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WooCommerce Discounts Explained: Types and How to Use Them

Editorial Team
May 14, 2024
WooCommerce Discounts Explained: Types and How to Use Them

Are you considering offering a WooCommerce discount on your store?

Studies show that over 65% of online sales in the US used a discount code or coupon in 2023, and over 90% of customers are more likely to purchase from a new brand if it offers a discount. 

Within a WooCommerce store, you have the flexibility to offer various types of discounts, which can significantly bolster sales and drive profits.

While WooCommerce's default settings allow you to implement certain types of discounts, leveraging additional plugins enables you to offer a broader, wider range of conditional discounts, ensuring you maximize the potential of discount coupons.

In this blog, we will provide a step-by-step guide for offering different types of WooCommerce discounts and share a list of plugins to help you implement discounts effectively in your online store.

Let’s dive in.

What are WooCommerce Discounts, and What Are The Different Types of Discounts in WooCommerce? 

WooCommerce discounts refer to various promotional offers and price reductions that online store owners can implement within their online store to encourage purchases, increase customer satisfaction, and boost sales.

You can offer several types of discounts in WooCommerce to incentivize purchases and boost sales. Some common types include:

  • Percentage Discounts: These discounts reduce the price of items in the cart by a certain percentage.
  • Fixed Amount Discounts: This type of discount subtracts a specific amount from the total purchase price.
  • Free Shipping: Offering free shipping can encourage customers to complete their purchases. You can offer free shipping with other discounts or on its own.
  • Free gift: Offer gifts based on when the user cart total reaches a certain amount.
  • Buy One, Get One (BOGO) Deals: These promotions allow customers to receive an additional item for free or at a discounted price when they purchase one or more items at the total price.
  • Volume Discounts: Offering discounts based on the quantity of items purchased can incentivize customers to buy more products.
  • Cart Total Discounts: These discounts are applied based on the total value of the items in the cart, encouraging customers to spend more to qualify for the discount.
  • Product-specific Discounts: Discounts can be applied to specific products or categories, allowing you to promote certain items or clear out excess inventory.
  • Time-sensitive discounts: Creating limited-time offers or flash sales can create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to purchase before the discount expires.

These are just a few examples of discounts you can offer in WooCommerce. Depending on your store's goals and target audience, you may implement one or more of these strategies to drive sales and increase customer loyalty.

WooCommerce Discount vs WooCommerce Coupons

WooCommerce discounts and coupons are similar but different. Here is a breakdown of the differences between WooCommerce discounts and WooCommerce coupons:

TopicWooCommerce discountWooCommerce coupon
DefinitionType of discount that gets automatically applied to the cart on the checkout page. Users need to enter the coupon code to redeem the discount manually. 
Use caseUsed during sales events and for dynamic discounts such as bulk pricing, quantity discounts, BOGO (Buy One Get One), etcIncrease sales by improving customer engagement and ensuring users feel special with exclusive coupons.
ImpactBoosts sales of your store as discounts always attract customers. Increase sales by improving customer engagement and ensuring users feel special with exclusive coupons
Set upCan offer a discount on the product price. However, to offer quantity discounts, BOGO, etc, you will need the additional plugin. Can create basic discount coupons with some limited conditions using WooCommerce. To create advanced-level coupons, you will need an additional plugin.

4 Best Woocommerce Discount Plugins

While WooCommerce offers various discount and coupon features, several third-party plugins can enhance and extend these capabilities. Here are four popular WooCommerce discount plugins:

1. FunnelKit Funnel Builder 

FunnelKit Funnel Builder is the best WordPress sales funnel builder that allows you to offer different conditional discounts in your online store. 

With this sales funnel builder, you can upgrade the shopping experience of your online store by replacing the default checkout page with a conversion-optimized one. Along with a user-friendly checkout, you can also offer relevant order bumps and one-click upsell. 

On top of that, to encourage customers to buy accept the relevant offers, FunnelKit Funnel Builder offers a Rule feature that you can use to offer WooCommerce discounts based on conditions like Cart total, Cart Category, User Role, Customer Purchase history etc. 

Funnelkit funnel builder - Best Woocommerce Discount Plugins

Here are some of the main features:

  • Ready-to-use templates: FunnelKit comes with many prebuilt sales funnel templates that you can import and use with a few clicks to create a custom checkout experience.
  • Multi-step checkouts:  With FunnelKit, you can create multi-step checkouts for both global and product-specific checkout pages. If you want, you can also create a shopify style checkout
  • AOV-boosting feature: Offer an order bump on the checkout page and post-purchase upsells after checkout to boost average order value. 
  • Auto apple coupon:  With FunnelKit Funnel Builder, you can auto-apply coupon on the checkout page, so users don’t have to do it manually. 
  • Integration with page builders: This WooCommerce sales funnel plugin is compatible with popular page builders like Elementor, Divi, Gutenberg, Oxygen, etc. You can create a sales funnel from scratch using any other page builders too. 
  • Express checkout: You can offer express checkout with a single-click payment option through methods like Google and Apple Pay. 
  • Rule-based WooCommerce discount: To make the WooCommerce discount more effective, you can offer discounts based on the Cart total, Customer purchase history, billing address, shipping address, etc. 

Price: You can use FunnelKit Funnel Builder for free with limited features. The pro version starts with $99/per year. 

2. FunnelKit Cart

FunnelKit Cart adds a sliding shopping cart to your WooCommerce store. With this side cart, users can view and update items and apply discount coupon codes to the cart itself.

This tool lets you present in-cart upsell and cross-sell products to your users. Furthermore, it empowers you to provide smart milestone-based rewards to your users, incentivizing them to engage in more shopping activities. This ultimately enhances your store's average order value.

FunnelKit Cart- - Best Woocommerce Discount Plugins
  • Apply coupon code: Users can effortlessly utilize a discount code directly within the mini shopping cart, witnessing instant adjustments to the discount prices and overall order total in real time.
  • Offer upsell and cross-sell: Offer upsells and cross-sells within the cart itself, and users can add the upsell products to their cart just by clicking on the add to cart button. You get multiple style options to display your upsell offers. 
  • Boost AOV with a reward system: FunnelKit provides a mile-stone based reward system that can be used to gamify the shopping experience. You can also boost a store’s AOV by offering users rewards such as free shipping, discounts, and free gifts if they order products worth a certain amount. 
  • Multilingual compatibility: FunnelKit Cart is compatible with multilingual plugins such as WPML, Polylang, TranslatePress, and Weglot. So, even if your website uses multiple languages, you can still use this plugin.
  • Compatibility with other plugins: FunnelKit Cart is compatible with the best sales funnel builder - FunnelKit Funnel Builder. With the combination of these two plugins, you can skyrocket your sales. 

Price: The basic version of FunnelKit Cart is free to use. You can buy the pro version with the FunnelKit Funnel Builder Plus and the above package.

3. Advanced Coupon 

Advanced Coupon is an advanced plugin that enables store owners to offer smart WooCommerce discounts. If you are looking to provide quantity-based WooCommerce discounts, then this is an excellent choice.

In addition to quantity discounts, this useful plugin also offers other beneficial features such as store credit, loyalty programs, etc. Depending on your business, these features can help strengthen the relationship with your customers and boost sales.

Advanced coupons - top WooCommerce discount plugin

Here are some of the key features:

  • Smart WooCommerce discounts: The plugin allows store owners to offer sophisticated discounts within WooCommerce, including percentage discounts, fixed-amount discounts, buy-one-get-one (BOGO) offers, and more.
  • Quantity-based discounts: Advanced Coupon allows you to set up discounts based on the quantity of items purchased, encouraging customers to buy more and potentially offering tiered pricing.
  • Store credit: You can maintain a store credit balance per customer that they can use at the checkout to buy products. Also, in case of a refund, you can offer users store credit instead of having to refund money.

Price: It’s a freemium plugin. The premium version starts at $119.00 for a single site. 

4. FunnelKit Automations 

FunnelKit Automations is a great tool to promote your WooCommerce discount offers via SMS and email marketing.  This is an all-in-one email and SMS marketing tool that you can use to send promotional and triggered emails to your customers right from the WordPress dashboard. 

With this automated tool, you can bring back customers who abandoned their cart in the middle by offering them a time-limited WooCommerce discount. 

FunnelKit Automations

Here are some of the key features:

  • Recover abandoned cart:  With FunnelKit Automations, you can track the people who add products to their cart but leave the website without completing the order. You can send a sequence of abandoned cart emails/SMS to remind and encourage customers to come back and complete the order. 
  • Winback campaign: You can send emails or SMS with discount codes to your customers who have been inactive for a certain period and encourage them to return and shop again. 
  • Dynamic coupon code: With each email campaign with FunnelKit Automations, you can create dynamic, personalized coupon codes that you can send to users on the fly without creating them manually using WooCommerce settings. 
  • Auto-apply discount coupon link: You can embed an auto-apply discount coupon URL in your email body that users can click on, and the discount will be automatically applied to their cart on the checkout page. 
  • Broadcast Email/SMS: In addition to triggered emails such as an abandoned cart, win-back, and birthday emails, you can also send broadcast emails and SMS to your entire audience to promote your online store's ongoing discount campaigns.

Price: You can use the free version by downloading it from WordPress.org. The premium version starts at $99.50/year. 

So, these were the plugins our experts recommended to utilize the power of WooCommerce discount fully. 

Before we discuss how to use these plugins, move to the next section to learn how to offer discounts using WooCommerce default features. 

How to Create a WooCommerce Discount Coupon Code in Your Store?

To offer a discount using a coupon code on your WooCommerce store, follow these steps: 

Step 1: Navigate to Coupons 

From the WordPress dashboard, navigate to Marketing ⇒ Coupons. 

navigate to maketing then coupons from WordPress dashboard

Step 2: Set up a coupon code

Next, click on “Add Coupon”.

click on Add coupon

After that, you can set the coupon code or click the “Generate Coupon Code” button to generate a random coupon code. You can also add a description(optional). 

generate coupon and provide description

Step 3: Set up a coupon data 

Set up the following coupon-related data:

  • Discount type: You can choose from three types of discounts: percentage discount, fixed cart discount, and fixed product discount.  
  • Coupon amount: Enter the discount amount. Make sure to calculate the discount amount, keeping the discount type you choose in mind.
  • Allow free shipping: Check this option to allow free shipping along with the discount. 
  • Coupon expiry date:  You can set an expiry date for your coupon code. 
set up general coupon data in WooCommerce

Next, move to the Usage restriction tab and set the following:

  • Minimum spend: Set the minimum amount a customer needs to spend to avail of this WooCommerce discount code. 
  • Maximum spend: Here, you can set the maximum spend allowed when availing of the discount code.
  • Individual use only: Check this box to set this coupon to individual use only so the coupon cannot be used in conjunction with other coupons.
  • Exclude sale items: Check this option to exclude sale items from the WooCommerce discount. This is highly recommended, as sale items already offer a discount. 
  • Products: Search and add the products to which this coupon will be applied. This applies to the fixed cart discount type. 
  • Exclude products: Set the products to which the fixed cart discount will not be applied. 
  • Product categories: Choose the categories eligible for coupon application.
  • Exclude categories: Set the categories excluded from the coupon application. 
  • Allowed emails: List of allowed billing emails to check against when an order is placed. You can separate email addresses with commas.
WooCommerce discount coupon usage restriction

Move to the Usage Limits and set the following: 

  • Usage limit per coupon:  Set how many times the coupon can be used before it is void.
  • Limit usage to X items: The maximum number of individual items this coupon can apply to when using product discounts. Leave blank to apply to all qualifying items in the cart.
  • Usage limit per user:  Set the number of times an individual can use this coupon to avail of a WooCommerce discount. 
WooCommerce discount coupon usage limits

Step 4: Publish and test the WooCommerce discount coupon code

Finally, create the WooCommerce discount coupon code and click on Publish

generate coupon in WooCommerce

After publishing the coupon code, try placing the order and applying the coupon code on the checkout page to test it. 

Make sure you add products worth the minimum amount you set to spend. 

Here is a preview: 

preview coupon code in the checkout page

As you have seen with Default WooCommerce, you can offer discounts on your online store; however, it’s not enough to provide strategic discounts to ensure you make a profit. 

In the following sections, we will share different ways of offering discounts in a WooCommerce store using the plugin we listed above in the best WooCommerce discount plugin section.

Method 1: How to Offer Milestone-Based Discounts Using a Slide Cart Plugin

Here, we will use FunnelKit Cart to offer milestone-based discounts. FunnelKit provides a reward system in which you can offer three types of WooCommerce discounts: free shipping, discount, and gift. 

To follow along with this section, you will need both the free and pro versions of FunnelKit Cart. Make sure you have installed and activated both the plugins. 

Now follow these steps: 

Step 1: Enable modern slide cart

Navigate to FunnelKit ⇒ Cart and turn on the “Enable Cart” option.  This will add a modern slide cart to your WooCommerce store. 

For other general and styling-related options for the FunnelKit Cart, read our blog on the WooCommerce mini cart. 

enable funnelkit cart

Step 2: Set the milestone-based rewards 

Move to the style Rewards tab to set the mile stone-based rewards. 

For instance, you can offer free shipping for a certain amount as a reward. 

rewards 1 free shipping using FunnelKit Cart

As a second reward, you can offer a discount coupon that will be applied automatically. You can set a certain amount that users must spend to avail themselves of this WooCommerce discount. 

reward type two discount using FUnnelKit Cart

As the third gift, you can offer a free gift when users reach a certain amount of order total. 

free gift reward using Funnelkit Cart

Here is a preview of how the milestone-based WooCommerce discount works on a sliding cart. 

🔔Note: Funnelkit Cart also comes with an in-cart product recommendation feature that users can use to add items to their cart with a single click to increase the order total and avail the offered discount. 

preview reward based milestone using FunnelKit Cart

Read our blog on how to offer rewards in WooCommerce for more details on setting the milestone-based discount.

Method 2: How to Offer BOGO discount in your WooCommerce store

Buy One Get One is an excellent strategy to attract new customers and sell your excessive stock quickly. 

With the free version of Advanced Coupon, you can easily offer a BOGO WooCommerce discount. After activating the plugin, you should find a new discount type, “Buy X Get X,” in your default coupon creation option of WooCommerce. 

You need to select the BOGO type discount, then set the product the customer needs to buy and the product they will get for free. You can offer the same product or a different product for free. 

Create BOGO offer using Advanced coupon plugins

Method 3: How to Offer Quantity Discounts in WooCommerce

Quantity discounts are discounts you offer based on the quantity of items a customer purchases from your online store. 

Offering quantity discounts can be a valuable strategy for incentivizing customers to buy in larger quantities. This strategy can be applied to various types of products.

With FunnelKit Funnel Builder, you can offer quantity-based discounts such as 

  • 10% discount if a customer purchases two or more units of a particular product
  • 30% discount if a user purchases four or more units of items

You must install both FunnelKit Funnel Builder free and pro versions to avail of this discount. 

After that, follow the following steps: 

Step 1: Create a sales funnel 

The first thing you need to do is create a sales funnel. You can do this from FunnelKit⇒ Funnels. 

FunnelKit Funnel Builder provides a lot of prebuilt templates you can use to easily create a sales funnel. 

For more details, check our blog on WordPress sales funnel. 

create sales funnel using FunnelKit Funnel builder

Step 2: Set up the quantity discount 

Next you need to add the product you want to sell using the sales funnel to the checkout page and then set the quantity discount. You can offer multiple discount plans. 

set up WooCommerce quantity discount

After setting the discount, you can promote this quantity-based WooCOmmerce discount by using this sales funnel. 

For more details, read our WooCommerce quantity discount blog. 

Method 4: How to Share Time-Sensitive WooCommerce Discounts with Customers

A time-limited discount sparks FOMO among users, encouraging them to make a purchase rather than delaying it for later.

With FunnelKit Automations, you can create time-sensitive dynamic coupons and share them with customers via email and SMS to inform them about the WooCommerce discount offer. 

You can dynamically create and share time-sensitive coupons with customers based on their interaction with your online store. 

To create a time-restricted marketing automation campaign, you need to create a step and choose the action Create Coupon Under WooCommerce. 

choose create coupon action of FunnelKit Automations CRM

After that, you can create your discount coupon and set the time restrictions. With FunnelKit automations, you can make the discount coupon valid for specific days or until a specific date. 

set coupon expiry date

For more details on how to create time-sensitive coupons, read our blog on WooCommerce dynamic coupons

Ready to Offer WooCommerce Discount to Boost Sales? 

Customers love discounts, and you can leverage their affection for discounts by offering different types of WooCommerce discounts on your store.

In this blog, we have shared multiple types of discounts and the plugins you can use to implement them.

We highly recommend FunnelKit plugins as they are focused on utilizing WooCommerce discounts to boost the average order value.

This way, you can profit even when you sell products for less than initially intended because of discounts.

So, are you ready to offer WooCommerce discounts on your store?

Author: Editorial Team
The Editorial Team at FunnelKit (formerly WooFunnels) is a passionate group of writers and copy editors. We create well-researched posts on topics such as WordPress automation, sales funnels, online course creation, and more. We aim to deliver content that is interesting and actionable.
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