Early access to new products
- Product voting
- Exclusive content
- Product guides
- Free samples
- Entry into a giveaway
- Members-only access
This approach can also help avoid training customers to expect a discount every time they visit.
9. Only Natural Pet: Combine urgency with product discovery
Only Natural Pet uses two useful elements in one popup: a countdown timer and product recommendations.
The countdown creates urgency, while product recommendations give visitors something specific to explore.
This is especially useful during a real limited-time campaign.
For example:
Your offer ends tonight
Save on your favorite pet essentials.
[Shop the offer]
The key is to use urgency honestly.
A countdown that resets every day can damage trust instead of improving conversions.
10. A.P.C.: Not every popup needs to sell something
A.P.C. takes a different approach by using its popup to collect customer feedback rather than pushing a discount.
This will not necessarily generate immediate revenue, but it can provide useful information about why visitors leave or what they want from the store.
This type of popup can ask:
- What were you looking for today?
- What stopped you from purchasing?
- Which products would you like to see?
- How would you rate your shopping experience?
This is a good reminder that popup strategy should depend on the goal.
If your goal is email growth, use an email-focused offer. If your goal is learning why visitors leave, ask for feedback instead.
What makes these Shopify popups work?
Although the examples look very different, they share several principles.
1. The value is clear immediately
Visitors should not have to read five lines of copy to understand the offer.
A strong popup usually has:
Headline → Benefit → Form → CTA
For example:
Get 10% off your first order
Join our list for exclusive offers and new product updates.
[Enter your email]
Get my discount
The most important information should be visually obvious.
Shopify recommends concise language and making the benefits of subscribing clear upfront.
2. The popup appears at the right moment
Showing a popup immediately after someone lands on your website can interrupt the shopping experience.
Instead, consider giving visitors time to browse first.
Wisepops recommends using signals such as time spent, pages viewed, products visited, previous visits, and exit intent to determine when a popup should appear.
For example:
| Visitor behavior | Possible popup |
|---|---|
| New visitor | Welcome offer |
| Viewed 2+ pages | Email signup |
| Viewed a product | Product-specific offer |
| Returning visitor | Personalized offer |
| About to leave | Exit-intent message |
| Existing customer | Early access or loyalty offer |
The goal is not to show more popups. It is to show more relevant popups.
3. Personalize the message
A first-time visitor and a returning customer should not necessarily see the same popup.
Shopify recommends targeting different audiences based on factors such as location, products viewed, and previous purchases.
For example:
New visitor
Get 10% off your first order.
Returning customer
Welcome back. Enjoy $5 off your next order.
Product-category visitor
Love skincare? Get early access to our new collection.
The more closely the message matches the visitor’s situation, the more natural the popup feels.
4. Keep the form simple
The main goal of an email popup is usually to get an email address.
So do not make visitors complete a long form unless the additional information has a clear purpose.
A simple starting point is:
Email address → CTA
Then, if necessary, ask for preferences in a second step.
This approach is also reflected in several of the examples above, where brands use multi-step popups to collect additional information after getting the initial signup.
5. Make the design feel like your store
Your popup should not look like a completely different website.
Use your:
- Brand colors
- Typography
- Product photography
- Logo
- Tone of voice
The Frankie Shop, Rouje, Pierre Hardy, and other examples in the Wisepops collection show how different brands adapt popup design to their existing visual identity.
A popup can stand out without looking disconnected from the rest of the store.
6. Make the CTA specific
“Submit” does not tell visitors what they will get.
A better CTA reinforces the benefit.
| Generic CTA | Better CTA |
|---|---|
| Submit | Get my 10% off |
| Sign up | Get early access |
| Subscribe | Join the list |
| Continue | Unlock my offer |
| Send | Get my free guide |
The CTA should make the action feel like the next step toward the benefit, not just another form submission.
7. Don’t forget mobile shoppers
A popup that looks good on desktop can become frustrating on mobile.
Make sure:
- The headline is easy to read.
- The form fits the screen.
- The close button is easy to find.
- The CTA is large enough to tap.
- The popup does not cover unnecessary parts of the page.
- Visitors can close it without struggling.
A simple mobile popup is often better than trying to squeeze a desktop design onto a small screen.
Should every Shopify store offer a discount?
No.
Discounts are popular because they provide an immediate reason to subscribe, and Shopify’s research highlights several discount, gift, bundle, and early-access incentives used by ecommerce brands.
But a discount can also create a problem: shoppers may learn to wait for a coupon before purchasing.
Consider matching the incentive to your business model:
| Store goal | Popup incentive |
|---|---|
| Get first purchases | First-order discount |
| Build loyalty | Members-only offers |
| Launch products | Early access |
| Collect preferences | Personalized recommendations |
| Build community | Product voting or surveys |
| Clear inventory | Limited-time offer |
| Grow a content audience | Guide, checklist, or useful content |
The best incentive is not necessarily the largest one. It is the one that gives the right visitor a reason to subscribe.
A simple Shopify popup strategy to start with
You do not need 10 different popups when you’re starting.
A simple three-campaign setup can cover many stores:
1. New visitor popup
Trigger: New visitor after some browsing
Get 10% off your first order
Join our email list and get your exclusive discount.
[Get my 10% off]
2. Returning visitor popup
Trigger: Returning customer or subscriber who has not purchased recently
Good to see you again
Discover what’s new and get a special offer for your next order.
[See what’s new]
3. Exit-intent popup
Trigger: Visitor is about to leave
Before you go…
Want first access to new products, special offers, and restocks?
[Join the list]
This gives you three different opportunities to capture visitors without showing everyone the exact same message.
Common Shopify popup mistakes to avoid
Even a well-designed popup can hurt the customer experience if it is used poorly.
Showing it immediately
Visitors may not know your brand yet. Give them a chance to understand what you sell first.
Using the same popup for everyone
A first-time visitor, repeat customer, and product-focused shopper have different needs.
Asking for too much information
Only collect extra data if you have a plan to use it.
Making the offer unclear
If the visitor has to search for the actual benefit, the popup is doing too much.
Using fake urgency
Countdown timers and “last chance” messages should represent real deadlines.
Forgetting existing subscribers
If someone is already on your email list, showing them another signup popup wastes the opportunity to give them something more relevant.
Ignoring mobile
Always test the popup on the device most of your customers use.
How to measure whether your popup is actually working
Do not judge a popup only by how many emails it collects.
Track the full journey:
| Metric | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| View rate | How often the popup is shown |
| Signup rate | How many visitors subscribe |
| Offer redemption | Whether subscribers use the incentive |
| First-purchase rate | Whether subscribers become customers |
| Revenue per subscriber | How valuable the captured leads are |
| Unsubscribe rate | Whether your offer attracts the wrong audience |
A popup with a lower signup rate can still be better if it produces higher-quality subscribers who actually buy.
That is why the real goal should not be “collect as many emails as possible.”
It should be:
Collect more of the right emails from people who have a reason to hear from your brand.
Final thoughts
The best Shopify popup is not necessarily the most colorful, the biggest, or the one offering the biggest discount.
The strongest examples use a simple formula:
Right visitor + right moment + relevant value + simple action
Espiritu makes the reward obvious. Nutrimuscle turns signup into a multi-step journey. Budgy Smuggler uses preferences for personalization. The Frankie Shop proves that simple design can work. Asphalte shows that value does not always have to mean a discount. And A.P.C. demonstrates that popups can also be used to learn from customers.
For a Shopify store, the best starting point is usually simple: create one clear welcome popup, target it carefully, test the offer and message, then build more personalized campaigns as you learn what your visitors respond to.
With the right targeting and follow-up automation, a popup becomes more than an email form. It becomes the first step in a longer customer relationship.