How a “Recently Viewed” section helped one brand increase conversions by 14.2%.
High-intent returning shoppers convert faster when the path back to products is frictionless.
Returning visitors come back with more intent than first-time shoppers.
The problem is that most homepages treat everyone the same.
But most storefronts are designed almost entirely around discovery.
Hero banners. Brand storytelling. Category education. Featured collections.
All useful for someone seeing the brand for the first time.
Less useful for someone trying to find the electrolyte powder they viewed three days ago.
One CPG brand added a “Recently Viewed” section to the homepage and increased conversion rate by 14.2%.
This was especially useful when paired with a subscription message tied to those products.
Why it worked
Most homepages interrupt returning shopper momentum.
They land back on the site and have to search again, reopen collections, remember product names, and retrace their steps.
That friction sounds small, but it compounds quickly on mobile.
A “Recently Viewed” section removes that reset moment and helps shoppers continue where they left off.
This becomes especially important for:
- large SKU catalogs
- subscription brands
- products with longer consideration cycles
- repeat purchase categories
