How to control how often a popup shows
Pick the right frequency mode (every page view, every session, once per day, once per week) and stop showing the popup after a visitor converts.
Frequency rules decide whether your popup feels helpful or harassing. Get the cadence right and the same shopper sees your offer once — not on every product page, every refresh, every visit back.
TL;DR
Most stores should pair "After visitor converts (email signup, spin, etc.)" with "Every session (recommended)". That combination shows the popup once per browsing session and stops permanently the moment the shopper subscribes — so existing subscribers never see it again. The other modes have legitimate uses, but the recommended pairing is the safest default.
The 4 frequency modes
Inside any campaign, the frequency dropdown controls how often a single shopper sees the popup if they have not yet converted or closed it. There are four options:
- Every page view — eligible to show on every page load. No cooldown between displays.
- Every session (recommended) — eligible to show once per browsing session. A session usually resets when the shopper closes the browser or returns after a long break.
- Once per day — once shown, will not show again to that shopper for 24 hours.
- Once per week — once shown, will not show again to that shopper for 7 days.
A spin-the-wheel discount on a homepage works best at "Every session" — once per visit, no nagging. A free-shipping bar can sit at "Every page view" because it is informational, not interruptive. A re-engagement popup belongs on "Once per week" so it never feels stale.
The Targeting tab inside a campaign with the frequency dropdown open, showing the four options Every page view, Every session (recommended), Once per day, and Once per week
Screenshot coming soon
Rule of thumb: if the popup interrupts (centre-of-screen modal), choose "Every session" or longer. If it informs (corner card, top bar, social-proof notification), shorter cadences are fine.
Stop showing after conversion (recommended for most stores)
Frequency tells the popup how often to try to show. The stop showing rule tells it when to give up entirely on a shopper. Three options sit right above the frequency dropdown.
The default and the right choice for most stores is "After visitor converts (email signup, spin, etc.)". The helper text reads, "Most merchants choose this to avoid showing offers to existing subscribers" — and that captures it exactly. The moment the shopper enters their email, claims a spin-wheel prize, or clicks the main call-to-action, the popup stops appearing for them indefinitely. A returning subscriber next month never sees the same "subscribe for 10% off" offer they already redeemed.
This also protects your brand. Showing the same discount to a shopper who already subscribed makes the offer feel meaningless. Stopping after conversion keeps the discount perceived as scarce.
Stop after N closes (configurable, default 2)
The second option, "After visitor closes it", lets you give up on a shopper who keeps dismissing the popup. By default, Nudgesmart waits until the shopper has manually closed it twice before retiring it. You can change that count to 1 (give up after the first close) or higher if you want to be more persistent.
When this is the right choice:
- Aggressive lead capture — ask twice, then back off.
- Promotional banners during a sale — one more chance to remind a shopper who dismissed it.
- Cart-abandon recovery — it is fine to nudge twice; three times is irritating.
If shoppers complain the popup keeps coming back after they tap the X, the count is usually set higher than they expect. Change it to 1 and the popup retires after the first manual close.
Stop-showing radio group with three options visible — After visitor converts, After visitor closes it with a number input set to 2, and Never stop (use frequency rules only)
Screenshot coming soon
Never stop (frequency rules only)
The third option, "Never stop (use frequency rules only)", does what it says: the campaign keeps showing as long as the frequency mode allows. The helper text confirms it — "Campaign will keep showing based on frequency settings below."
This mode is rarely the right default, but it has its uses:
- Free-shipping threshold bars that should always remind shoppers.
- Announcement bars with rotating store information.
- Persistent loyalty prompts for return customers not yet enrolled.
Because there is no terminal stopping point, pair "Never stop" with a longer cadence ("Once per day" or "Once per week"). Pairing it with "Every page view" shows the popup on every single page load forever — almost never what shoppers want.
How cooldowns work behind the scenes
When a shopper sees a popup, Nudgesmart records the moment in their browser so the cooldown can be enforced on later page loads. That record stays in the same browser — it is not tied to their email or account. A few things follow:
- Switching devices (phone to desktop) does not carry the cooldown across.
- Clearing browser data or using a private window resets the cooldown.
- Two shoppers sharing one browser profile share the cooldown.
For 95% of traffic this is invisible — shoppers stay on one device, and the cooldown enforces correctly. The edge cases are a feature of how browsers work, not a bug, and cannot be fully prevented without making shoppers sign in.
For broader context on respectful interruption, the Nielsen Norman Group's roundup of UX anti-patterns covers the kind of nagging behaviour that thoughtful frequency rules prevent.
Common pitfalls
- "The popup kept showing after I clicked the X button." The default close count is 2, not 1. If you want the popup to retire after the first manual close, change the "After visitor closes it" count to 1.
- "The popup shows every time I open the cart." Frequency is set to "Every page view". For most cart-related popups, "Every session" is the right cadence.
- "The popup hasn't shown again after I cleared cookies." Cooldown timestamps are stored in the browser, so clearing browsing data resets them. This is expected behaviour.
- "The popup keeps showing even though I subscribed." Confirm "After visitor converts (email signup, spin, etc.)" is selected as the stop-showing rule. If "Never stop" is selected, even subscribers will keep seeing the popup.
Frequently asked questions
Will the popup show again after I clear cookies?
Yes. Clearing browser data clears the cooldown timestamps with everything else, so the popup treats you as a fresh visitor on the next page load. This is how every browser-based cooldown works, including those used by Klaviyo, OptiMonk, and Privy.
Why did the popup show twice today?
Usually because frequency is set to "Every page view" rather than "Every session". The other common cause is testing across two browsers or an incognito window, which the cooldown treats as separate shoppers.
How is "Every session" different from "Once per day"?
"Every session" lets the popup show once per browsing visit, even if the same shopper comes back twice in one day. "Once per day" is stricter — exactly one display in any 24-hour window, regardless of how many separate visits the shopper makes.
Can different campaigns have different frequency rules?
Yes. Frequency and stop-showing rules are configured per campaign, so your spin-wheel can be "Every session" while your free-shipping bar is "Every page view" and your re-engagement popup is "Once per week".
Does the cooldown reset if I refresh the page?
No. Refreshing does not reset the cooldown — the popup respects whichever frequency mode you set, regardless of refreshes.