Exit Intent
Technology detecting when a user is about to leave the page to trigger retention messaging.
1 min readLast updated Apr 2026
Quick Reference
CategoryConversion Rate Optimization
Related Terms1
Technology detecting when a user is about to leave the page to trigger retention messaging.
Why It Matters
Exit intent gives you a second chance with visitors about to leave forever. Since they're already leaving, an exit popup has zero downside—you're interrupting an exit, not an engaged session. Effective exit popups capture 5-15% of abandoning visitors.
Practical Example
Scenario
A fashion brand implements an exit intent popup offering 10% off for email signup on their homepage and collection pages.
Calculation
30,000 monthly exit intents triggered × 12% conversion = 3,600 new email capturesResult
Exit intent popup generates 3,600 new subscribers monthly. At $5 average value per subscriber, that's $18,000/month in future value.
Pro Tips
- 1Offer something valuable: discount, free shipping, content upgrade, or exclusive access
- 2Keep the form minimal—email only, name is optional
- 3Use different exit offers on different pages (discount on product pages, content on blog)
- 4Set frequency caps so returning visitors don't see the popup every visit
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Showing exit intent on every page including checkout (interrupts purchase flow)
Asking for too much information in the exit popup form
Generic offers that don't relate to what the visitor was viewing