BOGO Promotion 101: Ideas, Examples & Case Studies

Hi, It’s Charlie from BOGO team, a robust Shopify app used to run the most successful promotions on Shopify. After working with thousands of Shopify stores, I’ve noticed a pattern: regular discounts don’t always yield the desired results. 

You can offer 10%, 20%, even 30% off — and still see low engagement. The problem? These offers don’t always feel valuable.

But when a customer sees “Buy One, Get One Free”? That’s different. It feels like a win. They’re getting more, not just paying less.

That’s why so many high-performing merchants I work with use BOGO promotions to drive sales, move inventory, and reward loyalty. And with the right tools, setting them up on Shopify is easier than you might think.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through what we’ve learned from helping 50,000+ merchants run smarter, more profitable BOGO campaigns. I swear what you’re about to find in this blog will not let you down. 

1. What is a BOGO promotion?

BOGO stands for “Buy One, Get One.” You’ve likely seen it before, maybe as “Buy one, get one free,” or “Buy one, get one 50% off.” It’s simple, catchy, and incredibly effective. In fact, among all the sales tactics used by Shopify brands, BOGO remains one of the most powerful.

But what does a BOGO offer actually look like behind the scenes? And how does it fit into a broader promotional strategy? Let’s see. 

How does a BOGO promotion work?

At its core, BOGO is a value-driven offer. The customer buys one thing and gets something extra, either for free, at a discount, or under a special condition.

That “extra” item can be:

• The same item again (Buy 1 t-shirt, get 1 free)
• A discounted second item (Buy 1, get 1 at 50% off)
• A third item added automatically (Buy 2, get 1 free)

Based on our experience at BOGOS, after working with tens of thousands of merchants, these promotions tend to perform best when the offer is clear, immediate, and seamlessly applied at checkout. That’s why our app focuses on auto-adding the free item to the cart, without requiring coupon codes or complicated rules.

Common types of BOGO promotions

Not all BOGO offers are the same. Here are some of the most common variations:

• BOGOF (Buy One, Get One Free): The classic. Great for lower-cost, high-demand items.
• BOGO with Discount: For example, “Buy one, get one 30% off.” A good fit when giving away the second item entirely might hurt your margins.
• Multiplied BOGO: “Buy 3, get 3 free.” This scales the deal based on quantity, encouraging larger orders.
• BOGO with Minimum Spend: “Spend $100, get a free gift.” This anchors the reward to cart value and works well for stores with higher AOV goals.
• BOGO for Specific Customers: Loyalty-focused deals like “Members get a free item with any purchase” help with retention.
• Category-Based BOGO: “Buy two skincare products, get a serum free.” Ideal when you want to push sales in a specific collection.

Each version can be tailored based on what you want the promotion to achieve, whether that’s clearing shelf space, increasing exposure to new SKUs, or rewarding top customers.

How is BOGO different from Buy X, Get Y (BXGY)?

This is where things often get mixed up. BOGO and BXGY might sound similar, and they do overlap, but they serve slightly different purposes.

BOGO is typically used when the bonus item is the same (or similar) to what’s being purchased. You can think about t-shirts, lip balms, or coffee mugs — low-friction items that make sense in pairs.

BXGY, or Buy X, Get Y, is more flexible. It allows you to mix and match different product types. For example:

• Buy a laptop, get a free mouse → cross-sell
• Buy 3 products, get a tote bag → bundle incentive
• Buy from Collection A, get something from Collection B → cross-collection gifting

So, how do you choose?

• Use BOGO when you want the offer to be crystal clear and instantly appealing. It’s easy for shoppers to understand and act quickly.
• Use BXGY when you want to steer behavior, like pushing people toward a specific product line, bundling slow-moving items with bestsellers, or encouraging product discovery.

2. Why is BOGO effective?

Now that we’ve covered “What is a BOGO sale?” and how it works, let’s talk about why it works so well.

You’ve met BOGO promotions everywhere, from your neighborhood café to global brands. But what makes this type of offer more powerful than a regular 10% or 20% discount?

The answer has less to do with pricing and more to do with psychology.

2.1 “Free” Feels Better Than a Discount

There’s something about the word free that flips a switch in our brains. Even when the actual savings are the same or smaller, people are more likely to respond to a deal that includes something free.

This reaction is known as the Zero Price Effect, a term coined by behavioral researchers who found that people act differently when a product is priced at zero. In one well-known experiment, participants were given two options:

• A premium Lindt truffle for 14 cents
• A Hershey’s Kiss for free

Most chose the free Kiss, even though the truffle was objectively a better deal in terms of quality per cent. Why? Because when something is free, there’s no perceived risk. You don’t weigh pros and cons. You just grab it.

Now layer in another concept: Loss Aversion. People dislike losing more than they enjoy gaining. With BOGO, customers don’t feel like they’re spending more. They feel like they’re getting more. There’s no downside. Only upside.

Put those effects together, and you get a promotion that feels irresistible, even when the numbers aren’t objectively better than a regular discount.

2.2 Perceived Value Beats the Math

Here’s the truth: customers rarely break out a calculator when they shop. Instead, they make decisions based on what feels like a good deal.

A 2019 study using eye-tracking found that shoppers spent more time looking at BOGO offers than percentage-based discounts. And they were more likely to choose them, especially when the second item had a high perceived value.

So even if you could technically offer a bigger discount (say, 25% off), BOGO often drives better results:

• More clicks
• Higher conversion rates
• Larger average order values

And unlike heavy markdowns, BOGO doesn’t drag down your perceived brand value. It creates excitement without signaling that you’re desperate to sell.

3. BOGO benefits

Everyone knows BOGO promotions help clear inventory and give customers a little something extra. However, after helping thousands of Shopify brands run BOGO campaigns, I’ve discovered some less-talked-about advantages that are actually more powerful than people realize.

Here’s what I mean:

• It builds habits subtly. I’ve seen merchants use BOGO to drive repeat behavior, such as buying two protein shakes each week instead of one. Over time, customers begin to perceive that quantity as their “normal.”
• It helps promote the right products. Not everything should be in a BOGO. But when used on consumables, accessories, or hero products, BOGO quietly shifts customer attention without needing big banners or ads.
• It creates natural moments to upsell. “You’re one item away from getting a free gift” is often all it takes. And because BOGO is tied to product quantity, not dollar amount, shoppers are less resistant to adding that one last thing.

Of course, the basics still hold true: BOGO moves inventory and delights customers. However, the real power of BOGO lies in how you tailor it to your business goals.

4. 6 steps to apply BOGO promotion for your business

Setting up a BOGO promotion might sound simple on paper, but if you want it to actually work (as in: convert, delight, and drive real results), you need more than a checkbox. You need a plan.

Here’s a six-step process I use when helping Shopify merchants build high-performing BOGO campaigns. 

Step 1. Define your goals and offer structure

Before setting up your BOGO, take a moment to ask: What role should this promotion play in your business right now?

Not every BOGO promotion is designed to serve the same purpose. Some are meant to move aging inventory. Others are crafted to drive customer acquisition. And in some cases, it’s about encouraging customers to try something new, like a product you’ve just launched.

Here are a few questions I usually ask merchants during strategy planning:

• Are you targeting new customers or trying to re-engage existing ones?
• Is your goal to clear stock, test a product, or boost repeat orders?
• Do you want to reward high spenders, or keep the offer available to everyone?
• Should the BOGO apply to all products, or just a specific brand, category, or price point?

Once you’re clear on the “why”, the “how” becomes easier to define.

The structure of your offer should support your goal, not just sound good on paper.
For example:

• If your goal is retention, you might frame the BOGO as a loyalty perk.
• If you’re testing a product, use BOGO to reduce risk and encourage sampling.
• If you want to boost basket size, tie the reward to a cart value threshold.

This is where a solid buy one get one free promotion strategy really starts: with clear intent. From there, the details, like product selection, targeting, and messaging, fall into place more naturally.

Step 2. Select the right products

Not every item in your catalog should be part of a BOGO. The right product mix is what makes or breaks the promotion.

Start with:

• High-margin products: These help offset the cost of the free item without eating into your profits.
• Products with high inventory levels: BOGO is especially useful for clearing seasonal, overstocked, or expiring items.
• Frequently purchased items: Think about products people already buy in multiples, like supplements, snacks, or skincare essentials.
• Natural product pairings: BOGO is great for bundling a primary item with something that complements it (e.g., “Buy a razor, get a shave cream”).

Step 3. Set clear terms and conditions

A common reason buy one get one free promotions fall flat is confusion. If shoppers can’t tell what they’re getting, or why they qualify, they’ll say goodbye.

Make your rules easy to understand:

• What’s the required purchase?
• What’s the free item? Is it the same or different?
• Are there limits? (e.g., one free item per order?)
• Is the offer available sitewide, or only on certain collections?

If you’re using an app like BOGOS, setting clear terms is straightforward. You can specify exactly how many items a customer needs to buy, whether the gift should match by product or variant, and how many gifts they’re allowed to receive. 

The app also allows you to add conditions, such as customer tags, location, or order history, so you can control who qualifies and under what circumstances. All without complicating the shopper experience.

Step 4. Set up the promotion on your platform

Once your offer structure is ready, it’s time to build it into your store.

Most merchants use a promotion app (like BOGOS) to automate the entire flow:

• Automatically detect when the trigger condition is met
• Add the free item to cart with a $0 tag (instead of making the customer hunt for it)
• Apply messaging on product pages, collection pages, or in the cart
• Create tiered logic if you want to offer different rewards based on spend or quantity

This automation doesn’t just save time; it ensures consistency across every customer touchpoint, so the promotion always works as intended.

💡 You might also want to read: How to Do Shopify Buy One Get One Free (BOGO)? A detailed guide

Step 5. Promote the BOGO offer

Even the best promotions fall flat without visibility.

Once your buy one get one free promotion is live, your next job is to make sure people actually see it.

Consider promoting the offer in:

• Email marketing: Send segmented emails to new vs. returning customers, highlighting the incentive differently.
• Homepage banners and sliders: These drive awareness as soon as someone lands on the page.
• Product and collection pages: Reinforce the offer next to eligible items with “Buy 1 Get 1 Free” tags or badges.
• Pop-ups and in-cart prompts: These work well for reminding shoppers when they’re one step away from unlocking the reward. 
• Social media: Use short, clear messages.

Step 6. Monitor and optimize

Once your campaign is running, your job isn’t done. You want to know: Is this working?

Track key metrics like:

• Conversion rate (especially for first-time visitors)
• Units sold during the promotion period
• Impact on AOV and total revenue
• Redemption rates — how often the free item is added vs. skipped
• Product-level performance (are you actually moving the intended SKUs?)

From there, refine:

• Switch to a different product pair if the current one isn’t converting
• Test messaging placement (e.g., earlier in the journey)
• Adjust limits or tiers to balance profitability

5. Examples & Case Studies of BOGO Promotion

Not every BOGO promotion needs to be complicated. But the best ones share two things in common: a clear strategy and measurable results. Here are five real-world examples that show what strong execution looks like.

McDonald’s – BOGO for $1 to Boost Perceived Value

Launched nationally in 2019, McDonald’s offered bestsellers like Big Macs and McNuggets in a buy one, get one for $1 format. The campaign ran alongside their Dollar Menu as part of a broader push to attract value-driven customers and combat declining in-store visits.

Results:

• Rolled out across thousands of U.S. locations
• U.S. same-store sales grew 5.7% that quarter
• Helped offset negative traffic trends

Starbucks – Red Cup Day as a Seasonal BOGO Event

Each November, Starbucks kicks off its holiday season with Red Cup Day: buy a holiday drink, get a collectible red cup free. The campaign builds excitement into tradition, turning the freebie into a ritual rather than just a giveaway.

Results:

• +42.4% increase in daily foot traffic vs. average Thursday
• +9.4% increase in weekly visits during promo week
• Outperformed both 2022 and 2023 Red Cup Days
• Drove more visits than the Pumpkin Spice Latte launch

Chipotle – “Friends BOGO” for Instant In-Store Buzz

In 2021, Chipotle launched a one-day BOGOF campaign to drive midweek traffic and support a national vaccination push. Customers simply said “friends BOGO” after 3 p.m. to redeem. The offer was designed to flood stores at off-peak hours.

Results:

• Massive turnout, with lines reported at 30+ people in some locations
• Same-day supply shortages: stores ran out of key ingredients like lettuce, steak, corn, and sour cream
• Understaffed locations are overwhelmed, with reports of 1–2 hour wait times

Bath & Body Works – Holiday BOGO to Maximize Cart Size

During Black Friday 2024, Bath & Body Works ran its annual “Buy 3, Get 3 Free” promotion across its full catalog. The offer encouraged shopping in multiples, drove gifting, and helped maximize per-cart revenue during peak season.

Results:

• Q4 2024 net sales reached $2.8 billion, exceeding expectations
• Earnings per share hit $2.09, also above expectations
• Executives cited “strong traffic and conversion” during the holiday season, building on Q3 momentum

Pizza Hut – Delayed BOGO to Drive Repeat Orders

With the “Hut Hook-Up” campaign, Pizza Hut offered customers a coupon for a free large pizza, redeemable on their next order. This created a delayed reward structure designed to boost app engagement and encourage repeat purchases, rather than just one-off spikes.

Results:

• Boosted PR reach with national media coverage
• Aligned with app growth and loyalty program expansion
• Reinforced Pizza Hut’s positioning as a family-first brand

6. Four Best Practices for Running BOGO Promotions

I’ve seen plenty of BOGO deals flop, not because the offer was bad, but because the execution was sloppy. If you want BOGO to work for your store, it’s not just about what you offer. It’s about how you present it.

Here are five things I always tell merchants to get right.

Clarify the Offer

When you’re setting up BOGO promotions, the first step is to make sure your offer is super clear. Customers shouldn’t have to guess what they’re getting. A confusing deal can turn people away fast. So, use straightforward words that everyone gets, and make the free item stand out. This builds trust and gets shoppers excited to buy. Here’s how to do it:

• Use specific, easy-to-understand wording (e.g., “Buy 1, Get 1 Free”).
• Avoid vague phrases like “limited deal” or “special offer.”
• Display the free item clearly: show a product image, label it as “Free Gift,” and cross out the full price in the cart so they see the savings.

Now that we’ve got clarity covered, let’s move on to protecting your money while still making the deal tempting.

Set Limits to Protect Margins and Drive Action

A great buy one get one free promotion strategy doesn’t mean giving away everything for free. You’ve got to protect your profits and make customers act quickly. Setting limits is the way to go. It stops people from taking advantage of the deal and creates a “hurry up” feeling. Try these ideas to keep things under control:

• Add time constraints (e.g., a 48-hour deal only).
• Set order customer limits (e.g., “1 gift per customer”).
• Cap total gifts available (e.g., “First 500 orders only”).

This helps prevent abuse and creates urgency. With limits in place, the next thing to think about is picking the perfect freebie to offer.

Choose the Right Free Product

Not just any item should be the “free” part of your buy one get one free promotions. Picking the right product can make or break your deal. You want something that costs you little but looks valuable to customers. This way, you save money while making shoppers happy. Plus, it’s a chance to clear old stock or introduce new stuff. Here’s what to keep in mind:

• Use low-cost, high-margin, or overstock items as gifts.
• Pick products with high perceived value but low shipping cost.
• Ideal for sampling (e.g., mini sizes or accessories).

Once you’ve got the right free item, let’s consider where to apply this deal for the best results.

Apply BOGO Selectively

You might be tempted to put buy one get one free promotions on everything in your store, but that’s a risky move. If you’re not careful, you could lose money on your top-selling items. Instead, be smart and picky about where you use this deal. Focus on areas that need a sales boost. This keeps your profits safe while still drawing in customers. Check out these tips:

• Don’t apply BOGO to your entire store.
• Target specific collections, seasonal stock, or new product launches.
• Avoid adding BOGO to high-performing items with tight margins.

After deciding where to use your deal, the final step is making sure everyone knows about it.

Conclusion

As a CMO who’s worked closely with thousands of Shopify merchants, I hope this post, something I’ve poured real experience and thought into, gives you not just ideas, but clarity.

This post highlighted the benefits, various forms, and tips to avoid common mistakes of BOGO promotions. I’d also like to spotlight BOGOS — a leading Shopify app with a 4.9/5 from 2,000+ positive reviews, which helps 50,000+ merchants boost AOV with BOGO and tailored promotions. 

If you want to craft BOGO deals that deliver, BOGOS.io is ready to help. Good luck!

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