MerchentiaSticky bar vs. inline banner vs. marquee: which announcement format converts
An announcement bar isn’t one thing. A sticky bar that follows the shopper, an inline banner that sits in one spot, and a marquee that rotates several messages are three different tools — and picking the wrong one for the message is a common way to waste a good offer.
Sticky bar: for anything that should stay visible
A sticky bar pins itself to the top or bottom of the screen and follows the shopper as they scroll. It’s the right choice for a message that stays relevant the whole visit — a free-shipping progress bar, a live sale, or a countdown. The trade-off is permanence: it takes up space on every page it’s shown on, so it should carry your single most important message, not a list of them.
Inline banner: for page-specific context
An inline banner sits where you place it on the page, rather than following the shopper. It’s the better choice for context that only matters in one place — a shipping-delay notice on the cart page, a size-guide nudge on a product page, a policy note at checkout-adjacent pages. It doesn’t compete for attention everywhere, only where it’s actually relevant.
Marquee & rotation: for more than one short message
Trying to fit three offers into one static bar usually means nobody reads any of them. A marquee or rotating bar cycles through short messages in the same slot instead, which keeps each one readable without needing three separate bars competing for space.
Picking the right one for your message
- Sticky — free-shipping threshold, an active sale, a countdown to a deadline
- Inline — cart-specific notices, product-page context, a one-off store update
- Marquee/rotation — several short promotions or notices that all deserve a turn
They aren’t mutually exclusive. A sticky free-shipping bar and a cart-specific inline notice can run at the same time, since they occupy different placements and serve different moments in the visit.
Do it with Announcements
Merch - Announcements includes all three formats — sticky bars, inline banners, and marquee/rotation — with scheduling and page, device, customer, and country targeting for each. It’s 100% free, forever, with no view caps and nothing locked behind an upgrade.
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Frequently asked questions
Which format converts best?
None of them universally — it depends on the message. A sticky bar suits an always-relevant offer like free shipping; an inline banner suits page-specific context; a marquee suits several short messages in rotation.
Can I run more than one format at once?
Yes. A sticky bar and a page-specific inline banner can run at the same time, since they target different placements and don’t compete for the same space.
Does a sticky bar hurt page speed or layout stability?
Not if it’s built for it. A well-built sticky bar reserves its space up front so it doesn’t cause layout shift when it loads.
Is Announcements free to try all three formats?
Yes. Announcements is 100% free, forever, with every format included and no view caps.