“12 people are looking at this product.” Customers have seen this message so often, sometimes on pages that never change, that many do not believe it anymore. Used honestly, though, it is useful information. Here is how to keep it on the right side.
The rule: only real numbers
- Live viewers: count real visits to the same product during the last few minutes, exclude bots, and do not count the visitor themselves.
- Low stock: show it only from the real WooCommerce stock.
- Recent sales: count paid orders only, over a stated period.
Random numbers are not only a trust problem: in many countries, false scarcity claims are considered misleading commercial practices.
Thresholds that make sense
| Message | Show from |
|---|---|
| Other people looking | 1 or 2 other visitors |
| Only X left | 5 units or fewer |
| X sold recently | 3 sales in 24 hours, or over 7 days for smaller stores |
Below the threshold, show nothing. Silence is better than “0 people are looking”.
Keep it calm
- One line per message, no flashing, no fake countdown.
- A neutral tone: information, not pressure.
- Close to the price and the add to cart button.
For the bigger picture, read our guide to ethical urgency and scarcity.
A tool built on real data
Viewly counts real live viewers (updated every minute), uses your real stock and paid orders, and lets you set the minimum for each message. Open the demo in two tabs to see the counter react.
Frequently asked questions
Are fake visitor counters legal?
Inventing numbers can be treated as a misleading practice in many countries. Use real data only.
What if my store has little traffic?
Raise the thresholds or use a longer sales period; messages simply stay hidden until they are true.
Do bots inflate the numbers?
Viewly ignores common bots and counts each visitor once per product.