Online shoppers love to browse, compare, and save things for later. That’s why wishlists are a staple in eCommerce. They make it easy for customers to keep track of favorites and return when they’re ready to make a decision. But what if a wishlist could do more than just hold saved items?
With that in mind, we created Wishlist Plus, one of the core features in our eCommerce solution – Hootify. Let’s explore what it brings to the table.
What is Wishlist Plus?
Everyone knows wishlists are part of the online shopping experience, yet they’re often overlooked after saving an item. Think about how many times you’ve added something and then never checked back. Traditional wishlists help you save, but don’t do much to bring you back. A wishlist should be the start of the journey, not the end.
Wishlist Plus is built around that idea. It extends the capabilities of the wishlist with advanced functionalities:
- Lets customers add products without interrupting their browsing
- Opens the wishlist to all users, including guests who aren’t logged in
- Sends reminders about the items they saved but haven’t bought yet
- Notifies users about price drops on products they’ve saved
Let’s take a closer look at how Wishlist Plus delivers on each of these functionalities.
1. Keep Browsing Without Disruption: AJAX Wishlist
It all starts with small things. Usually, when a customer adds something to their wishlist, they’re taken to a new page or the site reloads. It’s a minor interruption, but it breaks the flow. With AJAX wishlist, that problem disappears.
Using AJAX, the wishlist update happens asynchronously in the background via JavaScript, allowing data to be sent and received from the server without refreshing or redirecting the page. This means that customers can continue browsing seamlessly, adding items without any disruption. It’s one of those changes you barely notice until you go back to a site that doesn’t have it.
There’s no configuration needed for this, as it’s enabled automatically upon Hootify installation.
2. Save Without Signing Up: Guest Wishlist
Not everyone is willing to create an account simply to bookmark a product. For new visitors or people just casually browsing, being forced to register can be a dealbreaker.
That’s why we added the guest wishlist, allowing anyone to save products without logging in and lowering the barrier to engagement. You can enable or disable this option easily in your admin panel under: Stores > Configuration > Customers > Wishlist
3. Bring Customers Back: Wishlist Item Reminders
But saving items is just the beginning. What about those customers who get distracted, forget about their wishlist, and never return? That’s where wishlist item reminders come in.
Wishlist item reminders are scheduled notifications for users who have added items to their wishlist but have not returned after a specified period. If a customer has opted in, they will receive an email reminding them of their saved items.
The feature can be enabled or disabled as needed, with the option to set the reminder frequency in months. Customers can be automatically opted in at registration or manage their preferences via a toggle on the wishlist page. You can also customize the email template, define the sender address, and schedule the exact time of day the reminder is sent.
All of these options live in: Stores > Configuration > Customers > Wishlist
4. Price Drop Alerts: Wishlist Discount Reminders
Sometimes the only thing standing between a wishlist item and a purchase is the price. If it drops, your customer probably wants to know, and wishlist discount reminders take care of that automatically.
When a wishlist product goes on sale, Hootify can notify the customer right away. This feature uses Magento’s built-in price alert system, so it only requires a quick setup:
- Enable Allow Alert When Product Price Changes
- Then enable Discount Reminder on Wishlist
Customers can also manage sale notifications directly from their wishlist page, turning them on or off as they prefer.
Wishlist Plus for Better Customer Experience
Taken together, these four functionalities transform the wishlist from a static feature into a dynamic, data-driven touchpoint. With its asynchronous experience, support for guest users, smart reminders, and discount alerts, Wishlist Plus turns the wishlist into an active part of the customer journey.
That’s exactly why we added it to Hootify. We believe every store, no matter the size, should have tools that make the customer experience smoother and smarter. And in a crowded digital marketplace, these quiet, context-aware interactions are what set a store apart.
Curious to see how it feels from a shopper’s point of view? Check it out in our demo store. Or if you’d rather explore behind the scenes, try it out in a free admin demo.
