How to Add Discounts on Shopify? A Step by Step Guide

If you are new to owning an ecommerce store, you may need to become more familiar with how to add discounts on Shopify. There are 2 main methods to complete this task, including Shopify native discount and third-party apps.

In this article, we will introduce how you can utilize both approaches to create discounts effectively. Plus, there are extra tips to maximize their benefits and get the most out of your promotional campaigns.

Creating and using the right discount type for the right occasion will eventually contribute to overall store growth. Let’s get started!

1. How To Add Discounts On Shopify Using Shopify Native Discount

Shopify internal setting is a robust system with basic configurations that allow you to create discounts and promotions on this platform. Here are some foundational information you need to know about Shopify discounts:

Discount types

The platform allows store owners to create and manage some basic discount types, including:

• Buy X, get Y: Offer a discount based on purchasing a certain product quantity (e.g., Buy 2, get 1 free).
• Amount off products: Provide a percentage or fixed amount discount off specific products (e.g., 10% off for items in the winter collection).
• Amount off order: Similar to Amount off products but applies to the total order (e.g., 15% off for your first purchase).
• Free shipping: Offer free shipping discounts for orders that meet specific requirements, such as purchases from $50.

Discount methods

As part of how to add discounts on Shopify, there are 2 standard discount methods you can generate in Shopify built-in functionality:

• Automatic discount: When customers meet specific purchase requirements (e.g., minimum spend or matched eligibility), the system automatically applies a discount to their orders.
• Discount code: In contrast to automatic discounts, qualified customers must enter discount codes manually at checkout to receive the promotion.

Step-by-step guide on how to create discounts on Shopify

Step 1: Visit your Shopify admin dashboard > Click Discounts > Choose 1 out of 4 available discount types.

Step 2: Choose between 2 discount types: automatic discount and discount code as you wish. Give it a title for public display on the cart page and at checkout.
There are 2 options regarding discount value: percentage value (e.g., 10%) or a fixed amount (e.g., $20). Decide whether the discount applies to specific products or collections.
Configure the purchase type as a one-time purchase, subscription, or both.

Step 3: The discount is automatically applied to all of your available sales channels, but you can also offer it on Point of Sale. Fill in the minimum purchase requirements by selecting between a monetary threshold or a number of products.

Step 4: You can combine this new discount with other active discounts, including product, order, and shipping discounts.
Finally, set the active dates, including the start and end times, to pre-schedule the offer.

2. How To Add Discounts On Shopify Using Shopify Third-Party Extension

Other than the Shopify native discount, there is another method for adding discounts on Shopify. This method involves using Shopify third-party apps for more advanced features, which will be described in detail below.

What is a Shopify app?

Shopify is an e-commerce platform that allows online businesses to set up and manage their stores.

A Shopify app is an add-on or extension developed to integrate with these stores and enhance their functionality. These apps can be built by Shopify or third-party developers and provide a variety of features to assist business owners.

To download third-party extensions, you can visit the Shopify App Store and check out their pricing plans.

While the Shopify platform enables merchants to access various tools on a basic level, Shopify apps leverage specific business requirements (e.g., inventory management, discount creation, automatic chatbot, etc.).

The most common software in the Shopify App Store includes:

• Marketing and sales: Apps for social media integration, email marketing, SEO optimization, upselling, and customer acquisition.
• Inventory management: Tools for stock management, product variation tracking, and automated order fulfillment.
• Customer service: Apps for customer chat support or provide reviews and feedback.
• Design and customization: Apps for customizing how the store looks and feels to customers, including product pages, themes, and checkout experience.
• Analytics and reporting: Tools for tracking customer behavior, sales reports, and optimizing performance.
• Payment and shipping: Apps to manage shipping methods, payment gateways, and logistics.
• Discounts and promotions: Apps to create and manage complex automatic discounts and promotional campaigns.

In terms of discount apps, a powerful software like BOGOS will help you with how to add discounts on Shopify. BOGOS is specifically developed for ecommerce merchants to set up and monitor free gift and discount offers, attracting buyers and increasing sales.

With BOGOS, you can easily configure advanced discount rules with high automation and customization. The app enables a wide range of promotion types, such as buy X get Y, free gift with purchase, volume discount, quantity break, etc., for the best results.

Step-by-step guide on how to create BOGO discounts on Shopify with BOGOS

Step 1: Visit your BOGOS dashboard > Click Create offer > BOGO (Buy 1, get 1 the same).

Step 2: Give the offer a title and set up its active dates, including the start and end times.

Regarding the Offer main condition, you need to determine the minimum product number to qualify for the discount. The gift quantity can either be multiplied by the number of products (e.g., buy 3, get 3) or not.

Configure this condition to apply only to selected products or types/vendors/collections.

Step 3: The sub-condition includes some options for customer segmentation, such as location, specific link addresses, subscription products, etc. This feature enables you to customize the discount for specific customer groups.

The gift discount type can either be a percentage (e.g., 15%) or a fixed amount of money (e.g., $20). Choose the number of gifts the customer will receive.

Step 4: The advanced configuration is optional, including the discount appearance and how it works with other offers. You can add a cart message to motivate buyers.

Its priority feature allows you to prioritize this discount over other active ones by giving it a specific number (the highest priority is 1).

3. Additional Settings To Help Maximize Shopify Discount Benefits

In addition to how to add discounts on Shopify using 2 different methods, you can maximize the benefits of Shopify discounts with more customization.

The customer segment targeting feature, similar to Step 3 of the BOGOS guide, enables you to personalize discounts based on several factors, including:

• Specific link addresses: Customers will receive gifts if they access the discount via special links, such as affiliate links or social media sharing.
• Purchase history: Customers need to meet the order history requirements to qualify for the discount.
• Location: The discount is customized for customers from specific countries or locations.
• Customer tags: Customers are assigned specific tags, and only those with the right tag will get the gift.
• Subscription products: The discount condition is based on the subscription products.
• Mobile app channel: The discount condition is based on customers who purchase from your mobile app channel.

4. Conclusion

This is a comprehensive guide on how to add discounts on Shopify?

For new merchants, we recommend trying Shopify built-in settings because they are inexpensive and still have beneficial features for creating promotions. Experiment with basic discount rules first before you try more advanced options.

However, an external app will be great for complex discounts that drive more sales and enhance customer engagement. Its automation and customization levels help you create powerful offers with better performance and less manual effort.

5. FAQs