Remember live purchase alerts? Here’s where they still work.

Live “FOMO” purchase alerts increase desktop conversions, but quietly hurt mobile performance.

In a recent test, we removed real-time order notifications on mobile (“Tom in LA bought xyz…”) for a high-AOV brand.

The result? A 25.2% increase in mobile conversion rate.

Why?

On small screens, pop-ups feel intrusive.

They interrupt the flow, add friction, and crowd limited space.

Mobile shoppers want speed and simplicity. Not distractions.

But on desktop, those same notifications still work.

They signal demand. Add urgency. And they don’t block the experience.

That subtle social proof builds trust in high-consideration moments (without slowing the customer down).

Takeaway: Don’t ditch live alerts entirely. A/B test by device. What drives sales on desktop might slow buyers on mobile.

The best UX isn’t ever one-size-fits-all. As always, test!