Best Practices to Implement Opt-In Forms in E-Commerce

E-Commerce stores are probably one of my favourite types of sites to work with, there’s so many possible avenues to explore that can impact your conversion rates and revenue. You can work tirelessly to continually optimise your processes, funnels and offers.

One of the key metrics that I see many store owners obsess about is getting more traffic to the store. Whether it’s from sweet organic traffic, paid sources or even comparison shopping listings. Many of our customers are also using Gleam to drive traffic via giveaways.

But traffic is just one statistic, once you realise all the other metrics that traffic impacts you can easily fall down the rabbit hole:

• What’s my bounce rate like?
• What're my conversion rates?
• What’s my cart abandonment rate?
• Which countries convert better?
• Why is this product not selling?
• Why do I not rank well in search engines for these categories?
• Which products should I feature in my newsletters?

It’s extremely easy to get paralysed by all the information, and not get anything useful done.

But, there is one thing you can do right away to start improving your conversions and driving daily incremental value for your business.

A well-placed opt in form can turn a casual visitor into a loyal customer. But in e-commerce, timing, context, and relevance are everything.

To truly grow your email list and drive conversions, you need to match your opt-in strategy to where a customer is in the buying journey. That means using different types of email opt in forms—from banners and popups to exit-intent and lead magnet offers—depending on whether someone is discovering your brand, considering a purchase, or abandoning a cart.

In this guide, we will break down the best opt in form templates to use at every stage of your e-commerce funnel—complete with real examples and links to try them out yourself.

At the top of the funnel, your goal is to make a strong first impression and build interest—without overwhelming your visitors. The right opt in forms at this stage introduce your brand, invite a small commitment, and start growing your email list.

These templates work well when users are passively browsing or discovering your store for the first time.

Banners allow you to run a persistent email opt in form that is always visible—ideal for desktop and mobile. Use it to collect email addresses from top-of-funnel traffic who are not quite ready to purchase, but may want a discount or future update.

Pair with a simple call to action like "Join and get 10% off".

Try this template:
Signup Banner

If your store has region-specific offers—like different shipping rates or promos—use a geo-targeted floating form. This type of form is especially effective for driving conversions from international visitors who may otherwise bounce.

“Free shipping to Canada today only” is far more relevant than a generic pitch.

Try it now:
Geo-Targeted Offer Template

Geo-targeted forms allow you to personalise your opt in strategy based on a visitor’s location. This example targets Australian users with a region-specific discount.

Floating forms let you deliver compact, contextual opt in form templates anywhere on your site. This example uses a giveaway incentive to drive entries. Whether it is a small free gift, contest, or discount—these overlays work across any page.

Great for first-time users who need a reason to sign up.

Explore more floating form ideas:
Floating Coupon Code

Countdown forms are excellent when paired with a flash deal or first-order discount. You can place them at the top of your landing page to remind users the deal is ticking down—and give them a reason to subscribe now.

This form uses a countdown to create urgency. Display it at the top of the page during seasonal sales or flash events to increase opt-ins.

Use this template:
Sale Countdown Banner

Use this template:
Sale Countdown Banner

The goal at this stage is to start a relationship. Keep your opt in form examples light, relevant, and low-commitment—and always mobile-optimised. These visitors are just getting to know you. Make the first step effortless.

At this stage, visitors are aware of your brand but need a little extra motivation to take action. They might be comparing options, checking pricing, or thinking about their timing.

This is where opt in forms that offer value—like discounts, exclusive access, or time-limited perks—can help you convert intent into a commitment.

These forms are designed to give your potential customers a reason to subscribe, join your email list, or take that next step in the funnel.

Coupon popups are one of the most effective ways to prompt users to subscribe to your email list. These forms offer an immediate free gift or discount in exchange for an email address, and are triggered after a short delay or scroll.

This tactic works especially well on product pages and pricing comparisons.

Use this template:
Coupon Popup

Flash sales are ideal for moving indecisive users into action. Paired with a limited time offer, a well-placed popup can nudge shoppers to claim their discount before it expires.

You can trigger these on category pages, blog content, or even cart views—anywhere a user migh

Not all customers convert on their first visit. Some need reassurance, better timing, or just one last incentive. The conversion stage is where you use opt-in forms to reduce abandonment and secure the sale.

These opt in form templates are built to activate when a user shows exit behavior, hesitates in the cart, or needs a final call to action before leaving.

These opt in forms create a small interaction—like entering an email address—before revealing a discount. The result is a feeling of exclusivity and psychological momentum: users feel like they’ve “unlocked” something, which increases commitment.

This tactic is ideal during limited-time sales, loyalty campaigns, or collection launches where urgency and exclusivity matter.

You can implement this with a countdown-driven opt in form like the example below:

This email opt in form uses a countdown and unlock mechanic to drive urgency. It is ideal for flash sales or early-access campaigns.

Use this template:
Limited Time Discount Unlock

Use this template:
Limited Time Discount Unlock

Exit intent popups appear when a user’s mouse behavior indicates they are about to leave the site. These forms are your final opportunity to offer a discount, highlight a limited-time offer, or recover a lost email address.

Common use cases include:

• Triggering a 10% discount
• Offering free shipping
• Asking users to save their cart or join a waitlist

Use this template:
Exit Intent Popup

This variant is ideal when the goal is pure conversion. You can present an email opt in form that delivers a coupon immediately before exit—perfect for cart or product pages.

This form gives users a last reason to purchase now rather than waiting or price-comparing elsewhere.

Use this template:
Exit Intent Coupon

A high percentage of e-commerce revenue is lost due to cart abandonment. One way to combat that is by showing a form when users idle too long or attempt to leave the checkout page.

This form should ask for an email address and promise to save their cart, apply a coupon, or notify them of low stock.

Use this template:
Shopping Cart Abandonment Form

If you are running a flash sale or have high-priority messaging, a fullscreen takeover form ensures that it gets noticed. These are best used sparingly—ideally on exit, timed delay, or major announcement.

They work especially well during promotional campaigns and seasonal sales.

Use this template:
Fullscreen Takeover Offer

At the conversion stage, the goal is simple: reduce friction and make sure that visitors who are ready to buy don’t leave without a reason to come back.

These opt in forms are often your last line of defense—and your highest converting.

Once a customer makes a purchase, the real work begins. Retention-focused opt in forms help you stay connected with buyers, encourage repeat purchases, and build long-term value from each order.

At this stage, your forms should focus on onboarding, perks, and content—not just promotions. The goal is to keep your brand top of mind.

Simple but effective, post-purchase email signups are a smart way to capture customers who skipped previous forms. Use these to invite users to join your email list for order updates, loyalty perks, or early access to future offers.

Use this template:
Email Signup Popup

If you run a blog or knowledge base, embedding a static email opt in form within your content helps you convert engaged readers into potential subscribers.

This method performs especially well for educational articles, product guides, and post-purchase how-tos.

Use this template:
Embedded Blog Signup

Even broken pages can convert. A soft opt in form on your 404 page offers a second chance to turn a mistake into a new contact—especially when paired with a small discount or content offer.

Use this template:
404 Page Opt-In

By placing forms across your content, support pages, and error pages, you increase your chances of collecting email addresses even after the purchase. From there, you can launch email marketing flows to welcome, upsell, or reward repeat buyers.

Smart form placement helps you grow your email list while strengthening loyalty—and that’s what powers long-term ecommerce success.