# What is Push Notifications?

What is Push Notifications? Messages sent directly to a user's browser/app without email. Open rates: 7-12% (2-3x higher than email).

## How it works in practice

Push notifications are 'an email that reaches the lock screen.' Most effective for: flash sales (urgency), browse abandonment (reminders), back-in-stock alerts. The limit: customers must opt in via their browser.

## Related metrics

- Email Marketing — push and email complement each other
- SMS Marketing — push is cheaper than SMS
- Retargeting — an on-site version
- Mobile Commerce — push works well on mobile

## Common misconception

'Push notifications are spam.' Push with opt-in, relevant content, and low frequency gets high open rates. Push 'to everyone every day' leads to quick opt-outs. Rule: max 3-4 push messages/week, only to subscribers who signed up.

## How to fix it

Low push opt-in? (1) Ask at the right time — 30 seconds after arrival is too early; after a purchase is ideal, (2) explain the value: 'get notified when this item is back in stock,' (3) check the permission prompt design — use a custom prompt before the browser's native one.

## Real-world example

A clothing store sent a back-in-stock push to everyone who'd requested an alert. A restocked item triggered 1,200 push notifications, 340 site visits, and 89 purchases within 4 hours. CR from push: 7.4%.

## Where to start

Push notifications are worth setting up after email and SMS. ROI is especially high for back-in-stock and flash sale alerts. OneSignal is free up to 10,000 subscribers.

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Category: Technology · From the [Jimmy OS KPI Glossary](https://jimmy-os.com/glossary/kpi.md) · Source page: https://jimmy-os.com/glossary/kpi/push-notifications