What is Exit Intent? A Guide for Shopify Store Owners

The technology that catches visitors right before they leave.

Exit intent is technology that detects when a visitor is about to leave your website and triggers a popup at that moment — giving you a final chance to keep them.

How does exit intent technology work?

On desktop, exit-intent scripts track cursor movement. When the cursor moves rapidly toward the top of the browser — heading for the close button, back button, or address bar — the popup fires. On mobile, where there's no cursor, it detects signals like fast upward scrolling or back-navigation.

Why use exit intent popups?

They target visitors who are already leaving, so you're not interrupting active shoppers. Instead of losing that visitor entirely, you get one more opportunity to offer a discount, capture an email, or remind them what's in their cart.

Exit intent popup examples

  • A last-chance discount code
  • A free-shipping reminder
  • An email signup with an incentive
  • A cart-saver message

Exit intent on Pop Up Discount

Exit-intent triggering is on our roadmap and not yet available in Pop Up Discount by MITS. In the meantime you can still capture leaving visitors and grow your list with email, discount, and lead generation popups. See our exit intent popup for Shopify guide for more.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does exit intent work?

It detects behavioural signals — cursor movement toward the browser bar on desktop or fast upward scroll on mobile — that a visitor is about to leave, then shows a popup.

Does Pop Up Discount have exit intent?

Exit-intent triggering is on our roadmap and not yet available. Today you can capture visitors with email, discount, and lead generation popups.

Are exit intent popups effective?

Yes. Because they target visitors who are already leaving, they recover otherwise-lost traffic without interrupting active shoppers.

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