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.

For example, suppose that your promotion 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 that offers the free hat when the customer spends a specified amount of money.

You can create a discount code or an automatic discount for buy X get Y promotions. Buy X get Y discount codes are available for your online store and your retail locations on POS. Automatic buy X get Y discounts are available for your online store and your retail locations that are using POS Pro. Buy X get Y promotions aren't compatible with subscriptions.

Learn more about discount management in Shopify POS.

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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. Under Method, select Discount code.

5. Enter a name for the discount code, for example, buyonegetonefree, or to generate a random discount code, click Generate.

6. Optional: To offer the discount in your retail locations, in the Sales channels section, select Point of Sale. Discount codes only apply to retail locations with a POS Pro subscription. Discount codes can't be applied to checkout at locations on the POS Lite subscription.

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 Customer eligibility section, select who is eligible to use this discount: everyone, specific customer segments, or specific customers.

   • Use the search field to choose the individuals or groups that you want to be eligible to use the discount.
   • To remove an individual customer or customer segment from eligibility to use a discount, click the X.

10. If you want to limit discount usage, then check one 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.

    1. Use the calendar to set the start date for the discount.
    2. 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. Click Save discount to create the discount.

Your new discount displays in the Discounts tab in your Shopify admin. To distribute this discount, you can send the code to your customers by email, or display it on your online store.

Your customers need to add all applicable products to their cart and enter the discount code at checkout to receive the discount. The discounted or free products aren't added to the cart automatically.

iPhone

1. From the Shopify app, tap the … button, and then tap Discounts.
2. From the Discounts page, tap the + button.
3. From the Select discount type menu, tap Buy X get Y.
4. In the Method section, ensure Discount code is selected. It is the default option.
5. Tap Code and enter a name for the new discount code, for example, buyonegetonefree. To generate a random discount code, tap Generate code.
6. 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. Tap Add, 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.
7. 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 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 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.
8. Tap Customer eligibility and select who this discount applies to: everyone, specific customer segments, or specific customers.
   • Tap Specific customer segments and then tap Add to add the customers or groups of customers that you want to apply the discount to, and then tap Done to save your changes.
   • Tap Specific customers and then tap Add to add the specific customers that you want to apply the discount to, and then tap Done.
   • Customer listings display the email used to register for your store. If no email was provided, then the listing displays the customer's phone number.
   • To remove an individual customer or group of customers from eligibility for a discount, tap Edit and deselect the customer or group of customers.
9. 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.
10. To set a maximum discount use limit, tap Maximum discount uses and toggle the following options:
    • 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, 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 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, in the Sales channels section, select Point of Sale. Discount codes only apply to retail locations with a POS Pro subscription. Discount codes can't be applied at checkout at locations on the POS Lite subscription.
14. Tap Save discount to create the discount.

Your new discount displays in the Discounts view in the … menu in the Shopify app. To distribute this discount, you can send the code to your customers by email, or display it on your online store.

Your customers need to enter the code during checkout to receive the discount. They also need to add all applicable products to their cart to receive the discount. The discounted or free products aren't added to the cart automatically.

Android

1. From the Shopify app, tap the … button, and then tap Discounts.
2. From the Discounts page, tap the + button.
3. From the Select discount type menu, tap Buy X get Y.
4. In the Method section, ensure Discount code is selected. It is the default option.
5. Tap Code to enter a name for the new discount code, for example, buyonegetonefree.
6. 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. Tap the + button, 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.
7. 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 the + button 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 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.
8. Discount usage is unlimited by default. To add a limit on uses, tap Uses per order and then tap Set a maximum number of uses per order. Then add a number under Quantity.
9. Tap Customer eligibility and select who this discount applies to: everyone, specific customer segments, or specific customers.
   • Tap + and select the customers or groups of customers that you want to apply the discount to, and then tap the check mark ✔ to save your changes.
   • Customer listings display the email used to register for your store. If no email was provided, then the listing displays the customer's phone number.
   • To remove an individual customer or group of customers from eligibility for a discount, tap the pencil icon and deselect the customer or group of customers.
10. Discount usage is unlimited by default. If you want to limit discount usage, then tap Maximum discount uses and set the usage limit options that you want to apply to your discount:
    • 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, 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 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, in the Sales channels section, select Point of Sale. Discount codes only apply to retail locations with a POS Pro subscription. Discount codes can't be applied at checkout at locations on the POS Lite subscription.
14. Tap Save discount to create the discount.

Your new discount displays in the Discounts view in the … menu in the Shopify app. To distribute this discount, you can send the code to your customers by email, or display it on your online store.

Your customers need to enter the code during checkout to receive the discount. They also need to add all applicable products to their cart to receive the discount. The discounted or free products aren't added to the cart automatically.

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 are 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 are offering an amount off, then the amount will be taken off each item.

Note

You can't have an automatic discount that only applies to your retail locations. If you select this option, then the discount works both in your online store and on Shopify POS locations with a POS Pro subscription.

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 this discount for your retail locations, check Also offer on Point of Sale (POS Pro locations only). Automatic discounts only apply to retail locations with a POS Pro subscription. Automatic discounts aren't active at checkout at locations on the POS Lite subscription.

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. 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.

10. 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.

11. Click Save.

Your new discount displays on the Discounts page.

Your customers need to add all applicable products to their cart to receive the discount. The discounted or free products aren't added to the cart automatically.

iPhone

1. From the Shopify app, tap the … button, and then tap Discounts.
2. From the Discounts page, tap the + button.
3. From the Select discount type menu, tap Buy X get Y.
4. Tap Method, and select Automatic.
5. In the Title section, enter a name for the automatic discount (for example, buyonegetonefree).
6. 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.
7. 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 are offering a percentage discount, then enter a value.
   • Tap Back.
8. Optional: Tap Uses per order and then enter the maximum number of times that this promotion can be applied to an order.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Tap Save.

Your new discount displays on the Discounts page.

Your customers need to add all applicable products to their cart to receive the discount. The discounted or free products aren't added to the cart automatically.

Android

1. From the Shopify app, tap the … button, and then tap Discounts.
2. From the Discounts page, tap the + button.
3. From the Select discount type menu, tap Buy X get Y.
4. Tap Method, and select Automatic.
5. In the Title section, enter a name for the automatic discount (for example, buyonegetonefree).
6. 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 the + button and 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.
7. 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 the + button 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, 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.
   • If you are offering a percentage discount, then enter a value.
8. Optional: Tap Uses per order and then enter the maximum number of times that this promotion can be applied to an order.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Tap ✔.

Your new discount display on the Discounts page.

Your customers need to add all applicable products to their cart to receive the discount. The discounted or free products aren't added to the cart automatically.

Note

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.