Introduction

In the competitive world of e-commerce, combining or stacking discounts is a powerful way to attract and retain customers. Many Shopify store owners want to offer multiple incentives, such as a percentage discount and free shipping, but have faced limitations with Shopify’s discount functionality. This guide will explore how Shopify’s recent update allows merchants to combine discounts and discuss ways to enhance discount offerings using apps and settings in your Shopify store.

1. Why Combine or Stack Discounts?

Offering stackable discounts can significantly improve customer experience by allowing them to apply multiple discounts, creating a perception of value. For instance, you may want to offer a 10% discount on the total purchase and free shipping. Previously, Shopify didn’t allow the application of more than one discount at checkout, which limited sales strategies. With the recent update, combining discounts is now possible, making it easier for store owners to create attractive promotions.

2. Shopify Discount Combinations Update

After numerous requests from the community, Shopify launched a new feature in October 2022 called Discount Combinations, which allows merchants to stack multiple discount codes in a single transaction. Previously, this functionality was only available through third-party apps or workarounds.

Discount Combinations enable Shopify merchants to combine discount codes (manual or automatic) and run multiple automatic discounts at the same time. This update simplifies the process of providing stacked discounts without using third-party tools.

3. How to Set Up Discount Combinations

To get started with Discount Combinations, follow these steps in your Shopify Admin:

1. Navigate to Discounts: Go to Marketing > Discounts in your Shopify Admin.
2. Create a New Discount: Choose the type of discount you want to create (e.g., percentage off, free shipping, or specific product discount).
3. Enable Discount Combinations: When setting up the discount, check the option to allow it to be combined with other discounts. This option is only available if your store meets certain eligibility criteria.
4. Test the Discount Combination: Once created, test the discount combination by adding products to the cart and applying both codes. You should see both discounts apply seamlessly at checkout.

This setup will help you test different promotions and see how customers respond to combined discounts.

4. Alternative Options for Older Shops

If you’re not seeing the option to combine discounts, it could be due to your Shopify plan or account settings. Shopify Plus merchants have more advanced discounting features, but many of the options below can help basic and regular accounts:

• Free Shipping Threshold: If a direct combination of discounts isn’t available, set up free shipping for orders above a certain threshold. This approach gives the perception of a combined discount.
• Automatic Discounts: For time-based promotions, set up automatic discounts for seasonal or event-based sales, such as Black Friday. This can mimic a stacked discount by providing a temporary price reduction on all items in the cart.
• Custom Apps: Hire a developer to create a custom discount solution that aligns with your branding and requirements if you have a large or specialized store.

5. Useful Apps for Discount Combinations

Several Shopify apps can help extend discount functionality, offering more control over stacking, combining, and discount customization:

• Stackable Discounts by Helper Tools: This app allows you to apply multiple discounts in the cart, giving customers flexibility when choosing discounts. Learn more here.
• Selly United: Designed for Shopify Plus, this app enables stacking discounts with additional features for dynamic checkout. Learn more here.
• Discount Stacker: Discount Stacker allows merchants to stack percentage-based and fixed discounts with limitations on maximum combined discounts. Learn more here.

Using these apps, you can enhance discount flexibility beyond Shopify’s native features.

6. How to Combine Free Shipping and Discounts

Combining free shipping with a percentage or fixed discount is a popular option, as it offers a tangible benefit to customers while encouraging larger purchases. Here’s how to set it up in Shopify:

1. Set Up Free Shipping Rates: Go to Settings > Shipping and Delivery, and create a free shipping rate based on cart value. For example, you could offer free shipping on orders over $50.
2. Create a Discount Code: Next, create a discount code for the percentage or fixed discount. Go to Marketing > Discounts > Create Discount and configure your discount settings.
3. Test the Free Shipping and Discount Combination: Ensure both the free shipping rate and the discount are applied when customers meet the required conditions.

By setting up free shipping as a cart condition rather than as a discount code, you allow customers to apply other discount codes simultaneously without needing to stack discount codes directly.

Conclusion

Shopify’s new Discount Combinations feature is a game-changer for merchants wanting to offer more flexible promotions. By combining discounts and free shipping, you can encourage customers to spend more and create a more attractive shopping experience. For those on older or limited Shopify plans, consider using alternative setups or Shopify apps to provide similar benefits.

FAQs

• Can I combine multiple discount codes without an app?
  Yes, with the new Discount Combinations feature, Shopify allows limited stacking of discounts without needing an app.
• Do all Shopify plans support Discount Combinations?
  Some advanced features may be limited to Shopify Plus, so check your plan’s eligibility.
• What’s the best way to combine free shipping and discounts?
  Set up free shipping as a threshold rate in your Shipping Settings, then apply a discount code for the product discount.