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Social proof is everywhere. And that’s the problem.
Most brands run it sitewide, triggered on page-load to each and every visitors. It works brilliantly for some visitors, but damages conversion for others. Early urgency messages can cause anxiety and exits, especially for visitors who have yet to show any intent to purchase.
We covered the status quo of social proof already, but for a quick recap, if you only measure generic conversion rate uplift, you see the benefit for those it helps but miss the hidden downside for those it turns off. That’s why the first step is to rethink why you’re using it at all.
Remind yourself why you’re using social proof
Why are you really doing social proof? It may start off as a best practice, that is low-hanging fruit to “increase conversion rate” or “drive more revenue”, but that’s only half the story. Social Proof is ultimately about encouraging a certain behaviour from an individual by using the influence that the actions, choices or approvals of others have on them. And when you apply the message to everyone, all the time, you’re missing the real opportunity - and ultimately playing conversion roulette.
Urgency-style proof like “X people bought this today” might give high-intent visitors the final nudge, but it can spook a casual browser into leaving. Without understanding these nuances of an experience (by splitting results by audience and keeping a control group for each stage), you’ll never see the drop hiding inside your averages. Which brings us to the next question: who exactly are you showing it to?
Rethink who you’re delivering it to
Do all your visitors get the same message at the same time? They shouldn’t. High-intent visitors close to purchase are often persuaded by urgency. That same message can make a low-intent browser feel pushed and leave. In fact, urgency messaging can decrease conversion for low-intent visitors by 4–5%.
Instead, Bestseller messaging can help low-intent users refine their choices by pointing them to popular items. But it can also distract a high-intent shopper who’s already found what they want, just like showing unrelated recommendations in checkout can derail the final purchase. The key is knowing which messages work for which segments — and that’s where a more targeted, step-by-step approach comes in.
Step-by-step: How to get started with intent-based social proof
1: Analyse or test across intent stages
Start with what you’re running today, but split results by low, building, and high intent. Maintain a control group for each stage to compare “no message” against “message.” This is where the surprises appear. Urgency might lift high-intent conversion by 10% but drop low-intent by 4–5%.
2: Exclude the unsuited audiences
If urgency is scaring off browsers, remove it for those segments. Replace it with different messaging styles that fit their stage. Bestseller or top-rated messages can help low-intent visitors explore, while reassurance works better for those already on the brink of purchase. For segments where the original Social Proof didn’t work, consider testing alternative messages entirely.
3: Layer in real-time signals
Static triggers are blunt. Use signals like a drop in purchase confidence or increase in a visitor’s likelihood to abandon to time your messaging more precisely. For example, one jewellery brand predicted basket backtracking and swapped urgency for reassurance style Social Proof. This single change lifted conversion for that segment by 25%.
4: Bring in affinities and more
Make it personal. If someone’s deep into a specific brand or category, show them messaging that reflects it. “Custom rings designed this month” speaks to an engagement ring shopper. In a multi-brand store, tie the experience to brand loyalty, like “People who love [Brand X] also love this.”
5: Iterate and evolve
For segments without strong affinities, use it as a discovery tool rather than reassurance. Keep testing new messages for each stage, refining your targeting, and improving your timing. Social proof should get sharper over time, not sit as a static, set-and-forget feature.
A real-world example from a jewellery & watch retailer
A premium UK jewellery and watch retailer faced a familiar problem. Shoppers were reaching the basket, then backing out to browse again or revisit product pages. For higher-value, considered purchases, this hesitation was a sign of uncertainty. The team realised not every basket visitor needed urgency, some needed reassurance.
Using intent signals, they built a segment of visitors showing backtracking behaviour and delivered targeted in-basket reassurance, highlighting flexible delivery and secure payment options. This message appeared only to those who needed it, avoiding unnecessary noise for confident buyers. The result was a 25% uplift in conversion for that segment.
This example shows how the right message at the right moment can have a big impact, which leads to the bigger picture of what happens when you get intent-based social proof right. You can read the full customer story here.
The impact of using intent in social proof
When intent guides your targeting and timing, you keep the uplift without the hidden drop-offs. Better timing can amplify gains, and removing harmful triggers boosts coverage. Over time, social proof becomes a natural part of the journey, helping with discovery, reassurance, and evaluation, instead of a blunt, one-size-fits-all tactic.
Social proof works when it works for the right people. èƵ makes that possible. Want to see what that could look like for your brand? Book a demo.
Abandoned cart emails became a key part of the CRM playbook for a reason. They’re easy to set up, look great in reports and are seen as a no-brainer for driving conversions. But let’s be honest. Most of them are blunt. They ignore why shoppers abandoned in the first place and often end up adding noise instead of value for the visitor.
In a recent piece, Rethinking abandonment emails with intent, we explored why this tactic so often falls short. The reach is limited to visitors you can actually email. The timing often misses the moment. And blanket discounts don’t just erode margin, they train shoppers to delay purchases.
If you haven’t read that yet, it’s worth a look. But this article is about moving forward. Here’s how CRM teams can use use intent with abandonment emails to make them smarter, more targeted and more effective.
Review why you are sending abandonment emails (and who to)
’s easy to assume the goal of abandonment emails is simple: recover a lost sale. But was it a lost sale to begin with? Just having items in a cart isn’t always a signal of high purchase intent. Shoppers use them to shortlist products, compare options or as a save-for-later tool.
If the goal is to recover real opportunities, this tactic needs refining.
Not every abandoner should get an email. Without context, CRM teams risk:
- Sending to shoppers who are still browsing and not yet ready to buy.
- Triggering emails too soon or too late.
- Flooding inboxes with irrelevant reminders.
The consequences? Unsubscribes. Inbox fatigue. And lost trust. Excluding shoppers who aren’t ready to buy isn’t only a better experience. It also leaves room for emails that actually work, allowing you to send them with impact.
If someone’s adding to cart to compare or wishlist items, hitting them with a salesy reminder could risk turning them off completely.
So how do you make abandoned cart emails smarter, more targeted and more effective? Start here.
Optimising abandonment emails with intent
This isn’t about rebuilding from scratch. ’s about fixing the foundations first, reducing downside and then optimising for growth.
Step 1: Analyse
Start by reviewing your current campaigns with intent data. Segment visitors by mindset and product affinity. Understand which groups engage and which ones churn. Look beyond standard metrics like open rates. Ask who clicked, who converted and, crucially, who unsubscribed.
Step 2: Exclude
Stop sending to low-intent visitors. Protect your list health by cutting out disengaged shoppers who are unlikely to convert. Focus efforts where they’ll actually move the needle.
Step 3: Improve
Optimise the emails you do send to high-intent visitors. This isn’t just about tweaking subject lines. Think about mindset. If a shopper is in discovery mode, avoid hard-sell copy. Instead, highlight educational content, social proof or unique selling points to build confidence. For those showing strong purchase intent, timely nudges and delivery reassurance might be all they need to convert.
One area many retailers get wrong is discounting. Blanket incentives erode margin and train shoppers to wait. Instead, reserve offers for visitors showing clear signs of hesitation, with an unlikelihood to return to site.
Grow with better emails and beyond the inbox
Once you’ve reduced downside and optimised for impact, you’re ready to grow further.
In email, you can tailor creative based on intent stage and affinities. Think beyond discounts or nurture flows. You can even explore dynamic recommendations for basket builders and cross-sell opportunities. This isn’t about flooding them with options but about making the right product feel obvious.
One of our customers, a leading UK jeweller, faced this challenge head on. Their CRM team realised their “one-size-fits-all” abandonment email was limiting relevance and risking engagement. They started with our exclusion and optimisation steps, then moved onto more context-driven creative.
They created three visitor groups: low, building and high intent. Each group received tailored emails. High-intent abandoners got a timely, persuasive message tied to browsed products. Lower-intent visitors were sent softer campaigns focused on brand USPs. Some received no email at all to protect list health.
The result? A 12% uplift in click-through rates and a strategy that felt more like a conversation than a conversion ploy. Read the full customer story here.
But your response doesn’t have to stop at the inbox.
Onsite, once you detect exit signals in real time, you can trigger supportive nudges before visitors abandon, such as delivery reassurance or save-for-later prompts. You can also surface email capture prompts for unknown visitors at the right moment to grow your contactable base.
When onsite and email journeys are connected, you’re no longer chasing abandoners after they’ve gone. You’re helping them complete the journey in the moment.
The impact when you get this right
When you rethink abandonment emails with intent, shoppers feel understood instead of pestered. CRM teams send fewer, smarter emails that actually drive revenue.
Metrics improve across the board too:
- Unsubscribe rates drop dramatically due to less inappropriate emails
- Click-through rates (CTR) climb as relevance improves
- Higher return visits and positive movement on intent to return metrics.
- On average, Made With èƵ users see a 65 percent increase in campaign impact overall
This isn’t just about improving KPIs. ’s about changing how shoppers feel when they hear from you. èƵ-based emails create relevance, reduce noise and rebuild trust. They don’t just recover sales. They set the stage for long-term growth.
Want to see how intent-first abandonment emails work in practice? Get a demo to learn how Made With èƵ helps teams recover more revenue without damaging their shoppers’ experience.
Retailers ask for emails with the goal of growing their audience, their campaign reach, and their influence.
But most retailers are asking at the wrong time, in the wrong way, and it’s costing them.
In our èƵ Gap research, we found 55% of online shoppers dislike pop-ups that appear early in a session. 45% say they actively make them less likely to buy. One in five even say they’d leave a site altogether if interrupted too soon.
37% of the retail sites analysed as part of the report used pop-ups, with 79% shown within the first 30 seconds.
The problem isn’t the capture itself. ’s the lack of context.
Most email capture strategies are built on fixed rules; time on site, page views, scroll depth. But these are proxies, not signals. They don’t reflect how a visitor is behaving or how likely they are to respond. They assume intent, rather than recognising it.
This isn’t about switching tactics. ’s about responding to behaviour in real time.
Rethink: Why you’re capturing emails
When email capture is treated as a numbers game, relevance drops. And the risk goes up. You might gain a contact in the short-term, but ultimately lose a customer.
The right question isn’t how do we collect more emails? ’s how do we make the exchange feel appropriate, valuable and well-timed. For both sides?
That means considering two things:
- Mindset: Where is the customer in their journey? Are they focused and confident? Or showing signs of struggle, and unlikelihood to progress?
- Value: What are you offering in return? Is it aligned to what they’re doing?
The best email capture doesn’t interrupt the journey. It supports it.
Optimise: Start capturing with èƵ
To start with, optimise what already exists. Use intent segmentation to change when your capture prompts fire.
Play 1: Trigger email capture for abandoning visitors
Most email capture is delivered too soon, before visitors have shown any interest or given any signal that they’re ready for a value exchange.
The fix: Wait for signs of struggle or abandon, then trigger based on live behaviour.
Take On The Beach, who triggered capture only for visitors in the Engage or Build stages of the èƵ Framework, who were showing subtle signs of drop-off. By adjusting the timing to match behaviour, they saw a 28% uplift in email sign-ups with no hit to conversion.
Why this works:
- You reach the right audience, in-session
- You increase sign-ups without sacrificing experience
- You stop defaulting to time-based rules that overlook nuance
Play 2: Ask for an email when a visitor is unlikely to progress
Instead of waiting for signs of struggle, or abandon, you can also target a visitor when they’re indicating they’re unlikely to move forward in their journey, by using èƵ to Progress.
That’s what Le Chameau did. By limiting email capture to visitors who were unlikely to progress, and excluding focused shoppers entirely, they:
- Increased email sign-ups by 3%
- Drove 24% incremental revenue
- Protected high-value journeys from interruption
Grow: What comes next
Timing is essential. But message matters too.
Most capture prompts lead with a generic offer: “Sign up for 10% off.” But not everyone is looking to buy. And not everyone cares about a discount.
Visitors early on in their journey, who haven’t found the right product for them? Offer a newsletter prompt.
Shoppers who have a product affinity, but low likelihood to purchase? Suggest a save for later or price drop alert.
This approach moves email capture from a hard sell to a helpful nudge. Tailored to behaviour, aligned with intent.
It also opens the door to experimenting with softer incentives, different tones of voice, and varied placements. Especially for visitors who show high exit intent, but lower likelihood to return.
What happens when you get this right?
When email capture is powered by real-time intent:
- Sign-up rates increase, because prompts are more timely and contextual
- Conversion rates hold steady, because you don’t disrupt high-intent visitors
- List quality improves, with fewer disengaged or disinterested contacts
- Revenue grows, from visitors that may otherwise have been lost
Capture becomes strategic, not interruptive. And it builds long-term value in your customer base.
Your first three steps
If you’re looking to make an impact fast:
- Replace time-based triggers with intent-led email capture prompts
- Target abandoning or struggling visitors, and those unlikely to progress. Exclude focused shoppers
- Align your offer or message to the visitor’s behaviour and mindset
From there, test new placements, value exchanges and copy aligned to intent predictions. And treat capture as a recurring opportunity, not a one-off chance.
Because when you understand visitor behaviour, you don’t have to interrupt to make an impact. You just have to respond at the right time.
Want to see how intent-first email capture works in practice? Get a demo to learn how Made With èƵ helps teams grow their lists without damaging their visitors’ experience.
Retailers aren’t discounting to be generous. They discount to drive conversion. But when you throw codes at everyone, all the time, it stops working. And, they’re not always needed.
Our èƵ Gap report found 83% of online shoppers say they’ve used a discount code when they would have paid full price.
That’s not incremental revenue you’re gaining. That’s margin erosion.
Worse still, this catch-all approach conditions customers to expect a discount. Once they’ve had that 10% off, they’ll wait for it next time.
Shoppers aren’t fooled. They know the discount game. And they’re playing it better than most retailers. I’ve definitely logged in to my account, added some items to my basket and waited for that abandon basket email to come through. More than once.
But we’ve already covered the problem with the status quo of discounting, both from the ecommerce leader’s perspective and why we think intent changes things. This piece is about how to solve it.
To be clear. We’re not saying discounting needs to stop. But it does need to change.
Rethink: Why you’re discounting
Conversion rate matters. But it doesn’t tell the full story.
Of course if you give somebody a better deal they’re more likely to convert. So when it comes to the pros of discounting, we feel it’s smarter to be looking at metrics like:
- Incremental revenue: Are you gaining additional purchases, or giving away a % to those you’d have had anyway?
- Margin protection: Are discounts going to those who actually need them? Who wouldn’t purchase without?
- èƵ to purchase: Are you helping someone over the line, or just handing out money to all?
Most retailers discount too early, too often, and to too many people. The fix isn’t more codes. ’s smarter targeting.
So where do you start?
Rethink: Who you’re discounting
At Made With èƵ, we use a framework that maps where a visitor is in their buying stage (Engage, Build, Maintain, Convert), and what behavioural signals they’re showing (Focused, Struggling, Abandoning).
That gives us 12 core intent-based segments. And not all of them need a discount.
Start with visitors in the Maintain or Convert stages who are showing signs of struggle or abandonment. These people have intent. You’re just helping them follow through on it when they signal they’re hesitating, or going to leave.
On the other side, visitors in earlier stages or those showing focus don’t need an incentive nudge (at least not yet!). Give them one, and you’re spending margin unnecessarily.
Once you know who to target, the next step is how and when to show the offer.
Optimise: 2 ways to start discounting with intent
You don’t need to build something new. Just optimise what you’re already doing. Once you’ve tightened your audience, it’s time to rethink your triggers and delivery.
Play 1: Trigger discounts for high-intent abandoning visitors
Most retailers show discounts on landing. Pop-ups fire after 30 seconds, three pages, or immediately. But these rules have nothing to do with actual buying behaviour, they’re just proxies.
Instead, you should look for visitors with purchase intent. Then wait for signs of abandonment. Only then do you trigger the offer. And deliver it to visitors directly on site - not through an email sign-up campaign.
Appliances Direct adopted this play and focused their incentives on the Convert Abandon segment, also known as visitors showing high intent but clear exit signals. By targeting only this segment, they saved 42% in margin while maintaining conversion rates. See how Appliances Direct did it.
Better Bathrooms also used this exact approach to great effect. By targeting Maintain èƵ Abandon visitors showing hesitation on PDPs, they triggered context-aware discounts only when abandonment looked likely. The result? A 25.6% increase in conversion rate without widening the net. Read more about Better Bathrooms' approach.
Why does this work?
- These visitors are already ready to buy, but something’s causing them not to
- You reduce giving away unnecessary discounts to casual browsers
- You create a smoother journey (no email sign-up delay, no inbox hunting for a code)
Besides, our èƵ Gap report found 85% of online shoppers leave the site just to go find a discount code anyway. So either don’t make blanket offers, or don’t make them. Serve it when it matters instead.
Play 2: Offer timely incentives for struggling visitors
Not every visitor needs a discount. But some need a little help before they slip away.
While we recommend most retailers start by targeting Abandon signals, there’s a critical opportunity earlier in the journey. Struggling visitors. Our Maintain and Convert Struggle segments are shoppers who have shown clear intent, but are starting to lose confidence or momentum.
By detecting this behaviour in real-time, you can intervene. Either with the same promotional offer or a lighter-touch incentive, such as free delivery or even a lower-value discount.
These nudges help prevent drop-off before it turns into abandonment, while letting you reserve larger offers for those who really need them.
You can also factor in a visitor’s intent to return to site in the future. If someone is abandoning with high purchase intent but is unlikely to come back, you might want to push a stronger offer.
This is where the nuance of real-time intent shines. You’re not treating everyone the same. You’re responding with the right kind of support at the right time.
The core segments in our framework make these two plays possible with minimal effort. But the power of real-time intent data can take discount strategies even further.
Grow: What comes next
By this point, you’ve cut waste and improved impact. But what if you could push performance even further without giving away more?
Once you’ve refined your targeting and timing, the next stage is relevance and context. This is where Optimise starts becoming Grow.
Made With èƵ lets you track affinities to products, categories, price points or brands based on rising purchase intent. You can use this to personalise the discount depending on visitor interests or your margin.
Seasalt Cornwall used this data to deliver category-based discounts only to visitors in the Maintain Abandon segment - those with clear product interest showing signs of hesitation. The result? An 89% uplift in conversion rate by focusing offers where they mattered most. Read the full Seasalt case study.
But this is just one way of interpreting it. Other examples include:
- Varying the discount amount based on product margin (e.g. 20% off dresses, 5% off jewellery)
- Offering an alternative incentive, such as free delivery on larger high-ticket goods, to further protect margin
- Using copy that makes the discount feel personal (“Still thinking about that top? Here’s 10% off”)
Now you’re not just nudging in the right time and place, but with the right offer for them. Tailoring both incentive type and depth to how your visitors are behaving, and where they are in their journey.
This is where smarter discounting becomes smarter merchandising.
What happens when you get this right?
When intent-based discount works, you don’t see conversion drop. You see:
- Stable conversion overall (because the people who don’t need a discount don’t miss it)
- Higher conversion for those who do receive the discount
- More incremental revenue and margin saved
You also build a better customer base. One that’s not hooked on the discount drug.
Discounting doesn’t have to feel like a trick. It can feel like understanding your visitor, and using the levers you have available to you.
Your first 3 steps
If you're looking to make an impact fast, here’s where to begin:
- Replace early blanket discount pop-ups with intent-based triggers
- Offer high-intent abandoning visitors a discount while they’re in-session
- Intervene with high-intent struggling visitors, offering the same or a lighter incentive
From there, you should explore your segments further. Looking at affinity and intent to return data to identify the next priority.
This isn’t about giving more or even less discounts. ’s about giving smarter discounts, only when they make a difference.
Want to see how Made With èƵ makes this possible? Get a demo of our real-time intent agent.