How to Set Up Free Gift with Purchase on Shopify (Step-by-Step)
Learn how to set up free gift with purchase on Shopify. Native options work for collections, but store-wide thresholds need Growth Suite. Step-by-step guide inside.
By Muhammed Tüfekyapan
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Key Takeaways
- Native Shopify supports free gift for collections and products using Buy X Get Y with 100% off
- Store-wide cart threshold ('Spend $100 anywhere, get gift') is NOT possible with native Shopify
- Growth Suite enables store-wide thresholds, cart drawer progress bars, and auto-add gift
- Customers can choose from multiple gift options with Growth Suite—increasing engagement
- Dedicated buyers see only the gift threshold; hesitant visitors get gift + trigger discount
- Always set threshold at AOV + 25-35% and keep gift cost below incremental margin
You want to reward customers with a free gift with purchase. Spend $100, get a free travel bag. Simple, right? But when you try to set this up in Shopify... it's not as simple as you expected.
Shopify has native discount features for gift with purchase. But most merchants don't realize the limitations. And the biggest limitation? Store-wide "spend any amount, get free gift" is NOT natively supported.
This article explains what works, what doesn't, and how to solve it. Let's start with what Shopify free gift setup actually supports.
What This Guide Covers:
- Step-by-step native Shopify GWP setup
- The critical limitation you need to know
- Alternative solutions for store-wide thresholds
- How Growth Suite makes free gift with purchase Shopify seamless
What Native Shopify Can Do for Free Gift
Shopify's automatic discounts include "Buy X Get Y" which can be configured for gift with purchase. Here's what it supports:
| Feature | Native Shopify Support |
|---|---|
| Buy specific product, get free gift | ✅ Yes |
| Buy from specific collection, get free gift | ✅ Yes |
| Buy X items from collection, get free gift | ✅ Yes |
| Spend $X on specific collection, get free gift | ✅ Yes |
| Automatic discount (no code needed) | ✅ Yes |
| 100% off for gift item | ✅ Yes |
For product-based or collection-based GWP, native Shopify works fine. If your goal is "buy product A, get free gift B" or "buy from summer collection, get free accessory," you can do this without apps.
Step-by-Step: Native Shopify Free Gift Setup
Here's how to set up automatic free gift Shopify using native discounts:
Step 1: Access Discounts
- Go to Shopify Admin → Discounts
- Click "Create discount"
- Select "Automatic discount"
Step 2: Choose Buy X Get Y
Select "Buy X Get Y" as discount type. This is the only native option for true gift with purchase setup.
Step 3: Configure the Trigger (Customer Buys)
You have multiple options for how to add free gift Shopify:
| Trigger Type | Configuration | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum quantity of items | "Buy 2 items from [collection]" | Collection-based promotions |
| Minimum purchase amount | "Spend $50 on [collection]" | Collection-specific thresholds |
| Specific products | "Buy [product A]" | Product-specific bundles |
Step 4: Configure the Reward (Customer Gets)
- Select the gift product
- Set quantity (usually 1)
- Set discount value to "Percentage" → 100%
Step 5: Set Discount Details
- Title: Internal name for tracking
- Start date and end date
- Combinations: Whether it stacks with other discounts
Step 6: Save and Test
- Save the discount
- Test on your store: Add trigger items, verify gift appears
- Check that gift shows as FREE at checkout
Important Settings
| Setting | Recommended Value | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Discount value | 100% | Gift must be completely free |
| Maximum uses | Limit per order = 1 | Prevent multiple gift stacking |
| Active dates | Set clear end date | Create genuine urgency |
Note:
Native Shopify gift with purchase setup works for collection-based triggers. But notice something missing? There's no "store-wide total" option. Keep reading.
The Critical Limitation: No Store-Wide Free Gift
This is the problem most merchants discover too late.
❌ You CANNOT create: "Spend $100 on anything in my store, get a free gift."
Shopify's Buy X Get Y discount does NOT support store-wide cart thresholds.
What This Means
| What You Want | Native Shopify |
|---|---|
| Spend $100 on collection A → Get free gift | ✅ Possible |
| Spend $100 on store total → Get free gift | ❌ NOT Possible |
| Buy product A → Get free gift | ✅ Possible |
| Reach cart total of $100 → Get free gift | ❌ NOT Possible |
Why This Matters
Most free gift with purchase campaigns are designed around overall cart value:
- "Spend $75, get a free cosmetic bag"
- "Orders over $100 receive a free sample set"
- "Free gift on all orders over $50"
These are store-wide threshold campaigns. Shopify's native discounts cannot do this.
The Workaround (and Why It Fails)
Some merchants try creating a collection with ALL products and setting a threshold for that collection. But this is messy, hard to maintain, and breaks when you add new products. It's not a real solution.
| Option | Complexity | Effectiveness |
|---|---|---|
| Create "All Products" collection | High | Poor (maintenance nightmare) |
| Use discount code instead of automatic | Medium | OK (but no automation) |
| Use a dedicated GWP app | Low | Excellent |
Key Insight:
If you want store-wide free gift with purchase Shopify functionality—where any cart over $X gets a gift—you need a third-party solution. This is not a Shopify bug; it's just how their discount system is designed.
What You Actually Need for Professional GWP
For a professional gift with purchase experience, you need more than native Shopify offers:
1. Store-Wide Cart Total Threshold
- Gift triggers when cart reaches $X
- Works regardless of which products are in cart
- This is the most common GWP setup
2. Visible Progress in Cart
- Customer sees: "Add $15 more to get your free gift"
- Progress bar toward threshold
- Gift preview showing what they'll receive
3. Cart Drawer Integration
- Gift offer appears in side cart
- No page refresh needed
- Seamless mobile experience
4. Multiple Gift Options
- Customer can choose from 2-3 gift options
- Increases engagement and satisfaction
- Not just "take what we give you"
5. Auto-Add Gift to Cart
- When threshold is met, gift appears automatically
- One less friction point
- Customer doesn't have to remember
6. Tiered Gift Thresholds
- Spend $50 = Small gift
- Spend $100 = Better gift
- Spend $150 = Premium gift
- Gamifies the shopping experience
Native Shopify vs. Professional GWP
| Feature | Native Shopify | Professional GWP App |
|---|---|---|
| Product/Collection trigger | ✅ | ✅ |
| Store-wide cart threshold | ❌ | ✅ |
| Cart drawer progress bar | ❌ | ✅ |
| Customer chooses gift | ❌ | ✅ |
| Auto-add gift | ❌ | ✅ |
| Tiered gifts | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom messaging | ❌ | ✅ |
Native Shopify is fine for basic "buy X, get Y" promotions. But for real GWP campaigns with store-wide thresholds and cart integration? You need more.
Growth Suite: Complete Free Gift Solution
Growth Suite's Free Gift feature delivers what native Shopify can't—plus features you didn't know you needed.
Feature 1: Store-Wide Cart Threshold
- Set threshold based on cart total (any products)
- "Spend $100 on anything → Get free gift"
- The feature native Shopify doesn't have
Feature 2: Flexible Gift Triggers
- Choose between cart total or item quantity
- "Spend $100" OR "Buy 3+ items"
- You decide what makes sense for your store
Feature 3: Multiple Gift Products
- Select one gift OR multiple gift options
- Single gift: Customer gets exactly what you choose
- Multiple gifts: Customer picks their preferred gift
- Increases engagement—customers feel valued when they choose
Feature 4: Auto-Add Gift
- When threshold is reached, gift automatically adds to cart
- Works best with single-gift setup
- Zero friction for customer
Feature 5: Cart Drawer Integration
This is the real UX advantage for automatic free gift Shopify:
| Before Threshold | After Threshold |
|---|---|
| "Add $X more to get your free gift!" | "Congrats! Your free gift is added!" |
| Progress bar showing distance to goal | Checkmark confirming reward |
| Gift preview (what they'll receive) | Gift visible in cart with "FREE" badge |
Feature 6: Custom Checkout Messaging
- The gift shows as FREE at checkout
- Custom label you control
- Professional appearance, no confusion
Feature 7: Combine with Trigger Discounts
This is the unique Growth Suite advantage:
| Customer Type | What They See | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated buyer (ready to purchase) | Free gift threshold only | Buys at full price + gift |
| Hesitant visitor (exit intent) | Free gift + triggered discount | Gets nudged to convert |
| Window shopper (low engagement) | Free gift + higher discount | Maximum incentive |
Why This Matters:
- Dedicated buyers don't need discounts—give them the gift
- Hesitant visitors get additional incentive
- You're not wasting margin on customers who would buy anyway
Setup Simplicity
Growth Suite's automatic free gift Shopify setup takes minutes:
- Enable Free Gift in Cart Drawer settings
- Set threshold (cart total or quantity)
- Select gift product(s)
- Enable auto-add (optional)
- Customize messaging
- Go live
No coding. No theme editing. Works instantly.
Free Gift with Purchase: Increase AOV Without Discounting
Discounts cut your margins. Free gifts grow them. Learn how GWP lets you incentivize customers while protecting your brand and prices.
Before You Launch: The GWP Checklist
Whether you use native Shopify or Growth Suite, prepare these before launching your free gift with purchase campaign:
Threshold Check
- ☐ Current AOV calculated
- ☐ Threshold set at AOV + 25-35%
- ☐ Threshold is achievable, not too high
- ☐ Gift cost is less than incremental margin
Gift Selection
- ☐ Gift has inventory allocated
- ☐ Gift is not for sale separately (or marked appropriately)
- ☐ Gift matches brand quality
- ☐ Gift has high perceived value, low actual cost
Technical Setup
- ☐ Gift product created in Shopify
- ☐ Gift SKU tracking enabled
- ☐ Test order placed and verified
- ☐ Mobile experience tested
Campaign Limits
- ☐ Start and end dates set
- ☐ Inventory limit planned
- ☐ "While supplies last" or guaranteed?
- ☐ Exit strategy planned
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- 1. Gift inventory runs out mid-campaign — Monitor daily
- 2. Threshold too easy — Everyone qualifies, you just give away product
- 3. Threshold too hard — No one qualifies, wasted effort
- 4. No visibility — Customers don't know the offer exists
- 5. Wrong gift — Gift doesn't match brand quality
Native vs. Growth Suite: Final Comparison
When to Use Native Shopify
- Collection-specific promotions only
- "Buy from summer collection → Get free accessory"
- Simple one-time setup
- No need for cart drawer integration
- Small catalog where "all products" collection is manageable
When to Use Growth Suite
- Store-wide threshold ("Spend $100 on anything → Free gift")
- Cart drawer with progress bar and messaging
- Customer chooses from multiple gift options
- Auto-add gift functionality
- Tiered gift thresholds
- Combined with intent-based trigger discounts
- Full analytics and tracking
Decision Matrix
| Your Situation | Best Choice |
|---|---|
| GWP for one collection only | Native Shopify |
| GWP for specific product purchase | Native Shopify |
| GWP for store-wide cart total | Growth Suite |
| Need cart drawer integration | Growth Suite |
| Want customer to choose gift | Growth Suite |
| Combining GWP with discount triggers | Growth Suite |
The bottom line: Use native Shopify for collection-specific GWP. Use Growth Suite for everything else—especially store-wide thresholds, which native Shopify simply cannot do.
Key Takeaways
Summary: Free Gift with Purchase Shopify Setup
- Native Shopify supports GWP for collections and products — Use Buy X Get Y with 100% off gift item.
- Store-wide cart threshold is NOT supported natively — This is the critical limitation most merchants miss.
- For professional GWP, you need more — Cart drawer integration, progress bars, customer choice, and auto-add.
- Growth Suite solves every limitation — Store-wide thresholds, tiered gifts, and intent-based discount layering.
- Dedicated buyers get gift only — Hesitant visitors get gift + trigger discount. Best of both worlds.
- Always check the math — Threshold at AOV + 25-35%, gift cost below incremental margin.
The Bottom Line
Shopify free gift setup is possible natively for basic scenarios. But for store-wide GWP that customers actually see and engage with, Growth Suite delivers the complete experience.
Final Thought
Free gift with purchase is one of the best promotional strategies—if you can actually implement it. Native Shopify works for simple collection-based campaigns. But for real store-wide GWP with cart visibility and progress tracking? You need Growth Suite.
Growth Suite doesn't just add free gift functionality. It combines GWP with intent-based targeting. Dedicated buyers see the gift threshold and pay full price. Hesitant visitors get the extra nudge. You convert more without wasting margin.
Increase profits, not just sales.
Growth Suite detects hesitant visitors and delivers unique, smart discounts only when needed. Stop giving money away to everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I add a free gift with purchase on Shopify?
Can Shopify do store-wide free gift with purchase?
What is the best free gift app for Shopify?
How do I automatically add a free gift to cart in Shopify?
What threshold should I set for free gift with purchase?
Does free gift with purchase increase AOV?
How do I show free gift progress in cart?
Can customers choose their free gift on Shopify?
What makes a good free gift product?
How does Growth Suite's free gift work with discounts?
Is free gift better than discount for Shopify stores?
How do I test free gift with purchase setup?
References & Sources
- [1] Creating Buy X Get Y discounts in Shopify - Shopify Help Center (2024) View Source →
- [2] Gift with Purchase: A Promotion That Pays for Itself - Harvard Business Review (2023) View Source →
- [3] The Zero Price Effect: Why Free is Different - Journal of Marketing Research (2007) View Source →
- [4] Impact of Free Gifts on Average Order Value - IThemeland Research (2024) View Source →
- [5] Free Gift with Purchase Shopify Setup Strategies - Qikify (2024) View Source →
Ready to Implement These Strategies?
Put this knowledge into action with Growth Suite. Start converting more visitors into customers with smart, AI-powered campaigns.
Muhammed Tüfekyapan
Founder of Growth Suite
Muhammed Tüfekyapan is a growth marketing expert and the founder of Growth Suite, an AI-powered Shopify app trusted by over 300 stores across 40+ countries. With a career in data-driven e-commerce optimization that began in 2012, he has established himself as a leading authority in the field.
In 2015, Muhammed authored the influential book, "Introduction to Growth Hacking," distilling his early insights into actionable strategies for business growth. His hands-on experience includes consulting for over 100 companies across more than 10 sectors, where he consistently helped brands achieve significant improvements in conversion rates and revenue. This deep understanding of the challenges facing Shopify merchants inspired him to found Growth Suite, a solution dedicated to converting hesitant browsers into buyers through personalized, smart offers.