Your Storefront's First Impression: The Top Announcement Banner

There's a tool on your Whizzly dashboard that takes about 45 seconds to set up and can make an immediate difference to how customers experience your shop.

It's the Top Announcement Banner. And we think it's underused.

What It Is

A full-width, pinned banner that sits above the fold on your storefront — the very first thing a visitor sees when they arrive.

It can contain text, an emoji, and an optional clickable link. You can choose from a handful of colour styles (Emerald for positive news, Amber for notices, Red for urgent alerts, Slate for neutral information).

That's it. Simple by design.

When to Use It

The best merchants think of this as their live noticeboard. Here are the moments when it genuinely earns its place:

🎉 New collection or product launch "Our Autumn/Winter collection is here — 22 new pieces. Shop now →"

🚚 Delivery changes "Christmas delivery: order by 18 Dec for guaranteed arrival. Royal Mail 1st Class included."

⏰ Flash sale or limited offer "This weekend only: 20% off all candles with code COSY20"

🔴 Temporary closure "We're closed 24–28 Dec. All orders placed will ship from 29 Dec. Happy Christmas! 🎄"

📦 Current stock notice "High demand — some items may take 5–7 days to dispatch. Thanks for your patience."

🙏 Transparency note "We're a one-person operation! Orders dispatched Tues & Fri each week."

That last one is worth thinking about. Being upfront about how you operate — that you're a solo maker, that you batch your dispatch days, that you make everything to order — doesn't hurt trust. It builds it. Customers appreciate honesty. They'll wait for you if they know why.

The Link Option

If your banner is promoting something specific, you can attach a link so the entire banner is clickable — sending customers directly to a specific product, category, or your FAQ page.

Best Practices

• Keep it short: 80 characters or fewer. A banner should be scannable in one second.
• Update it regularly: A banner that says "Christmas Delivery" in March erodes trust. Set a reminder to update it when the occasion passes.
• Don't use it for everything: When everything is urgent, nothing is. Save the banner for genuine news.
• Match the tone to your brand: If you're a playful, irreverent candle brand, the banner can be playful too.

Activation

Dashboard → Powerups → Top Announcement Banner. Type your message, pick a colour, add an optional link, and toggle live.

Included free on all Whizzly plans.