How to add a spin to win wheel to your Shopify store

A spin to win wheel is a popup with a prize wheel on it. A shopper spins once, lands on a prize and gets a discount code to use straight away. This guide sets one up with Winky, step by step. If you'd like to see the finished thing first, play the wheel on its own page.

Before you start: decide what the wheel is for

One clear goal makes every later choice easier. A wheel for first-time visitors wants a welcoming headline and a short delay. A wheel for shoppers about to leave wants exit intent and a short code life. A wheel for a sale weekend wants to show quickly on every page. Pick one goal for this campaign; you can always add another campaign later.

Step 1: Install Winky

Winky is in review for the Shopify App Store. Until it's listed, ask for early access and we'll set you up. It's free to install, and the first $500 of popup sales every 30 days is free. The full details are on the pricing section.

Step 2: Switch on the Winky app embed

Winky runs as an app embed, a switch in your theme editor. Winky shows you exactly where it is, and turning it on is one click. Nothing in your theme's code changes, so there's nothing to undo if you remove the app later.

Step 3: Create a campaign from the "Spin to win" template

Start a new campaign and choose the "Spin to win" template. In the Message tab, write the headline and the button text. Keep the headline short and say what's on offer, such as "Spin for up to 20% off". The button can be as simple as "Spin".

Step 4: Set the prizes and their chances

The Game tab is where the wheel's slices live. Each slice gives one of four prizes:

• A % discount, such as 10% off.
• An amount off, such as 5 off in your store's currency.
• My own discount code, a code you made in Shopify, such as free shipping. Every winner of that slice gets the same code.
• Nothing (try again), a slice with no prize.

Then set how likely each slice is. Winky keeps the chances adding up to 100%. A balanced starting mix might be 5% off at 40%, 10% off at 30%, free shipping at 20%, 20% off at 5% and try again at 5%. The big prize is on the wheel for excitement, but it comes up rarely.

Codes, minimum order and expiry

For % and amount prizes, Winky creates a single-use Shopify discount code for each winner, so a code can't be shared around. You can add an optional minimum order, and choose whether codes last 15 minutes, 1 hour, 24 hours or 7 days. For more on getting this balance right, read spin to win prize ideas that protect your margins.

Step 5: Make it look like your store

In the Look tab, the wheel follows your theme's colours and fonts automatically. If you'd rather, pick custom colours and a font. Choose a layout too: Middle, Side panel, Corner or Floating. The Bottom bar layout can't hold a game, so it isn't an option for a wheel.

Step 6: Choose when, where and how often

The Show it tab decides who sees the wheel and when:

• When: right away, after 3, 10 or 30 seconds, halfway down the page, or when they're about to leave.
• Pages: all pages, the home page, product pages, collection pages, the cart page, or pages you choose.
• Devices: phones, tablets and computers, phones and tablets, or computers only.
• Who: everyone, or only shoppers from ads and links, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or Google.
• How often: once per visit (up to 3 times a week), once a day, once a week, only once ever, or on every page they visit.

Not sure which to pick? When to show a popup (and how often) has recipes for different kinds of store, and the exit intent page covers the "about to leave" trigger.

Step 7: Publish and check it on your store

Press Publish and the wheel goes live. Visit your store as a shopper would and spin it. When you win, the code appears with a countdown, and "Shop with my prize" applies it to the cart in one click. If a shopper leaves the code unused, a small reminder bubble brings them back before it expires.

You can also spin the same wheel right here:

Spin the wheel

Step 8: Check Analytics

Winky's Analytics shows views, plays, clicks, orders and sales for each campaign, read live from your Shopify orders. An order counts when the shopper used the popup's button, a Winky prize code or a Winky link.

• Many views but few plays? Look at the headline and the timing. The wheel may be showing before shoppers are ready.
• Plenty of plays but few orders? Look at the prizes, the minimum order and how long codes last.

Change one thing at a time and give it a little while before judging, so you know which change made the difference.