20 Awesome Lead Magnets for Ecommerce to Grow Your Revenue

Nikolett Lorincz
March 22, 2023
Marketing
6 min read

Are you an ecommerce store owner struggling to capture leads and convert them into paying customers? Look no further!

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of 20 awesome lead magnet ideas. From exclusive discounts to free resources, these lead magnets are guaranteed to attract potential customers.

Here’s what you’ll find inside:

20 high-performing lead magnet examples used by top ecommerce brands
Tips to help you choose the best lead magnet for your store
Common pitfalls to avoid so you don’t lose out on conversions

Read on to discover how you can get more leads for your business.

What is a lead magnet?

A lead magnet is an incentive (like free content, an item, or a service) you offer website visitors in return for their contact details.

Generally, in order to get their freebie, they must first enter their contact info, usually an email address and/or phone number.

Lead magnets are a killer way to build a list of subscribers. And once you have your visitors’ contact details, you can easily nurture these relationships with email or SMS campaigns, boosting your conversions and customer loyalty.

What's a good lead magnet for ecommerce?

Online shoppers see lead magnets every day, so if yours is bland or generic, they’ll skip it. To stand out, your lead magnet needs to deliver real value upfront.

From my time building and selling niche websites, I've found the best lead magnets don't just hand out coupons. They act more like a personal shopper. A generic 10% discount doesn't solve that problem, it just attracts bargain hunters who are often one and done. A much better way to go is to create a lead magnet that actually guides them to the right choice

Leury Pichardo Digital Ceuticals/ Marketing Director

The most effective ones offer instant rewards, like:

Big discounts
Early access to new products
Free passes to online courses
VIP community membership

Magic Spoon shows us how it’s done with a standout lead magnet: a full month of free cereal.

Bonus points if your offer directly solves a pain point your audience is struggling with.

20 best ecommerce lead magnet ideas to capture more leads

Now that you know what a lead magnet is, let’s see some of the best lead magnet ideas and examples that work well for ecommerce stores.

1. Offer a coupon

Coupons are a great lead magnet idea because people love saving money, and website visitors can connect a coupon with a specific monetary value.

Here’s how DTC brand Obvi uses a 20% off coupon to generate leads:

Want to try this effective lead magnet for yourself? It’s easy using one of OptiMonk’s many discount lead magnet templates—check out a few examples below.

2. Offer free shipping

A free shipping offer is one of the best lead magnet ideas for online stores.

That’s because it addresses one of the top pain points of online shopping: high shipping costs. Studies show that 82% of shoppers say they want free shipping.

Offering free delivery like Oka.com is a great way to entice potential customers:

Promoting your free shipping threshold can also increase your average order value and boost sales.

3. Create swipe files

Swipe files are quick, informal resources that deliver instant informational value to your customers. That’s why they’re a great method for generating leads.

For example, this social media swipe file from DigitalMarketer provides a list of 72 headlines for social media posts:

To create an effective swipe file as a lead magnet:

Identify a common problem your target audience faces
Offer quick, actionable solutions in a bite-sized format
Make it easy to skim, save, and use immediately

4. Create shopping guides and quizes

Too many choices can lead to decision paralysis and lost sales. Make shopping easier by offering a quiz for each product category.

The Farmer’s Dog nails this by using a quiz as part of their sales funnel. They ask questions about your dog, then deliver a personalized meal plan with tailored recipes. It’s a lead magnet and product matchmaker in one.

Try our Conversational Popup templates which ask customers a segmenting question first, then offer personalized recommendations:

5. Create ebooks

Ebooks offer in-depth information about a topic for target audiences that are interested in a deep dive into a problem.

An ebook can help showcase your authority and build trust among your potential customers. If the content is high quality and makes an impression, your brand will stay at the top of their minds.

To make your ebook lead magnet resonate, pick a topic your audience actually cares about.

Here’s how to find the right focus:

Check your website analytics to see which blog posts get the most traffic,
Run a quick survey to ask visitors what they want to learn,
Use tools like Google Trends to spot hot topics in your niche.

Once it’s ready, promote your ebook across your site using one of our plug-and-play templates.

6. Host a giveaway

Another great lead magnet idea is to offer the chance to win free stuff by running a prize giveaway. Giveaways are very shareable, so they tend to generate a lot of buzz and sometimes even go viral.

This great lead magnet example is from Guilty Shoes. They promote a chance to win a free pair of shoes using an eye-catching image to grab attention and clear, concise copy.

7. Run a contest

Contests are similar to giveaways, but this type of lead magnet requires people to do more than just sign up for an email list. Often, they’ll need to share a certain number of branded posts on social media or take some other action.

As a result, you should offer a higher value product than you would for other lead magnet ideas think things like an expensive laptop, a TV, or a cash prize.

To get the best results from this type of lead magnet, focus on promotion:

Run targeted social media ads,
Share engaging posts across your channels,
Launch email campaigns to your list,
Create short promotional videos to boost visibility.

Tip: You should also incentivize user-generated content to get more eyes on your contest. Instagram photo contests, for example, are a great way to build momentum.

8. Offer a free sample or a free gift

Offering a free gift or sample to potential leads is another effective lead magnet idea. Just using “free” as part of your lead magnet copy can boost your lead generation efforts!

Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational, found that when people had the choice between a free $10 Amazon gift card or paying $7 for a $20 Amazon gift card, people preferred the free $10 over the $13 of value with the paid offer.

The lesson here is that your target audience might prefer something like a free sample or free consultation over a more valuable offer that requires additional effort on their part.

Here, Grab Green Home offers a free home cleaning bundle:

Try it for yourself with these free popup templates:

9. Create educational videos or training videos

An educational training, tutorial, or how-to video is an awesome downloadable lead magnet idea. Video is a great format for companies that sell products requiring a bit of explanation or a demonstration.

And video is incredibly popular: 89% of people say watching a video has convinced them to buy a product or service. For example, if you sell bike accessories, you could offer access to an educational video on how to change a bike tire.

Here’s a lead magnet example that promotes a video about how to use excel.

10. Hold webinars

Webinars are essentially live-streamed educational videos, bringing an extra dose of urgency since they aren’t available all the time.

Wyatt Jozwowski (co-founder of Demio) highlights the benefits of webinars as lead magnets in more detail: “Webinars are truly unlike anything else; if done right, you can keep your audience engaged for hours on end, and that’s something that videos put simply—struggle to do. Not only that, but your audience can also ask questions and get real-time feedback on the training.”

When your visitors are excited enough to spend hours with you as part of a webinar, they’ll be more than happy to sign up for your email list.

11. Offer a free consultation

Often, your site visitors might be interested in getting advice about their problems, which you can use as an opportunity to explain why your product is a good solution.

If you can have specialists on hand to provide expert advice to your visitors, it can be a really great way to generate leads. Here’s how PayPlan offers up their expertise:

12. Offer a mystery discount

By offering a “mystery discount,” you can tap into people’s natural curiosity and generate a lot of interest.

Lead magnets work by getting your site visitors intrigued enough to enter their contact details… which is exactly why the suspense of a mystery discount offer can be a great way to collect leads.

Ready to offer mystery discounts? Kick things off with these popup templates:

13. Invite visitors to join your loyalty program

A loyalty program can also be used as a lead magnet.

Rather than simply offering a discount to new visitors, brands like Sephora and Urban Outfitters invite them to join their loyalty program.

By entering their email and registering an account, the brand then emails the promised discount or incentive to the new subscriber.

Using a loyalty program as a lead magnet has several benefits. It helps convert new visitors into subscribers by providing an additional incentive beyond just a discount. By joining a loyalty program, subscribers feel a sense of exclusivity and are more likely to engage with the brand and make repeat purchases.

14. Offer credits

Similarly to discounts, another effective yet less explored approach is offering credits for future purchases.

This tactic not only encourages immediate sign-ups but also ensures that your potential customers remain engaged and invested in your brand.

The Oodie is a great example of this. Upon joining their email list, visitors receive a $25 credit for their first order.

15. Offer a target planner or worksheet

Manifestation Babe doesn’t leave lead generation to chance; she’s built an entire ecosystem of worksheets that cater to different needs. Whether it’s raising your vibration, tackling money anxiety, or aligning your intentions, there’s downloadable material for it.

What makes it work? She knows her audience inside out.

By offering multiple lead magnets tailored to specific emotional or mindset challenges, she’s meeting people exactly where they are.

16. Give an instant value with a free trial

Lumin uses a free trial as a lead magnet by offering 21 days’ worth of skincare products, you just pay for shipping.

Before the trial, you fill out a short quiz about your skin concerns and routine, which helps personalize the product selection.

The quiz is quick, and afterward, you get two tailored trial options to choose from.

17. Build hype with early SMS access

Fans of a brand want in first and Glow Recipe plays into that perfectly.

Instead of asking for emails, they go straight for SMS, which is a smart move, considering how powerful mobile marketing is.

With SMS open rates around 98% and 90% of messages read within just 3 minutes, it’s one of the fastest ways to grab attention.

But here’s the twist: you don’t get access to the whole product line, just one new item.

That exclusivity keeps people intrigued and invested. It’s a smart way to spark FOMO and build brand loyalty.

18. Attract leads with a gift card giveaway

Free stuff works especially when it’s a gift card. Kirrin Finch keeps it simple yet effective: a $100 gift card giveaway, plus an extra 10% off your first order.

Gift cards are affordable for brands but valuable enough to catch attention. For new visitors, it’s a low-risk, high-reward way to join your list.

Want to start offering gift cards? These ready-to-use templates will help you launch fast:

19. Engage customers with a quick survey

Surveys might not sound exciting, but Asphalte turns them into a powerful engagement tool. They ask customers to help shape the next product line, an invitation to be part of something bigger.

This strategy is smart, as it not only gathers feedback but also builds loyalty by making customers feel heard and involved.

20. Boost trust with VIP access & trials

Along with a product guide, Cowboy offers early access and invites leads into a VIP community where they can test ride bikes.

Allowing potential buyers to engage with your product before making a purchase is a game-changer. It builds trust, boosts excitement, and increases purchase intent.

How to find the right lead magnet for your store?

Now that we’ve explored some lead capture form examples, it’s time to shift the focus to you. What lead magnet will actually work for your store? Here’s how to figure it out step-by-step:

1. Identify your customers’ pain points

Start by asking yourself a few key questions:

Why don’t people buy right away?
What questions do they have before purchasing?
What overwhelms or confuses them?

Understanding these friction points is your first step toward creating a relevant lead magnet. You can collect this info through quick surveys, feedback popups, or even post-purchase questions.

Want to skip the guesswork? Try using these popup templates:

2. Map the buyer’s journey

Not all visitors are at the same stage, and your lead magnets shouldn’t treat them like they are.

Segment your traffic like this:

Cold traffic (new visitors): Need education or inspiration
Warm traffic (browsing products): Need help comparing options
Hot traffic (cart abandoners): Need urgency or a confidence boost

For example, new visitors might love a quiz to discover their ideal product. Warm leads? Offer a comparison guide, free sample, or free course.

And those about to bounce from their cart? A last-minute discount or exit-intent offer could seal the deal.

Win back those leads with these ready-to-use templates:

3. See what already works

No need to start from scratch, just look at what’s getting traction on your site:

Top-performing blog posts or landing pages
Most-viewed product pages
Most common customer questions

These high-traffic areas are perfect places to drop in a lead magnet. If users are already engaged, give them a little extra incentive to stick around.

4. Spy on your competitors

A little friendly stalking never hurt anyone (in marketing, at least). Visit a few competitor websites and take notes:

What kind of lead magnets are they using: discounts, quizzes, ebooks?
Are they using popups, slide-ins, or embedded forms?
Which tools are powering their popups? (Use BuiltWith, Wappalyzer, or browse incognito to trigger them.)

You don’t need to copy, but you can borrow inspiration and improve upon it.

5. Recycle what you already have

You don’t have to start from scratch to create lead magnet content. You likely have content that’s ready to be repurposed:

Blog posts: You can turn them into a downloadable guide
Product knowledge: Create a comparison chart
FAQs: Build a handy buying checklist

If it’s useful and already created, you’re halfway there. A little polish, and it’s lead magnet-ready.

How to offer a lead magnet on your ecommerce site?

Popups are one of the most effective ways to promote your lead magnets—why? Because they grab attention fast. Unlike banners or static sections, popups can stop the scroll and spark instant action.

If you’re using OptiMonk, setting up a lead magnet is super simple. Here’s how to do it, step by step:

Step 1. Log in to your OptiMonk account

Don’t have an account yet? No worries, you can sign up for free. Already a user? Just log in and you’re ready to go.

Step 2. Choose a lead capture form

Browse our library of high-converting templates there’s one for every goal and style. Whether you want to grow your email list, boost sales, or promote a new course, you’ll find the perfect fit.

Step 3. Customize your template

Now it’s time to create a lead magnet that is fully yours. With OptiMonk’s drag-and-drop editor, it’s easy to tweak everything—copy, images, buttons, colors, you name it.

Keep it on-brand, keep it clear, and make your offer pop.

Step 4. Set your targeting and triggers

Here’s where the magic happens. Decide when and to whom your popup appears:

Triggers:

On exit intent
On click
After a certain scroll percentage
After a delay

And you can target your popup to make sure it appears to the right person at the right time:

New visitors
Returning users
Non-subscribers
Even paying customers

FAQ

What’s the difference between a lead magnet and a tripwire offer?

A lead magnet is typically a free incentive to collect contact info (like a discount or quiz). A tripwire, on the other hand, is a low-cost product (e.g. $5 trial or mini bundle) used to convert leads into customers quickly. You can use them together: lead magnet first, then tripwire via email.

How do lead magnets fit into a post-purchase funnel?

Lead magnets aren’t just for new visitors. After a purchase, you can use post-purchase popups or email flows to offer loyalty rewards, exclusive VIP access, or referral gifts, turning one-time buyers into repeat customers and brand advocates.

What mistakes should I avoid when offering lead magnets?

Common lead magnet mistakes include: offering something irrelevant to your target audience, making the form too long, over-promising and under-delivering, or not following up with a proper email flow. A good lead magnet is valuable, quick to redeem, and aligned with your product.

Final thoughts

Utilizing lead magnets can be a powerful way for ecommerce businesses to increase their revenue and grow their customer base. Hopefully, you’ve found some lead magnets in this article that you can use to up your lead magnet game.

Remember to experiment with different strategies and track your results to find the perfect lead magnets for your business.

Migration has never been easier

We made switching a no-brainer with our free, white-glove onboarding service so you can get started in the blink of an eye.

What should you do next?

Thanks for reading till the end. Here are 4 ways we can help you grow your business:

Boost conversions with proven use cases

Explore our Use Case Library, filled with actionable personalization examples and step-by-step guides to unlock your website's full potential. Check out Use Case Library

Create a free OptiMonk account

Create a free OptiMonk account and easily get started with popups and conversion rate optimization. Get OptiMonk free

Get advice from a CRO expert

Schedule a personalized discovery call with one of our experts to explore how OptiMonk can help you grow your business. Book a demo

Join our weekly newsletter

Real CRO insights & marketing tips. No fluff. Straight to your inbox. Subscribe now

Share this article

Written by

Posted in
Marketing