Wishlist Conversion
Wishlist conversion rate is the percentage of items added to a wishlist or "save for later" list that are eventually purchased. It measures the effectiveness of wishlists as a tool for capturing and converting deferred purchase intent.
Also known as: save-for-later conversion, wishlist-to-purchase rate, saved items conversion
Formula
(Wishlisted Items Purchased / Total Wishlisted Items) x 100
Why It Matters
Wishlists represent a unique form of intent - stronger than a product view but different from an add-to-cart. Customers who wishlist items are telling you they want the product but are not ready to buy yet. Understanding why they wait and how to convert them is a significant revenue opportunity.
Wishlist data is also a goldmine for personalization and promotional targeting. You know exactly what each customer wants, which makes triggered emails (price drop alerts, back-in-stock notifications, gift-giving reminders) highly relevant and effective. Wishlist-triggered emails typically achieve 2-3x higher conversion rates than generic promotional emails.
Tracking wishlist conversion also reveals product-level demand signals that go beyond purchase data. Products with high wishlist rates but low conversion may be overpriced. Products with high wishlist-to-purchase conversion might be candidates for featuring more prominently. This data helps with merchandising, pricing, and inventory decisions.
How to Calculate
Divide the number of wishlisted items that are subsequently purchased by the total number of items added to wishlists. Multiply by 100. Define the time window for conversion (30 days, 90 days, lifetime) and track the average time from wishlist to purchase to optimize your re-engagement timing.
Wishlist Conversion Rate Calculator
(Wishlisted Items Purchased / Total Wishlisted Items) x 100
Industry Applications
A jewelry retailer implements automated "price drop" emails for wishlisted items and sees wishlist conversion rate increase from 8% to 22%. The average time from wishlist to purchase drops from 45 days to 18 days.
Benchmark: Ecommerce wishlist conversion rates typically range from 5-20%, with triggered email programs achieving the higher end
A SaaS company allows users to "save" feature requests and integrations they want. When those features launch, targeted announcements to those users achieve a 35% upgrade conversion rate.
How to Track in KISSmetrics
KISSmetrics tracks wishlist behavior by connecting wishlist events with subsequent purchase events at the individual user level. Tag wishlist additions with product details, then use People-based tracking to identify when a wishlisted item is purchased. Set up automated email triggers for price drops, low inventory, and periodic reminders based on wishlist data.
Common Mistakes
- -Not following up on wishlisted items with any re-engagement, leaving conversion to chance
- -Sending too many wishlist reminders, which trains customers to ignore them or unsubscribe
- -Not tracking the reason for wishlist addition (saving for later, price monitoring, gift idea) which requires different follow-up strategies
- -Ignoring wishlist data for demand forecasting and inventory planning
Pro Tips
- +Implement price drop alerts for wishlisted items - these are some of the highest-converting email types in ecommerce
- +Send wishlist reminders before key shopping occasions (holidays, birthdays) when customers are more likely to convert
- +Test offering a small exclusive discount on wishlisted items after 14 days to convert fence-sitters
- +Use aggregate wishlist data to identify trending products before they show up in sales data
- +Make the wishlist feature prominent and easy to use - including on mobile where "save for later" intent is highest
Related Terms
Add to Cart Rate
Add to cart rate is the percentage of website visitors or product page viewers who add at least one item to their shopping cart. It measures how effectively your product pages convert browsing interest into purchase consideration.
Cart Abandonment Rate
Cart abandonment rate is the percentage of online shoppers who add items to their shopping cart but leave the site without completing the purchase. It is one of the most critical ecommerce conversion metrics.
Checkout Conversion Rate
Checkout conversion rate is the percentage of users who begin the checkout process and successfully complete a purchase. It measures the effectiveness of your checkout flow at converting intent into transactions.
Product View to Cart Rate
Product view to cart rate is the percentage of product page views that result in the item being added to the shopping cart. It measures how effectively individual product pages convert visitor interest into purchase consideration.
Repeat Purchase Rate
Repeat purchase rate is the percentage of customers who make more than one purchase within a defined time period. It measures customer loyalty and the effectiveness of your retention and re-engagement strategies.
See Wishlist Conversion in action
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