How to add Shopify Bulk Discounts (Best practices + Mistakes to avoid)

Many stores aren’t aware of how ‘Shopify bulk discounts’ can bring in a lot of sales. 

A simple ‘buy more, save more’ strategy can change the shopping experience in your store.

And bulk discounts aren’t just for B2B customers, they work great for retail stores too.

In this blog, you will learn how to set up high-converting bulk discounts using a Shopify app, discover best practices, and avoid common mistakes while offering bulk discounts.

3 reasons to offer bulk discounts on your Shopify store

1. Boosts average order value (AOV)

Bulk discounts encourage larger purchases, increasing AOV while giving customers more value, and helping merchants make each sale more profitable.

2. Clears slow-moving products

Bulk discounts help move overstocked or slow-selling items, reduce inventory holding costs and of course increase sales.

3. Increases customer loyalty

Offering discounts shows customers they’re valued, fostering trust and repeat purchases, ensuring long-term customer retention and increased lifetime value.

How to add Shopify Bulk Discounts with an app?

Using the Volume Discounts - Dealeasy app, you can easily create flexible bulk discounts that appeal to both retail and B2B customers.

Step 1: Install the Dealeasy app from the Shopify App Store. 

The app has a free plan for stores with fewer than 50 orders per month and the paid plans start at $6.99.

Step 2: From the Dealeasy, select “Create Discount.”

Step 3: Choose the “Volume Discount - Quantity Selector” option.

Step 4: Set a title for your discount and add the discount tiers. Here I have added Buy 2 at a 10% discount, Buy 3 at a 12% discount and Buy 5 at  18% discount

Step 5: By default, discounts will apply to all products, but you can also select specific products. 

Step 6: Once you’re done,  save the offer. Here’s how it looks on the store.

Watch the full tutorial on how to add Shopify Bulk Discounts

Note:

To offer discounts specifically to B2B customers, ensure you have a B2B catalog added in Shopify.

Select B2B products, enable the “Also apply discount for B2B customers” option, and choose tiers.

7 Best Practices for Offering Bulk Discounts on Shopify

Just before you start, here are 7 best practices that will help you display bulk discounts that will make you earn profits. 

1. Highlight the savings

Discount tables with a visual representation of savings make it easier for customers to calculate benefits and commit to larger orders. 

You can also use the checkout page to highlight saving on the whole order.

• Example: A beauty store selling skincare products could add a widget that displays:some text
  • 1 bottle = $25
  • 3 bottles = $70 (save $5)
  • 5 bottles = $110 (save $15)

2. Target retail and B2B customers separately

Retail and wholesale customers have different purchasing behaviors and pricing expectations. Personalizing bulk discounts ensures both segments feel valued.

• Example: A clothing brand could offer:some text
  • Retail customers: Buy 2 shirts, get 10% off
  • B2B customers: Buy 50 shirts, get 25% off
    

Using Shopify apps like  Dealeasy, you can create separate catalogs and discount structures for these groups.

Note:  Highlight this feature during customer sign-ups or on pricing pages

3. Combine bulk discounts with free gifts

Offer bulk discounts along with free gifts or free shipping offers. This encourages customers to choose bulk purchases and also ge

Promote these additional perks on banners or as pop-ups to grab attention.

4. Create urgency with time-limited offers

Adding a sense of urgency to your bulk discount campaigns can significantly boost conversions.

Use phrases like ‘Offer ends in 48 hours’ or ‘Buy more, save more! Offer ends soon!’

5. Promote discounts on key pages

Visibility is critical for success. Highlight bulk discounts prominently across your site and marketing channels. 

You can highlight bulk discount offers on the home page, cart page, and other product pages.

Use multiple channels to promote discounts:

• Highlight them on the homepage with banners.
• Send promotional emails or SMS.
• Share on social media with graphics and explanations.

6. Optimize for mobile devices

With over 70% of online traffic now from mobile devices, make sure your bulk discounts work well on smaller screens.
Test your store on different devices to confirm smooth navigation and ensure buttons, tables, and widgets are easily clickable.

7. Use discounts strategically

Focus on overstocked, slow-moving, or seasonal products to manage inventory and improve cash flow.

Example: A kitchenware store uses bulk discounts to clear excess inventory:

"Buy 4 sets of baking pans, get 25% off. Limited stock available."
By targeting such products, you can drive sales without cutting into the profitability of high-demand items.

5 Mistakes to avoid when offering Shopify bulk discounts

Here are some common mistakes Shopify store owners make when offering bulk discounts, along with tips to avoid them:

1. Not displaying discounts clearly

Failing to showcase bulk discounts prominently can confuse customers and reduce conversions.

Don’t -  Relying on customers to figure out the discount by adding items to the cart.

Do - Use a discount table widget or banners on product pages, showcasing the tiers to make the offer clear and attractive.

2. Applying discounts to unprofitable products

Offering bulk discounts on low-margin or in-demand items can hurt profitability.

Don’t -  Including bestsellers or trending products in blanket discounts without considering margins.

Do - Apply bulk discounts to high-margin, overstocked, or seasonal items that need clearing.

3. Forgetting to mention discount terms

Failing to communicate the terms and conditions of discounts can lead to disputes and unhappy customers.

Don’t - Not clarifying whether discounts stack with other offers, or what happens with returns/exchanges.

Do - Add clear messaging about terms on product pages or during checkout (e.g., "Cannot be combined with other discounts" or "Bulk discount applies to one-time purchases only").

4. Setting unrealistic purchase goals

If the required quantity for discounts is too high, customers might feel discouraged from buying.

Don’t - Displaying offer like  “Buy 10, get 5% off” for products with low purchase frequency

Do - For everyday items, higher thresholds work, but for premium or niche products, keep goals achievable (e.g., “Buy 2, get 10% off”).

5.  Overusing bulk discounts

Offering bulk discounts too frequently can reduce perceived value and hurt your brand.

Don’t - Running bulk discounts all year round without any exclusivity.

Do - Use bulk discounts strategically, such as during seasonal sales, clearing old inventory, and promoting new products.

Wrapping up

Hope you learned how to offer Shopify bulk discounts in a smart way to increase sales.

Using the Dealeasy app, you can easily set up tiered discounts that appeal to both retail and wholesale customers. 

But it doesn’t stop there! Be mindful of the best practices and mistakes to avoid and you’ll experience an increased revenue. 

Also here’s something you will be interested to read - Shopify free gift with purchase setup

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I apply bulk discounts to specific products only?‍

Yes, with the Dealeasy app, you can choose specific products or collections to apply bulk discounts on the store.

2. Is it possible to show different bulk discounts for retail and B2B customers?‍

Yes, you can create separate discount tables for retail and wholesale customers. Since B2B and retail customers have different catalogs or login credentials, you can set separate discounts. 

3. Can Shopify bulk discounts help increase sales?

Bulk discounts motivate customers to make larger purchases thereby increasing the average order value (AOV). This also boost customer loyalty and retention making customers to come back.