All About Shopify Volume Discounts: Making More Sales with Bulk Deals!
Ever notice how Costco gets people to load up their carts like they’re prepping for the apocalypse? Or why dollar stores love those “5 for $5” deals? That’s the magic of volume discounts at work – and guess what? You can use the same psychology to supercharge your Shopify store.
Why Should You Care About Volume Discounts?
Look, here’s the deal: getting new customers is expensive. Like, really expensive. But getting existing customers to buy more? That’s where the real money is. Here’s what our data shows:
- Studies indicate that businesses can see up to a 73% increase in sales when offering bonus packs compared to selling single units at a lower price.
- 65% of customers say they’ll buy more if they can save more (A survey conducted by YouGov).
- Volume discounts can turn one-time buyers into bulk-buying regulars
The best part? Whether you’re selling fancy candles to home decor enthusiasts or shipping supplies to other businesses, volume discounts can work for pretty much any store. You just need to know how to set them up right.
What We'll Cover (No Fluff, Just the Good Stuff)
- The exact strategies that are working right now (with real examples)
- How to pick the right discount for your store (and your customers)
- Step-by-step setup instructions (both DIY and the easy way)
- Common mistakes to avoid (learn from others’ fails)
- Advanced tips to maximize your profits
Ready to turn your store into a volume-selling machine? Let’s dive in…
Who Are You Selling To? It Matters!
Selling to Regular Customers (B2C)
Let’s face it – regular shoppers love a good deal, but they’re probably not buying hundreds of items at once. Here’s what works great for them:
Who They Are: Individual shoppers, Families, Small groups, Gift buyers, Hobbyists.
What Makes Them Tick:
- Shopping Habits: Buy smaller quantities, Shop more frequently, Make emotional decisions, Love instant gratification, Care about the unboxing experience
Price Sensitivity: Look for deals under $100, Compare prices across stores, Respond well to percentage discounts, Love round numbers ($20 vs $19.99)
For examples:
- Household supplies (buy 3, get 10% off)
- Personal care products (buy 5, save 15%)
- Fashion items (buy 2 pairs of shoes, get 20% off)
- Food and beverage (buy 6 bottles, save 25%)
Selling to Businesses (B2B)
Business buyers are a whole different ball game. They’re usually buying in bulk and expect better prices when they do. Think:
Who They Are: Retailers, Wholesalers, Office managers, Professional buyers, Service providers
What Makes Them Tick:
Shopping Habits: Buy in bulk, Plan purchases ahead, Make rational decisions, Focus on ROI, Need reliable restocking
Price Sensitivity: Calculate cost per unit, Consider storage costs, Factor in shipping, Need consistent pricing, Budget for regular orders
For examples:
- Wholesale clothing (100+ units at 30% off)
- Office supplies (100+ units at 40% off)
- Raw materials (500+ kg at 25% off)
- Manufacturing components (1000+ pieces at 35% off)
Remember: The key is matching your volume discount strategy to your customer’s buying behavior. Don’t try to force B2C strategies on B2B buyers (or vice versa) – it rarely works!
Cool Ways to Use Volume Discounts (That Actually Work!)
1. The "Buy More, Save More" Deal
What it is: The more stuff people buy, the better the discount gets.
How to make it work:
- Start with a small, tempting discount (like 5% off for 2 items)
- Make bigger discounts actually worth it (15-20% off for 5+ items)
- Keep the tiers simple (2, 5, and 10 items work better than random numbers)
Real example:
- Socks store: “Buy 3 pairs for 10% off, 5 pairs for 15% off, 10 pairs for 25% off”
- Skincare shop: “Buy any 2 items for 5% off, 3 items for 10% off, 4+ items for 20% off”
2. The Bulk Buy Special
What it is: Major discounts for buying in large quantities – perfect for wholesale or items people need lots of.
How to make it work:
- Set minimum quantities that make sense (like selling printer paper by the case)
- Offer seriously good discounts (30-50% off) to make it worth storing bigger quantities
- Make sure your inventory can handle big orders
Real example:
- Coffee shop supplies: “Buy 50+ coffee cups: 30% off, 100+ cups: 40% off, 500+ cups: 50% off”
- Hair salon products: “Buy 24+ shampoo bottles: 35% off, 48+ bottles: 45% off”
3. Mix and Match Bundles
What it is: Let customers create their own bundles from different products and save.
How to make it work:
- Group related products together (like different flavors or complementary items)
- Make the savings increase with each additional item
- Keep it flexible – let customers pick what they want
Real example:
- Tea shop: “Create your own tea bundle – pick any 5 flavors and save 25%”
- Makeup store: “Build your own beauty kit – any 3 items for 15% off, 5 items for 25% off”
4. The "Subscribe and Save" Volume Deal (New!)
What it is: Combine subscription offers with volume discounts for a double-whammy deal.
How to make it work:
- Offer an extra discount for subscribing to regular deliveries
- Stack the subscription discount with volume discounts
- Let customers control delivery frequency
Real example:
- Pet supply store: “Subscribe to dog food deliveries: 10% off + extra 5% off for 2+ bags
Setting It Up: The Easy Way vs. the REALLY Easy Way
| Feature | Manual Setup (Shopify) | Snap Bundle Volume Discount App |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Use | Moderate, requires manual setup | Very easy, user-friendly interface |
| Setup Time | Longer, especially for many rules | Quick, templates simplify process |
| Bundling Options | Not available | Full support for bundles & mix-and-match |
| Customization | Limited | Extensive, with widgets and badges |
| Multilingual Support | Requires additional tools | Built-in translation features |
| Analytics and Insights | Basic | Advanced performance tracking |
| Support | General Shopify support | Dedicated 1:1 live customer support |
| Cost | Free (part of Shopify features) | Free app with advanced features |
Doing It Yourself in Shopify
Shopify allows you to create quantity pricing manually for B2B catalogs. Here’s how:
Access the Quantity Pricing Tool
- Navigate to your Shopify admin.
- Go to Products → Catalogs → Quantity Pricing.
Create a Quantity Rule
- Choose a product or group of products for which you want to apply volume pricing.
- Define the price tiers based on quantity thresholds (e.g., buy 5–9 units, get 10% off; buy 10+ units, get 20% off).
Assign Pricing to Customer Segments
- Select which customer groups (e.g., specific B2B customers) are eligible for these pricing rules.
- Assign the rule to a catalog that your customers can browse.
Test and Monitor
- Use Shopify’s reporting tools to monitor the impact of your discounts on sales.
Using Snap Bundle (The Smart Choice)
Steps to Volume Discounts with Snap Bundle:
1. Install the App: Takes about less than a minute
- Download the Snap Bundle Volume Discount app from the Shopify App Store.
- Active app on your theme
Sell More With Snap Bundle Volume Discount Today!
2. Create Volume Pricing Rules: Takes about 3 minutes
- Name the campaign
- Choose offer logic
- Product-based: Same variant only/ Any variant
- Mix-and-match
3. Customize Widgets:
- Display Widget:
- Basic offer table: focus on volume only
- Quantity selector table: focus on variants
- Discount tiers
- Set a minimum quantity for each tier
- Discount type: by percentage/by amount
- Other settings:
- Set maximum quantity
- Show unit price
- For more volume table settings (Colors, headline text): Head to Setting on the left bar (below “Your offer”).
4. Choose products to apply on:
- There are 3 options:
All products
Specific products
Specific collections
- Stock count alert show when less than [a number]
- Other optional setting:
- Combinations with: Product discounts, Order discounts, Shipping discounts
- Schedule time for the campaign
5. Save and view your campaign on your store front
Picking the Right Deal for Your Store
Let’s get real – not every discount strategy works for every store. Here’s how to figure out what’ll work best for you.
Step 1: Know Your Numbers 📊
First things first – before you start offering any discounts, you need to know:
Your Margins
- What’s your profit on each product?
- Quick tip: Don’t just look at product cost. Remember to factor in:
- Shipping (especially if you offer free shipping)
- Packaging costs
- Processing fees
- Storage costs
- Labor costs
Your Current Stats
- Average order value (AOV)
- Typical cart size (how many items?)
- Most common product combinations
- Customer purchase frequency
- Return rate by order size
Step 2: Understand Your Products 📦
Different products need different approaches:
High-End Products
- Works well with: Small volume breaks (2-3 units)
- Example: Luxury skincare
- “Buy 2 serums, save 15%”
- “Create a 3-piece routine, save 25%”
- Why? Maintains brand value while encouraging larger purchases
Consumables
- Works well with: Larger volume breaks + subscriptions
- Example: Coffee beans
- “Buy 3 bags, save 20%”
- “Subscribe & save extra 10%”
- Why? Customers need to restock anyway
Fashion/Apparel
- Works well with: Mix & match deals
- Example: T-shirts and accessories
- “Buy any 3 tees, save 25%”
- “Add 2 accessories, save 30%”
- Why? Encourages wardrobe building
Perishables
- Works well with: Moderate quantities + shorter timeframes
- Example: Baked goods
- “Buy 6 cookies, save 15%”
- “Weekend special: Buy 12, save 25%”
- Why? Balances sales with shelf life
Step 3: Know Your Customer Types 👥
The Bargain Hunter
- Loves: Big percentage discounts
- Strategy: Clear tier structure showing increased savings
- Example: “Save 10% on 2, 20% on 3, 30% on 4+”
The Bulk Buyer
- Loves: Wholesale prices
- Strategy: Major discounts on large quantities
- Example: “50+ units: 40% off”
The Regular
- Loves: Consistent savings
- Strategy: Subscription + volume combos
- Example: “Subscribe & save 15%, double up for 25% off”
The Gifter
- Loves: Bundle deals
- Strategy: Mix & match with gift-oriented messaging
- Example: “Create 3 gift sets, save 30%”
Step 4: Match Your Business Goals 🎯
Goal: Increase Average Order Value
- Best strategy: Tiered discounts with sweet spots
- Example: If your AOV is $40, create a tier at $75 with an irresistible discount
Goal: Clear Inventory
- Best strategy: Deep discounts on larger quantities
- Example: “Buy 5+, save 50% – while supplies last!”
Goal: Compete with Big Box Stores
- Best strategy: Match or beat their bulk pricing
- Example: Price matching plus an extra 5% off for bulk
Goal: Build Customer Loyalty
- Best strategy: Member-exclusive volume deals
- Example: “VIP members get extra 10% off all bulk purchases”
Step 5: Consider Your Operations 🔧
Before finalizing your strategy, check:
Inventory Management
- Can you handle sudden bulk orders?
- Do you have storage for larger inventory?
- What’s your restock time?
Shipping Capabilities
- Can you ship large orders efficiently?
- Do you need new packaging for bulk?
- How will this affect shipping costs?
Customer Service
- Can you handle bulk order support?
- Do you need special handling for large orders?
- How will you manage bulk returns?
Red Flags to Watch For 🚩
- If average order value goes up but profits drop
- If inventory turnover gets too slow
- If return rates spike on bulk orders
- If customer service complaints increase
- If regular-sized orders disappear
Remember: The best volume discount is one that makes both you and your customers happy. Don’t be afraid to adjust your strategy based on what the data tells you!
Sell More with Smarter Volume Discounts
Volume discounts aren’t just about moving more product – they’re about building better relationships with your customers. Whether you’re selling to businesses or everyday shoppers, giving them a reason to buy more means they’re more likely to come back.
Your Next Steps:
- Install Snap Bundle (it’s free!)
- Pick your first product for volume pricing
- Set up your first discount tier
- Watch those bigger orders roll in!
Need help getting started? Snap Bundle’s support team is just a chat away, and they’re actually super helpful. Remember: The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see those larger orders coming in. Why leave money on the table? Get your volume discounts set up today!
Sophia Dao is a Shopify Conversion Specialist at WizzCommerce, specializing in e-commerce and Shopify solutions. With a passion for digital marketing and a keen eye for detail, Sophia creates engaging content that helps businesses thrive online. When she’s not writing, she enjoys exploring the latest trends in tech and commerce. Follow Sophia for practical e-commerce tips and the latest marketing insights!
