How to Create An Exit-Intent Survey to Collect Feedback from Website Visitors (With Templates)

For ecommerce store owners, understanding why visitors leave without making a purchase is crucial. Exit-intent surveys offer a simple way to collect feedback right before a visitor exits your site.

Using an exit-intent survey template can streamline the process and ensure you capture the most relevant feedback from your visitors.

This feedback can reveal why potential customers didn’t convert—whether it’s your pricing, site usability, or something else—allowing you to make targeted improvements.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of creating effective website exit-intent surveys so you can gather the insights needed to boost conversions and grow your business—templates included!

Let’s get started…

What is an exit survey?

An exit survey is a last-chance effort to understand why a visitor is leaving your website.

It appears just before the visitor exits—typically when they move their mouse toward the close button or show signs of leaving.

The website survey might be as simple as a multiple-choice question asking why they didn’t complete a purchase…

Or a text box inviting them to share their thoughts…

This quick interaction can reveal crucial insights into what’s causing visitors to leave, helping you make better decisions to enhance your website, improve your offerings, and, ultimately, boost your conversion rates.

Why should you use exit surveys?

So, why go through the trouble of setting up an exit survey? Here’s why it’s worth your time:

• Understand customer pain points: Exit surveys reveal why visitors leave, helping you discover and address specific issues.
• Improve conversion rates: Making changes based on feedback reduces bounce rates and increases conversions.
• Enhance user experience: Feedback guides improvements in design, navigation, and content.
• Optimize product offerings: Surveys provide insights that you can use to refine your product lineup and marketing strategies.

When should you use an exit survey?

Now, let’s explore five key moments when using an exit survey can provide the most valuable insights.

1. Abandoned carts

Visitors that abandon their shopping cart… they’re every ecommerce owner’s nightmare. 

Fortunately, triggering a survey just as a user is about to abandon their cart can help you understand exactly why they decided not to complete their purchase. Was it the total cost? Concerns about shipping fees? Or maybe they just got distracted?

By gathering this data, you can identify patterns and make the necessary adjustments to reduce cart abandonment rates.

2. High-intent pages

Website exit surveys are also highly effective on landing pages where conversions are the primary goal, such as pricing, checkout, or product pages. 

These are high-intent areas where site visitors are close to making a decision. 

If they decide to leave instead, a quick website exit survey can provide insights into what might have deterred them—whether it’s pricing concerns, lack of information, or something else entirely.

3. After key interactions

When visitors engage with something significant (like a product demo, a free trial, or a valuable piece of content) but then don’t proceed further, it’s a prime opportunity to deploy a website exit survey. 

This user feedback can reveal why they chose not to move forward—was it confusion, lack of interest, or unmet expectations? 

Understanding their reasons allows you to refine these key interactions to encourage deeper engagement next time.

4. On bounce-prone pages

If certain pages on your site consistently have a high bounce rate, it’s a clear sign that something isn’t working. 

Create exit surveys on these bounce-prone pages to identify the specific issues driving visitors away. 

Whether it’s confusing content, slow load times, or irrelevant information, pinpointing the problem can lead to targeted improvements and lower bounce rates.

5. After completing a purchase

Finally, website surveys can be useful even after a visitor has completed a purchase. As they’re about to leave your site, gather feedback on their shopping experience. 

This is an ideal time to gain insights on what went well and what could be improved, helping you refine the post-purchase experience and boost customer satisfaction for future sales.

How to create a website exit survey?

Creating a website exit survey doesn’t have to be complicated.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create customer surveys that will give you the actionable feedback you want.

Step 1: Choose your survey tool

A tool like OptiMonk makes creating website exit surveys a breeze: describe the survey you want, and its AI agent builds it for your brand, no technical skills needed.

Step 2: Get inspired

OptiMonk's Popup Library has survey popup ideas for different use cases, and the agent rebuilds any of them in your brand, with a separate mobile version.

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Step 3: Craft your questions

Keep your exit-intent survey questions short and to the point. 

Questions like “What prevented you from making a purchase today?” or “How can we improve your experience?” are great starting points. The goal is to gather useful feedback without overwhelming the visitor.

By creating your own exit-intent survey, you can tailor the questions to gather the most relevant feedback for your business.

Step 4: Design the survey

The agent designs the survey in your brand's colors, fonts, and logo. To change anything, ask it in plain words or fine-tune it in the visual editor.

Step 5: Set your triggers

Decide when and where your exit-intent survey will appear. Common triggers include when the visitor’s mouse moves toward the browser’s close button or when they remain inactive for a set period of time.

Step 6: Launch your survey

Once everything is set up, it’s time to activate your website exit survey and start collecting user feedback! The data you gather will be invaluable in making targeted improvements to your site.

5 exit survey examples to inspire your own

Not sure what questions to include when creating exit intent surveys? Here are some real-world examples of exit survey questions tailored for different situations:

1. Shopping cart abandonment survey

For abandoned carts, an effective question could be: "What stopped you from completing your purchase today?"

You can offer response options like:

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• concerns about pricing,
• unexpected shipping fees,
• or unsuitable payment methods.

When the exit intent survey appears, it helps you identify the reasons shoppers hesitate at checkout, enabling you to adjust your pricing strategy or clarify shipping costs accordingly.

2. Pricing page exit survey

On pricing pages, an exit survey could ask: "Did something stop you from signing up today?" Possible answers might include the high price, the need for more information, or a desire for additional features.

If multiple visitors cite pricing as a barrier, you might consider testing discounts, flexible payment plans, or clearer explanations of the value your product provides.

3. Content exit survey

For content downloads, a useful exit survey question could be: "Was this content helpful?"

Users could respond with options like "Yes, it was great!" or "It didn’t meet my needs." This feedback helps you adjust your lead magnets to ensure they provide real value to potential customers.

4. Post-purchase exit survey

A post-purchase exit survey can ask: "How was your shopping experience?"

A positive response confirms you’re on the right track, while negative feedback highlights areas for improvement in checkout flow, customer service, or product expectations.

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5. High bounce rate page exit survey

If a page has a high bounce rate, an exit survey can provide clarity by asking: "What were you hoping to find on this page?"

If visitors indicate they were looking for product details, pricing information, or customer reviews, you can optimize the page to better align with their expectations.

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How to use what you learn in an exit-intent survey?

Collecting customer feedback is just the beginning. The real value lies in using the insights from a website exit-intent survey to make meaningful improvements. 

Here's how you can turn those insights into action:

1. Identify patterns

Examine the feedback for recurring themes. If multiple users mention pricing as a barrier, especially on your pricing page, it’s a clear signal that your pricing strategy may need to be reassessed. 

Identifying these patterns in the survey responses helps you pinpoint the most pressing issues.

2. A/B test changes

Use the feedback to develop hypotheses and run A/B tests. 

For example, if users consistently mention that your site lacks product information, try adding more detailed descriptions or videos. Then, test these changes to see if they lead to a better conversion rate. 

This approach ensures that your adjustments are backed by data.

3. Refine your targeting

If you notice that a specific demographic frequently leaves your site, it might be time to rethink your targeting strategy. 

Adjust your marketing efforts or personalize content to better appeal to this group so your messaging resonates more effectively.

4. Prioritize updates

Not all feedback can be addressed at once, so focus on the most commonly mentioned issues first. 

By tackling the most critical pain points, you can make the biggest impact with your updates, improving the overall user experience and driving better results.

FAQ

Wrapping up

Website exit-intent surveys are a powerful tool for understanding why visitors leave your website.

You can gather actionable insights that lead to improvements by asking the right exit survey questions at the right time.

Whether you’re aiming to increase conversions, enhance the user experience, or refine your product offerings, the feedback from these surveys can guide your decisions and help you build a more effective website.

So, don’t let those visitors leave without getting some answers—start using exit surveys today!

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