Multiple Discounts: Combining Discounts on Shopify to Boost Sales

What Does Combining Discounts on Shopify Mean?

What’s better than a discount? multiple discounts!

Combining discounts on Shopify refers to the ability for merchants to stack various types of discounts within a single order, offering greater value to customers and boosting sales potential. Shopify allows store owners to implement multiple discount types, creating tailored deals that enhance the shopping experience. For instance, merchants can combine a “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” promotion with a 20% off coupon or pair automatic discounts like free shipping with a fixed amount off specific products.

This flexibility in applying multiple discounts Shopify helps attract diverse customer segments while encouraging higher cart values. By strategically combining offers, merchants can motivate shoppers to purchase more, increasing Average Order Value (AOV) and customer loyalty.

Shopify does support using more than one discount code on the same order if you set discounts to be combinable. If codes can’t be combined, Shopify shows an error and applies the “best combination.”

Does Shopify Discount Stacking Actually Work?

It does, but only in specific ways. Shopify lets customers use multiple discounts in the same order, as long as the discount types are compatible. However, the platform does not allow two product-level discounts to stack on the same line item (it will apply only one, usually the highest). Here’s some examples to help you understand.

An order can have more than one discount, like:

• Product discount (20% off items in a collection)

• Order discount (extra 10% off orders over £100)

• Shipping discount (free shipping)

Shopify can apply one of each type (and up to its limits) together, if you allow combining. Like this:

• Product discount: 20% off T-shirts

• Order discount: extra 10% off the whole order

But a single product can’t get two separate product discounts at the same time. Like:

• Product discount A: 20% off T-shirts

• Product discount B: Buy 2 get 1 free (also a product-level discount)
   Shopify won’t apply both to the same T-shirt.
  It will choose one (often the one that gives the customer the bigger savings).

Creating Discount Codes

1. Log in to Shopify Admin: Navigate to the Shopify dashboard.
2. Go to Discounts: Click on the “Discounts” option in the left-hand menu.
3. Create a Discount:
   • Click the “Create Discount” button and select “Discount Code”.
4. Set the Discount Details:
   • Enter a unique discount code (e.g., “SAVE20”).
   • Choose the type of discount:
     • Percentage (e.g., 20% off).
     • Fixed Amount (e.g., $10 off).
     • Free Shipping (e.g., waive delivery fees).
   • Set conditions, such as minimum purchase requirements or customer eligibility.
5. Customize Usage Limits:
   • Decide if the discount can be used once per customer or an unlimited number of times.
6. Save the Discount: Click “Save”, and the code will be ready for use.

Creating Automatic Discounts

1. Access the Discounts Section: From the Shopify admin, go to Discounts.
2. Create an Automatic Discount:
   • Click “Create Discount” and select “Automatic Discount”.
3. Define the Discount Parameters:
   • Choose the type of automatic discount:
     • Percentage (e.g., 15% off).
     • Fixed Amount (e.g., $5 off).
   • Set eligibility criteria, such as a minimum purchase amount or specific products/categories.
4. Set Start and End Dates: Optionally, schedule the discount to run during a specific period.
5. Save the Discount: Once saved, the discount will automatically apply at checkout when the conditions are met.

Managing Discounts

• Edit Existing Discounts:
  • Go to the Discounts section, select the discount you want to modify, and adjust the settings.
• Deactivate Discounts:
  • Click on an active discount and choose “Deactivate” to temporarily pause it.
• Delete Discounts:
  • If a discount is no longer needed, select it and click “Delete.”

By following these steps, Shopify merchants can efficiently create and manage their discount strategies to attract more customers and drive sales.

Benefits of Combining Discounts on Shopify

shopify multiple discounts can get your business further than you imagine, and help make more profits. Here are some of the most important things that will happen when you start using multiple discounts:

Boost Average Order Value (AOV)
Combining discounts, Shopify motivates customers to increase their cart size to unlock higher savings. For example, offering “Buy X, Get Y” deals or percentage-off coupons for orders above a specific threshold encourages larger purchases, ultimately driving up your Average Order Value (AOV). This strategy is particularly effective when paired with free shipping or tiered discounts, making purchases more appealing.

Clear Inventory
Shopify merchants can efficiently manage stock by combining discounts like percentage-off deals or fixed-dollar reductions with “Buy X, Get Y” promotions. These tactics help clear out seasonal inventory, promote slow-moving items, or sell excess stock, ensuring a healthier inventory turnover. Using Shopify’s discount tools makes executing these strategies simple and effective.

Drive Customer Loyalty
By allowing multiple discounts, Shopify merchants enhance the shopping experience and show appreciation for repeat customers. For example, stacking a loyalty program discount with free shipping rewards customers while fostering trust and loyalty. This approach often leads to increased repeat purchases and long-term customer relationships.

Enhanced User Experience
Shopify combining discounts offers shoppers flexibility and added value. Customers appreciate the opportunity to stack multiple discounts, creating a seamless and satisfying shopping experience. Happy customers are more likely to leave positive reviews, return for future purchases, and recommend your store to others.

By using Shopify multiple discount codes or combining different types of offers, you can elevate the customer journey while achieving business goals like increasing sales and building a loyal customer base.

How to Enable Shopify Multiple Discounts

Setting Up Discount Codes

1. Log in to your Shopify admin and navigate to the Discounts section.
2. Click Create Discount and select the type of discount (e.g., percentage, fixed amount, free shipping).
3. Configure the discount conditions, such as minimum purchase requirements or product eligibility.
4. Save the discount and communicate the code to customers.

Using Multiple Automatic Discounts on Shopify
Although Shopify doesn’t natively support multiple automatic discounts per order, you can still create impactful combinations:

1. Navigate to the Discounts tab and select Automatic Discounts.
2. Set up automatic rules, such as “20% off a collection” or “Free shipping on orders over $50.”
3. Use Shopify’s flexibility to combine one automatic discount with one manual discount code, allowing for diverse promotional strategies.

Maximizing Shopify’s Discount Capabilities
For merchants needing Shopify multiple automatic discounts in a single order, third-party apps like Discount Ninja or Ultimate Special Offers enable advanced stacking options. These tools empower you to set up multiple automatic discounts Shopify doesn’t allow natively, providing a seamless customer experience​.

Common Issues When Combining Discounts on Shopify

These proactive measures help merchants address limitations and optimize the use of Shopify’s discount tools. Let’s read about these problems and their solutions:

Problem 1: Discount Codes Not Working Together
Shopify does not natively support using multiple discount codes in a single transaction. This limitation can frustrate customers. To overcome this, merchants can utilize automatic discounts or install third-party apps like Discount Ninja or Stackable Discounts, which enable discount stacking functionality.

Problem 2: Discounts Not Applied to Sale Items
By default, Shopify may exclude sale items from additional discounts. Merchants should review the discount settings under “Applies To” and ensure sale items are included or excluded according to the promotion rules. Properly configuring product eligibility ensures no surprises for customers.

Problem 3: Multiple Automatic Discounts Not Triggering
Shopify allows only one automatic discount per order. To ensure seamless operations, verify that the automatic discount conditions align with customer actions. Avoid conflicts between active discounts by reviewing the priority settings or leveraging third-party apps to enable multiple automatic discounts Shopify doesn’t support natively.

Problem 4: Discounts Don’t Show in Cart
If discounts are not visible in the cart, ensure the setup is complete and conditions are clearly met. Shopify’s system applies discounts during checkout, but previewing them in the cart enhances customer experience. Merchants can resolve this by testing discounts or using apps designed to display combined offers.

How does this work in Fast Bundle?

Mix and Match bundles are one of the many product bundling options in Fast Bundle. You can create offers in your store in a few minutes. Here’s How:

1. Open Fast Bundle from the “apps” menu in your admin panel.
2. In the app page, click on “Create new bundle.”

1. You’ll be taken to the bundles page, which displays all types. Choose “Mix and match”.

1. This is your full control panel to create offers as you like. At the top, first select the products you want customers to buy from.

1. Name the bundle and choose the widget type.
2. Select the discount amount and go over the details. Finally, you can set the bundle live or run an A/B test.

But what about mix-and-match bundles?

There is a special type of shopify product bundling in Fast Bundle that allows customers to design and buy their own product bundles. How to use Shopify combine discounts in these kinds of bundles? Here is an example:

Please be aware that Shopify does not allow multiple discount codes to be applied to a single “product”. It only allows it for “orders”. So imagine that you have a bundle ABC (product A + product B + product C with a 15% discount) and another 20% discount for all of your products in your shop, including A, B, and C. Customers who add ABC will get the 15% discount, not the 20%, and neither 20% * 15%. If they add product D, they will get 15% on ABC and 20% on D. 

This does not counter the first example we talked about, you can always add a product to the bundle or use the simple bundle you were working with along the way. Also, you can always contact our support team to help enable this feature for you (or explain why it can or cant be done in the specific bundle).

Mistakes to Avoid in Your Discount Strategy

• Overcomplicating Discounts: Just like you need a clear, navigable panel to manage discounts, the customer needs to face something very clear and straightforward. Creating overly complex discount structures can confuse customers, leading to abandoned carts. Keep your discount codes simple and easy to understand.
• Not Setting Expiry Dates: Failing to set clear expiry dates for discount codes can result in customers using outdated discounts, affecting your profit margins. Always specify start and end dates.
• Not Seting Clear Rules
  Clearly communicate how discounts can be combined. Display conditions prominently on product pages, in carts, and during checkout. Transparency helps avoid customer frustration and ensures a smooth shopping experience.
• Ignoring Customer Segmentation: Offering the same discounts to all customers can dilute their impact. Use Shopify’s features to target specific customer groups with tailored discount codes.
• Not Testing Discount Codes: Launching discount codes without proper testing can lead to technical issues or misuse. Always test your discount codes to ensure they work as intended before going live.
• Stacking Discounts with no plan: Plan for your discount codes ahead of time. Allowing multiple discounts to be used together without careful planning can erode your profit margins. Ensure your settings prevent unintended discount stacking.
• Lack of Promotion: Creating discount codes without promoting them effectively means missing out on potential sales. Use email campaigns, social media, and your website to make sure customers know about your discounts.
• Not Updating Discount Codes: Stale or expired discount codes can frustrate customers. Regularly update and refresh your discount offerings to keep them appealing.