How to Add Percentage Discount in Shopify: Step-by-Step Guide

Running an online store is all about momentum. You get visitors, you show them great products, but sometimes they just need a little push to buy.

That push is often a percentage discount.

Think about it. "20% Off Everything" sounds way more exciting than "Save $5". It feels like a big deal. In this guide, we'll show you exactly how to set up percentage discounts in Shopify.

But we won't just tell you which buttons to click. We'll also share some expert tips on how to use these discounts without hurting your profits.

1. Getting to the Discount Section in Shopify

First, let's get you to the right place.

1. Log in to your Shopify Admin panel.
2. Look at the left sidebar.
3. Click on Discounts. You'll find it between "Marketing" and "Products".

You'll see the Discounts dashboard. If you've created discounts before, they'll show up here.

Now click the black "Create discount" button in the top right corner.

2. Picking the Discount Type: Amount Off Order

When you click "Create discount", Shopify gives you four options:

• Amount off products: Discount specific items only
• Amount off order: Discount the entire cart total
• Buy X get Y: Buy one, get one free (or discounted)
• Free shipping: Removes shipping costs

Which one should you pick?

For a store-wide sale (like "10% Off Your First Order"), go with Amount off order.

Why? It's simple for customers. They don't have to wonder if the discount works on the shirt but not the pants. It works on everything in their cart.

Click on "Amount off order" to continue.

3. Choosing the Discount Method

Now comes a big decision. How will customers use this discount?

Method 1: Discount Code

The customer types a code (like SUMMER20) at checkout.

Best for: Email campaigns, influencer deals, or "Welcome" offers.

Tip: Keep custom names easy to spell. Don't use codes where "O" (letter) looks like "0" (number). That confuses people.

Method 2: Automatic Discount

The discount shows up in the cart automatically. No code needed.

Best for: Big sales like Black Friday where you want zero friction.

Pros: Super easy for customers. High conversion.

Cons: You lose control. Every single visitor gets the discount—even the ones who were happy to pay full price.

4. Setting the Discount Value

This is the fun part—deciding how much to give away.

1. Find the "Discount value" section.
2. Select Percentage (it should already be selected).
3. Enter the value.

Common examples:

• 10%: Good for "Welcome" offers. Low risk.
• 20%: Stronger push. Good for abandoned cart recovery.
• 50%: Big motivation. Best for clearance items only.

5. Setting the Purchase Type

Shopify lets you choose when the discount applies:

• One-time purchase: The standard option. Discount works only on this order.
• Subscription: If you sell subscription products, the discount can apply to the first payment or every payment.
• Both: Works for both types.

Simple advice: If you're a normal e-commerce store selling clothes, electronics, or home goods, just pick "One-time purchase".

6. Setting Customer Eligibility

Who gets to use this discount?

• All customers: Simple. Anyone who visits your site.
• Specific customer segments: You can create groups in Shopify (like "Customers who haven't bought in 30 days") and limit the discount to them.
• Specific customers: You hand-pick individual people.

When to use what?

• Use All customers for big public sales (like Black Friday).
• Use Segments for email campaigns (like "VIP Only Sale").

7. Minimum Purchase Requirements

Do you want customers to spend a certain amount before they can use the discount?

• No minimum requirements: The discount works even on a $5 item.
• Minimum purchase amount ($): Example: "20% Off orders over $100".
• Minimum quantity of items: Example: "15% Off when you buy 2 items".

8. Usage Limits

This section helps you control how many times the discount can be used.

Limit total uses

Check this if you want a "Flash Sale" feeling. Example: "First 100 people get 50% off!"

Limit to one use per customer

Highly recommended. You don't want the same person using your "Welcome" code five times. Check this box.

9. Discount Combinations

Can a customer use this discount AND a "Free Shipping" code at the same time?

• Product discounts: Can they combine it with a sale on a specific product?
• Order discounts: Can they combine it with another percentage-off code? (Usually "No".)
• Shipping discounts: Can they combine it with free shipping?

10. Setting Active Dates

When does this sale start and end?

• Start date: Default is "Right Now". You can schedule it for later (like next Monday).
• Start time: Pick the exact hour.
• Set end date (Optional): If you leave this empty, the discount runs forever.

11. Sales Channel Access

Where does this discount work?

• Online Store: Your website.
• Point of Sale (POS): Your physical shop (if you have one).
• Google / Facebook: If you sell directly on these platforms.

Usually, you want to leave "All sales channels" selected. Only change this if you're doing a platform-specific offer.

12. Review the Summary

Before you finish, look at the Summary panel on the right side of the screen.

It reads like a sentence:

"Code SUMMER20, 20% off entire order, Minimum purchase of $50, Active from today."

Read this carefully. Does it sound right? Did you accidentally type 50% instead of 5%? (It happens!)

13. Save and Activate

1. Click the "Save" button at the top or bottom of the page.
2. You'll see a success message: "Discount created successfully".
3. Click "Discounts" in the sidebar to see your new code in the list.

14. Test Your Discount

Never assume it works. Always test!

1. Open your store in a new "Incognito" or "Private" browser window.
2. Add items to your cart (meet the minimum if you set one).
3. Go to checkout.
4. Enter your code (like SUMMER20) and click Apply.
5. Check the math. If the total was $100 and you set 20% off, the new total should be $80.
6. Make sure shipping rules work too.

15. Managing Your Discounts

Need to change the date or stop the sale?

1. Go back to Discounts.
2. Click on the discount name.
3. Change any setting (like extending the end date).
4. Click Save.

To Delete: Click "Deactivate" first, then "Delete discount".

To Share: Click "Promote" → "Get shareable link" or copy the settings for a new campaign.

Conclusion

Adding a percentage discount in Shopify is a basic skill every merchant needs. It's a powerful tool when you need more sales.

Discounts are great tools. But remember: the best discount is one that brings you a profitable customer.

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