Buy X get Y discounts

Buy X get Y promotions are a popular way to incentivize new customers to buy your products and to reward loyal customers. You can use them to increase your sales and profits and to sell slow moving inventory. The discounts that you create display on the Discounts page of your Shopify admin.

For example, you have a promotion that offers customers a free hat when they purchase any T-shirt. With buy X get Y promotions, you can offer customers one free hat for the whole order, or you can offer them one free hat for each T-shirt included in their order. You can also create a discount code that sets the price of a hat to be free when the customer's cart total is above a certain value.

You can create discount codes or automatic discounts for Buy X get Y promotions. Learn more about discount management in Shopify POS.

Considerations for Buy X get Y discounts

  • For stores using the POS Lite subscription plan for their retail locations, Buy X get Y discounts can be used only in your online store checkout. These discounts can't be applied at checkout in retail locations.
  • For any retail location on the POS Pro subscription plan, Buy X get Y discounts are available in both your online store and POS checkouts.
  • Customers must add all items to their cart manually. The free or discounted 'get' item is never automatically added to the cart.
  • For discount codes, customers need to add all applicable products to their cart, and then enter the discount code at checkout.
  • For automatic discounts, customers need to add all applicable products to their cart, and then the discount is automatically applied.
  • Buy X get Y discounts created in the Shopify admin don't apply to the post-purchase page at checkout.
  • The time when the discount starts and ends depends on the time zone that you selected in your Shopify admin. For example, if your store’s time zone is Eastern Standard Time (EST) and you select a start date of November 26, then your discount will start at 12:00 a.m. EST on November 26.

Create a Buy X get Y discount code

Your customers can use a Buy X get Y discount code in the online store checkout to apply the promotion.

Steps:

Desktop
  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Discounts.

  2. Click Create discount.

  3. In the Select discount type menu, click Buy X get Y.

  4. In the Method section, select Discount code.

  5. In the Discount code field, enter a name for your discount code, for example buyonegetonefree. To generate a random discount code, click Generate random code.

  6. Optional: To offer the discount in your retail locations with a POS Pro subscription, in the Sales channels section, select Point of Sale.

  7. In the Customer buys section, configure the following settings:

    1. Select Minimum quantity of items or Minimum purchase amount.
    2. Set the number of items that the customer must buy, or the amount of money that the customer must spend to be eligible for the discount.
    3. In the Any items from section, select Specific products or Specific collections.
    4. Use the search field or click Browse to add products or collections to the promotion. If you want to remove a product or collection from the discount, then click X.
  8. In the Customer gets section, configure the following settings:

    1. Set the quantity of items that the customer receives a discount on.
    2. In the Any items from section, select Specific products or Specific collections.
    3. Use the search field or click Browse to add products or collections that qualify for the discount. If you want to remove a product or collection, then click X to delete it from the list.
    4. In the At a discounted value section, select Percentage, Amount off each, or Free.
    5. To set the maximum number of uses per order, check Set the maximum number of uses per order and then enter the maximum number of times that this promotion can apply to each order.
  9. In the Eligibility section, choose which customers can use your discount:

    • To make your discount available to all customers, select All customers.
    • To make your discount available to specific customers, select Specific customers, select the customers that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
    • To make your discount available to specific customer segments, select Customer segments, select the customer segments that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
    • To make your discount available to customers in only specific markets, select Markets, select the markets that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
  10. If you want to limit discount usage, then check one or more of the options in the Maximum discount uses section:

    • Limit number of times this discount can be used in total lets you set a maximum number of times that the discount can be used on your store. For example, setting a limit of 200 allows the discount code to be used 200 times across all customers. If you choose this setting, then each customer can still use the discount multiple times.
    • Limit to one per customer lets you limit a customer's email address or phone number to one use of the discount code.
  11. To let customers combine this discount code with other discount codes, in the Combinations section, check the classes of discount codes that you want this discount to be eligible to combine with.

  12. In the Active dates section, configure the following settings:

    • Use the calendar to set the start date for the discount.
    • If you want to set an end date for the discount, then click Set end date and use the calendar to choose when the discount will end. If you don't choose an end date for your discount, then it doesn't expire. If you want the discount to be valid for only one day, then select the same calendar day for both the start date and the end date.
  13. Optional: Add grouping tags to your discounts to help you filter your discounts list. In the Tags section, click Plus circle Add tags, and then search for or enter a tag to add to your discount.

  14. Click Save discount to create the discount.

Mobile
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the Menu icon.

  2. Tap Discounts.

  3. Tap the Plus circle icon.

  4. From the Select discount type menu, tap Buy X get Y.

  5. In the Method section, ensure Discount code is selected. It is the default option.

  6. In the Discount code field, enter a name for the new discount code, for example buyonegetonefree. To generate a random discount code, tap the Refresh icon.

  7. In the Customer buys section, configure the following settings:

    1. Tap Minimum quantity of items or Minimum purchase amount.
    2. Set the number of items that the customer must buy or the amount of money that the customer must spend to be eligible for the discount.
    3. In the Any items from section, choose whether you want to include products or collections as the qualifying items.
    4. Select the Purchase type. If you have subscriptions activated on your store, then you can set the product to be a one-time purchase, subscription, or both.
    5. Tap Add Plus circle, and then select the products or collections to add to the promotion. If you want to remove a product or collection, then deselect it to delete it from the list.
  8. In the Customer gets section, configure the following settings:

    1. Set the quantity of items that a customer must add to their cart to get the discount.
    2. In the Any items from section, choose whether you want to include products or collections as the discounted items.
    3. Tap Plus circle Add and select the products or collections that the customer must add to their cart to get the discount. If you want to remove a product or collection, then deselect it to delete it from the list.
    4. In the At a discounted value section, choose the discounted value that customers receive when they buy the set number of items. If you want to offer a percentage discount, then tap Percentage. If you want to offer amount off each item, then tap Amount off each. If you want to offer items for free, then tap Free.
    5. If you're offering a percentage discount, then enter a value.
    6. Discount usage is unlimited by default. To add a limit on uses, tap Uses per order and check Set a maximum number of uses per order. Then add a number under Quantity.
  9. In the Eligibility section, choose which customers can use your discount:

    • To make your discount available to all customers, select All customers.
    • To make your discount available to specific customers, select Specific customers, select the customers that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
    • To make your discount available to specific customer segments, select Customer segments, select the customer segments that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
    • To make your discount available to customers in only specific markets, select Markets, select the markets that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
  10. In the Maximum discount uses section, tap and check one or more of the following options to set a maximum discount use limit:

    • Limit number of times this discount can be used in total lets you set a total number of times that a discount can be used. For example, setting a limit of 200 allows the discount code to be used 200 times across your customer base. If you choose this setting, then customers can use the discount multiple times.
    • Limit to one per customer tracks a customer's email address or phone number to limit the discount to one use per customer. This only applies to fixed value discounts.
  11. To let customers combine this discount code with other discount codes, in the Combinations section, check the classes of discount codes that you want this discount to be eligible to combine with.

  12. Tap Active dates to set the start date for the discount. If you want to set an end date for the discount, then tap Set end date and use the end date calendar to choose when the discount will end. If you don't choose an end date for your discount, then it doesn't expire. If you want the discount to be valid for only one day, then select the same calendar day for both the start date and the end date.

  13. Optional: To offer the discount in your retail locations with a POS Pro subscription, in the Sales channels access section, select Point of Sale.

  14. Optional: Add grouping tags to your discounts to help you filter your discounts list. In the Tags section, tap Plus circle Add tags, and then search for or enter a tag to add to your discount.

  15. Tap Save or .

Create an automatic Buy X get Y discount

There are two variations of Buy X get Y discounts. One requires the customer to buy a specified quantity of products to get the discount, and the other requires them to spend a specified amount of money to get the discount.

The discount can be free products, percentage off of the price, or amount off the price. If you're offering free products, then it is important that you have adequate inventory. If the inventory of free products drops to zero, then the products display as being sold out and customers can't take advantage of the discount. If you're offering an amount off, then the amount will be taken off each item.

Steps:

Desktop
  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Discounts.

  2. From the Discounts page, click Create discount.

  3. From the Select discount type menu, click Buy X get Y.

  4. Under Method, select Automatic discount.

  5. In the Title section, enter a name for the automatic discount (for example, buyonegetonefree).

  6. Optional: To offer the discount in your retail locations with a POS Pro subscription, select Apply on POS Pro locations.

  7. In the Customer buys section, configure the following settings:

    • Choose Minimum quantity of items or Minimum purchase amount.
    • Set the number of items that the customer must buy or the amount of money that the customer must spend to be eligible for the discount.
    • In the Any items from section, choose whether you want to include products or collections as the qualifying items.
    • Use the search field or the Browse button to add products or collections to the promotion. If you want to remove a product or collection from the discount, then click X to delete it from the list.
  8. In the Customer gets section, configure the following settings:

    • Set the quantity of items that the customer must add to their cart to get the discount.
    • In the Any items from section, choose whether you want to include products or collections as the discounted items. If the product or collection is the same as the one set in the Customer buys section, then the lower-priced item that the customer chooses is the item that the customer gets at a discount.
    • Use the search field or the Browse button to add products or collections. If you want to remove a product or collection, then click X to delete it from the list.
    • In the At a discounted value section, choose the discounted value that customers receive when they buy the set number of items. If you want to offer a percentage discount, then select Percentage and enter a rate. If you want to offer amount off each item, then select Amount off each. If you want to offer items for free, then select Free.
    • Optional: Check Set the maximum number of uses per order and then enter the maximum number of times that this promotion can be applied to an order.
  9. In the Eligibility section, choose which customers can use your discount:

    • To make your discount available to all customers, select All customers.
    • To make your discount available to specific customers, select Specific customers, select the customers that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
    • To make your discount available to specific customer segments, select Customer segments, select the customer segments that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
    • To make your discount available to customers in only specific markets, select Markets, select the markets that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
  10. To let customers combine this discount code with other discount codes, in the Combinations section, check the classes of discount codes that you want this discount to be eligible to combine with.

  11. In the Active dates section, configure the following settings:

    • Use the calendar to set the start date for the discount.
    • If you want to set an end date for the discount, then click Set end date and use the calendar to choose when the discount will end. If you don't choose an end date for your discount, then it will have no expiry. If you want the discount to be valid for only one day, then select the same calendar day for both the start date and the end date.
  12. Optional: Add grouping tags to your discounts to help you filter your discounts list. In the Tags section, click Plus circle Add tags, and then search for or enter a tag to add to your discount.

  13. Click Save.

Mobile
  1. From the Shopify app, tap the Menu icon.

  2. Tap Discounts.

  3. From the Discounts page, tap the + button.

  4. From the Select discount type menu, tap Buy X get Y.

  5. Tap Method, and select Automatic.

  6. In the Title section, enter a name for the automatic discount (for example, buyonegetonefree).

  7. In the Customer buys section, configure the following settings:

    • Tap Minimum quantity of items or Minimum purchase amount.
    • Set the number of items that the customer must buy or the amount of money that the customer must spend to be eligible for the discount.
    • In the Any items from section, choose whether you want to include products or collections as the qualifying items.
    • Tap Add and select the products or collections to add to the discount. If you want to remove a product or collection, then deselect it to delete it from the list.
    • Tap Done.
  8. In the Customer gets section, configure the following settings:

    • Set the quantity of items that a customer must add to their cart to get the discount.
    • In the Any items from section, choose whether you want to include products or collections as the discounted items.
    • Tap Add and select the products or collections that the customer must add to their cart to get the discount. If you want to remove a product or collection, then deselect it to delete it from the list.
    • In the At discounted value section, if you want to offer a percentage discount, then tap Percentage, if you want to offer amount off each item, then tap Amount off each, or if you want to offer items for free, then tap Free.
    • If you're offering a percentage discount, then enter a value.
    • Tap Back.
  9. In the Eligibility section, choose which customers can use your discount:

    • To make your discount available to all customers, select All customers.
    • To make your discount available to specific customers, select Specific customers, select the customers that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
    • To make your discount available to specific customer segments, select Customer segments, select the customer segments that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
    • To make your discount available to customers in only specific markets, select Markets, select the markets that you want to assign the discount to, and then click Add.
  10. Optional: Tap Uses per order and then enter the maximum number of times that this promotion can be applied to an order.

  11. To let customers combine this discount code with other discount codes, tap Combines with, and then check the classes of discount codes that you want this discount to be eligible to combine with.

  12. Tap Active dates to set the start date for the discount. If you want to set an end date for the discount, then tap Set end date and use the end date calendar to choose when the discount will end. If you don't choose an end date for your discount, then it will have no expiry. If you want the discount to be valid for only one day, then select the same calendar day for both the start date and the end date.

  13. Optional: Add grouping tags to your discounts to help you filter your discounts list. In the Tags section, tap Plus circle Add tags, and then search for or enter a tag to add to your discount.

  14. Tap Save or .