Add a Shopify newsletter popup to your store (templates and best practices)

Popups like this can be created with GSC Email Marketing, an email marketing app by Getsitecontrol. It lets you design on-brand popups and set up automated welcome email flows — quickly, with no technical skills required.

An effective popup does two things: it captures email addresses you can market to later, and increases sales through discount incentives. With the GSC app, Shopify stores see 4% signup conversion rates on desktop and 7% on mobile devices, on average. This translates to 4-7 new email subscribers for every 100 visitors to your online store.

Shopify newsletter popup timing

Most brands use one of three timing approaches to display their newsletter popups: soon after arrival, right before exit, or after a page scroll. Each approach is designed to capture visitors at different stages of their browsing journey.

Welcome popups

Welcome popups appear shortly after a visitor lands on your website, usually after 5-7 seconds. This timing gives them a moment to scan the page before considering your offer. Welcome popups work best for converting first-time visitors who have found your store via search engines or after seeing an ad. Brands typically promote a first-order discount at this stage, to drive both list growth and early purchases.

Exit-intent popups

Exit-intent popups appear when a visitor's cursor moves toward the browser's close button or back arrow, signaling they're about to exit. This is a great moment to offer a coupon for the next time and convert visitors into email subscribers before they leave. Exit-intent popups are especially effective on product and cart pages, where visitors have already shown interest but haven’t committed to a purchase.

Scroll-based popups

Scroll-based popups appear after a visitor scrolls to a certain depth on the page, usually 25–50%. With this approach, brands target only those who have demonstrated genuine interest in their products. Stores often use scroll-triggered popups on content-heavy pages. For example, on blog posts or detailed product descriptions, scrolling indicates the visitor is actively engaged rather than just browsing. These popups feel less intrusive because they align with natural reading behavior.

Comparing Shopify newsletter popup types

Shopify newsletter popup best practices

Highlight your offer

Your signup conversion rates depend on a clear, compelling value proposition. Use concise copy that explains exactly what subscribers will gain after joining your email list.

Call-to-action copy examples

Match your brand aesthetic

Online stores achieve the best results when their popups blend seamlessly into the website. That’s why Getsitecontrol templates are fully customizable: you can easily update colors, fonts, and images to match your newsletter popup with your branding.

Use a two-step approach

Two-step popups start with a simple yes/no question before showing the full email signup form. For example, “Want 15% off your first order?” with “Yes” and “No, thanks” buttons. When visitors click “Yes,” the popup reveals a form to collect their email. This design works well because it reduces perceived friction and creates micro-commitment.

Display popup teasers

Popup teasers offer a less intrusive displaying approach — a small, clickable floating button that expands when visitors choose to engage. Getsitecontrol lets you add teasers to any popup format (modal, fullscreen, slide-in) and customize when they appear: before the newsletter form pops up, after, or continuously. This works especially well on mobile and when visitors want to reopen a dismissed offer.

Collect subscriber preferences

To make your email campaigns more relevant, add a quick question to your popup with simple checkbox or radio button options. This will help tag and segment subscribers without reducing conversions.

Segmentation question ideas

Respect user experience

Make sure your popup includes a visible close button or an opt-out button that lets visitors easily decline the offer. Avoid showing the same newsletter popup repeatedly to visitors who've already subscribed or dismissed it. Thoughtful targeting creates a better experience and helps prevent popup fatigue. Additionally, if you have European visitors, add a consent checkbox with clear language like “I agree to receive marketing emails” and link to your privacy policy.

Follow up with a welcome email

After a visitor signs up, it’s a good practice to send an automated welcome email, also known as a follow-up. It’s the perfect chance to make a strong impression on new subscribers. It’s common to use this email to thank them for joining your list, deliver the promised discount code or another incentive, feature your bestselling products or current promotions.