All plays
When to use it
When an offer has a genuine end date, confirmed by the marketer or named in the page copy, that the page hides in fine print or omits.
How to run it
- 1Add a countdown timer near the price or CTA for the final 24-48 hours, naming what ends ('20% off ends tonight at midnight').
- 2Run one deadline bar across every page of the promo funnel: product, cart and checkout. Measure it as a single test instead of per-page timers.
Why it works
Give a reason to act now
A close, real deadline pushes procrastinators to act, while a six-day timer creates no urgency on day six. CRO roundups consistently report double-digit lifts for countdown timers in promotions, and the FTC has called fake, resetting countdowns a dark pattern.
Source: Ecommerce countdown roundups (Clean Commit, NotificationX)