Quantity discount, coupon or buy one get one: which to use
A shop has several ways to say “buy more”. They look similar to customers, but they behave differently in your numbers and in your cart. Picking the right one for a product saves margin and confusion.
The four options
Coupon code. A code the customer types at checkout, such as SAVE10 for 10% off an order over 50.
Buy one get one (BOGO). Buy one, get another free or at half price.
Quantity discount. The price of each item falls as the quantity goes up: 5% for 2, 10% for 3, 15% for 5.
Bundle. A set of different products sold together at a lower price.
What each one does well
| Coupon | BOGO | Quantity discount | Bundle | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer has to do something | Find and type a code | Add two | Nothing | Tick items |
| Visible before checkout | Only if you publish the code | Yes | Yes, on the product page | Yes |
| Works for one product | No | Yes | Yes | No, it needs several |
| Works for different products | Yes | Often only the same item | Not by default | Yes |
| Can be shared or leaked | Yes | No | No | No |
| Easy to measure | Yes, by code | By hand | By discount line | By bundle |
When to use which
Coupons
Best for a limited campaign, a newsletter or a one-time apology. The problem is that codes travel. A code in an email ends up on a voucher site, and then everyone uses it. Limit a code by date, by uses or by minimum spend.
Buy one get one
Strong for consumables a customer will use anyway, and for clearing stock. It is hard on margin, because the second item is the part you give away, and it only makes sense if you can afford to give it. Make sure you hold enough stock of the free item.
Quantity discounts
Best for products people can use in numbers: coffee, notebooks, cartridges, T-shirts. The discount is automatic, it is shown on the product page, and it grows with the order. It also rewards your best customers without anyone having to ask. Choosing the tiers shows how to check the margin.
Bundles
Best when the products belong together and you want the customer to see the set. See product bundle ideas.
Combine them with care
It’s tempting to run all four at once. Then a customer puts three items in the cart, a coupon on top and a sale price underneath, and the final price is lower than you ever meant it to be. Pick one main offer per product and decide whether the others may be added on top. Stop discounts stacking covers how to set the limits.
A quick rule
| Your goal | Start with |
|---|---|
| Customers to add one more of the same product | Quantity discount |
| Customers to buy related products together | Bundle |
| A short campaign or win-back email | Coupon |
| Clear overstock of an item people use up | BOGO |
Doing this with C4D Buy More Save More
C4D Buy More Save More is the quantity discount: tiers for each product, applied by itself in the cart. You choose whether a coupon can be used on top of it, and whether items already on sale are included, on the Advanced tab. The answers to the most common questions are in the FAQ. The plugin is coming to WordPress.org soon.