How it works
Tiered volume discounts encourage customers to add more items by offering progressively better deals. You define a collection and set up to four discount tiers, each with a quantity threshold and a percentage off. As the customer adds qualifying items, the discount automatically escalates to the next tier.
Unlike Shopify's native "buy X get Y" discounts, which only support a single condition, Custom Promos lets you create a true escalating ladder with multiple tiers — and the discount applies to all qualifying items in the cart, not just the last one added.
📈 Example: "Buy More, Save More" on New Arrivals
You want to encourage customers to build outfits from your new arrivals. You set up three tiers:
| Items in Cart | Discount | Example (3 × $80 items) | Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 item | No discount | $80.00 | — |
| 2 items | 10% off | $144.00 | Save $16 |
| 3 items | 15% off | $204.00 | Save $36 |
| 4+ items | 20% off | $256.00 (4 items) | Save $64 |
✓ Customer hit Tier 3 — all 3 items are now 15% off. Adding a 4th item would unlock 20% off everything.
Real-world use cases
👗 Outfit Building
Encourage customers to buy complete outfits. 1 piece at full price, 2 for 10% off, 3+ for 20% off. Average order value increases because customers want to hit the next tier.
🎁 Gift Shopping
During the holidays, reward customers buying multiple gifts. Buy 2 gifts get 10% off, 3 gifts get 15% off, 5+ gifts get 25% off.
📦 Wholesale-Style Pricing
Offer near-wholesale pricing for larger quantities without a separate wholesale system. Buy 5 get 15% off, 10+ get 25% off, 20+ get 35% off.
🏃 New Collection Launch
Drive early adoption of a new collection. Buy 1 at full price, buy 2 get 10% off, buy 3+ get 15% off. Creates urgency and rewards early multi-item shoppers.
Setting it up takes 2 minutes
Select "Tiered Volume Discount"
Choose this promotion type from the new promotion screen.
Pick your collection
Use the visual collection picker to select which products qualify.
Define your tiers
Set up to 4 tiers with quantity thresholds and discount percentages. A live preview shows the math for each tier.
Activate
Save and your tiered discount is live. Customers see the current tier and savings at checkout.
Why this beats Shopify's native options
Shopify does offer a basic "Buy X Get Y" discount, but it only supports a single tier and a fixed condition. You can't create an escalating ladder where the discount increases at 2, 3, and 4 items. With Custom Promos, you define the entire tier structure in a simple form and it all applies automatically.
The visual tier display at checkout is a powerful psychological motivator. When a customer sees "Add 1 more item to unlock 20% off," they're far more likely to continue shopping. It turns your discount into a gamification mechanism that increases average order value.
Ready to set up tiered volume discounts?
Create your escalating discount ladder in under 2 minutes. No coding required.
Get Started — $24/mo →Explore other promotion types
🔥 Collection Sale + Volume Bonus
50% off + extra 10% for buying 4+
💰 Spend Threshold Bonus
Spend $150+ get 15% off the collection
🎯 Buy X, Get Y for Flat Price
50% off collection, cheapest item just $10
🎁 Buy X, Get Y Free
50% off collection, cheapest item free
⭐ Discount on Select Item
20% off the most expensive item