How to Set Up Discounts in WooCommerce? Step-by-Step Guide (2025)

Set up discounts in WooCommerce by installing the Disco plugin. After installation, create a new discount rule, define the discount type (e.g., percentage or fixed), specify applicable products or categories, and set conditions such as minimum cart value or user roles. Save and test the rule to ensure it functions correctly.

Let’s face it: we’re all bargain hunters at heart. Did you know 83% of shoppers say coupons/discounts influence their purchasing behavior?

That’s right—whether it’s a flashy “50% OFF” banner or a sneaky promo code, discounts are the secret sauce to turning “maybe later” into “take my money!”

If you’re running a WooCommerce store, discounts aren’t just nice to have—they’re a must-have. They boost sales, keep customers coming back, and let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good deal?

But here’s the kicker: setting up discounts doesn’t have to be a headache. With the right discount plugin, you can create jaw-dropping offers faster than you can say “cha-ching!”

In this guide, we’ll show you how to set up discounts in WooCommerce like a pro—whether you’re a coupon newbie or a discount wizard.

Ready to turn your store into a deal-making machine? Let’s dive in!

Prerequisites for WooCommerce Discount Setup

Before we dive into the world of discounts, let’s make sure you’ve got everything you need to get started. Think of this as preheating the oven before baking a cake—essential for the best results!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• WooCommerce Installed: Make sure you’ve got WooCommerce up and running on your WordPress site. (Pro tip: Use WooCommerce 4.4 or higher for the best experience!)
• Disco Plugin Installed & Activated: This nifty little plugin is your discount sidekick. It’s compatible with WordPress 4.4 or higher to the latest version, so you’re good to go!

Download it here: Disco Plugin

Once you’ve got these two essentials ready, you’re all set to start creating discounts.

How to Set Up Discounts in WooCommerce – Default Options

While WooCommerce comes with built-in discount features, they’re best suited for simpler promotions. Let’s cover the basics before exploring how the Disco plugin can unlock more advanced discounting strategies.

How to Create a Coupon Code in WooCommerce

WooCommerce’s default coupon system allows you to create simple discount codes. The tools also support some basic conditions.

Let’s create the following example of a WooCommerce coupon setup.

Example: 10% Discount on All Products.

Here’s a quick walkthrough:

Step 1: Enable Coupons

• Open your WordPress dashboard and go to WooCommerce >> Settings >> General to enable WooCommerce coupon settings.
• Scroll down to the Enable Coupons section.
• Check the box labeled “Enable the use of coupon codes.”
• Click Save Changes.

Step 2: Create a New Coupon

• Navigate to Marketing >> Coupons.

• Click the “Add coupon“ button.
• At the top field is where you input your WooCommerce discount codes. Enter a unique coupon code (e.g., SAVE10) and an optional description for internal reference.

Step 3: Configure Coupon Discount Type

• Choose the Discount type:
  • Percentage discount: A percentage off the total cart or specific products.
  • Fixed cart discount: A fixed amount off the entire cart.
  • Fixed product discount: A fixed amount off specific products.
  • Free shipping: Offers free shipping on the order.

Step 4: Set the Discount Amount

• Select the Percentage Discount type and enter the discount value (e.g., 10 for 10% off).

Step 5: Set Usage Restrictions

WooCommerce allows you to control when and how the coupon applies with these options:

• Minimum spend: Set the minimum cart total required for the discount to apply.
• Maximum spend: Set the maximum cart total eligible for the discount.
• Individual use only: Check this box to prevent the coupon from being used alongside other coupons.
• Exclude sale items: Check this box to exclude discounted products from the coupon.
• Products: Select specific products to apply the coupon.
• Exclude products: Select products that should not receive the discount.
• Product categories: Apply the discount to entire categories.
• Exclude categories: Select categories to exclude from the discount.
• Allowed emails: Restrict the coupon to specific customer email addresses (useful for VIP offers).
• Product brands (if applicable): Choose specific brands for the discount.
• Exclude brands (if applicable): Select brands to exclude from the discount.

Step 6: Set Usage Limits

• Usage limit per coupon: Set how many times the coupon can be used in total.
• Usage limit per user: Set how many times an individual customer can use the coupon.

Step 7: Publish the Coupon

• Review your settings and click “Publish.”

Your coupon is now live and ready to use! Customers can apply it during checkout by entering the coupon code in the designated field.

These basic coupons are great for simple WooCommerce promotion offers like offering a percentage discount or free shipping. You can easily apply usage restrictions to control how and when discounts are used.

Limitations of Default Options

However, default WooCommerce discounts come with a few limitations:

• Bulk discounts or tiered pricing: You can’t easily offer discounts based on the quantity purchased.
• Advanced rules: It’s difficult to create complex discounts based on multiple conditions (e.g., BOGO deals, user roles, or setting start time and date for coupons).
• Automatic discounts: WooCommerce usually requires customers to enter a coupon code manually, unlike some advanced systems that apply discounts automatically at checkout.

These limitations are precisely why plugins like Disco exist. They offer the flexibility and advanced features WooCommerce stores need to create truly effective promotions. Let’s see how Disco can supercharge your discount campaigns in the next section.

How to Set Up Discounts in WooCommerce? (Using a Plugin)

Disco is a power-packed plugin available on the WordPress repository for absolutely free. Before we dive into its plethora of features, let us show how easy it is to create an automatic discount in WooCommerce using the plugin.

Example Scenario: Offer $10 off on all products during Black Friday.

Here’s how to create this WooCommerce discount on all products using the plugin.

Step 1: Install the WooCommerce Discount Plugin

To install the WooCommerce discount manager plugin Disco, log in to your WordPress admin panel. After that –

• Go to Plugins >> Add New. Search for Disco.

• Install and activate the plugin.

Here’s what the Disco dashboard looks like.

Step 2: Create a New Discount

• Click the Create a Discount button to start the process.
• Input a name for your discount.

Disco provides 6 Discount intents –

1. Product
2. Cart
3. Shipping
4. Bulk
5. Bundle
6. BOGO

Step 3: Configure Discount Rules

The discount intent informs the plugin what type of campaign you are creating and triggers specific features to activate.

• Select the Product intent.

• From the Discount section, select All Products.

• Under Product Rules, select the Fixed Discount from the Discount Type dropdown.

• Enter the value (10) in the Discount Value box.

Step 4: Setting a Time Limit for the Discount Rule

As we are creating the discount rule for Black Friday, let’s say it is only valid for 24 hours on Black Day 2025. Here’s how to set this specific time for the discount to be valid –

• The Valid Between fields are the ones from where you can set the time limit. Select your starting date and time from the first field.

• Set your end date and time from the second field’s calendar.

This is how you can offer limited-time discounts such as WooCommerce flash sales, seasonal sales, occasional sales, etc.

Step 5: Save and Test

• Click the Save button to save this discount rule.

Disco will automatically activate the discount on your set date and time and display the discounted amounts on your product pages like this –

The WordPress discount plugin will also end the discount campaign automatically as per your set time. This is how simple it is to create and offer WooCommerce automatic discounts using the plugin.

Unlock the Power of Discounts: Advanced Strategies with Disco

Discounts are more than just a way to save money—they’re a powerful tool to drive sales, attract new customers, and reward loyal ones. With Disco, you can craft strategic, high-impact promotions that truly resonate with your audience.

Ready to level up your discount game? Let’s explore some advanced discount strategies you can implement with Disco.

1. Bulk Discounts: Reward Quantity Purchases

Example: Buy 3-5 Items, Get 10% Off | Buy 5-9 Items, Get 15% Off | Buy 10+ Items, Get 20% Off

Encourage customers to buy more by offering bulk discounts based on the quantity they purchase. This strategy not only increases your average order value but also helps move more inventory.

Best Use Cases:

• Clearing out overstocked products
• Encouraging bulk purchases for high-margin items
• Rewarding loyal customers who shop in larger quantities

How to Create WooCommerce Bulk Discounts?

Let’s take a look at the WooCommerce tiered pricing example again –

• Buy 3–5 Items: Get 10% Off
• Buy 6–9 Items: Get 15% Off
• Buy 10+ Items: Get 20% Off

Here’s how to set up discounts in WooCommerce for multiple quantity ranges.

• Select the Bulk discount intent and All Products from the top.

• Type in 3 in the Minimum Quantity and 5 in the Maximum Quantity box. Select the Percentage option and enter your first percentage value.

• Click the Add More button twice to create 2 more rows.

• Input the values and WooCommerce percentage discounts as per your strategy. Leave the Maximum Quantity field empty for the final tier so that any quantity above 10 automatically receives the discount.

• Save and test the rule by adding products to the cart.

For the 3-5 range, here’s how the cart page displays the discounts.

Here’s the result for 6-9 products added to the cart.

Finally, for 10 or more products, the cart page will apply a 20% discount.

2. Cart Condition Discounts: Incentivize Higher Spending

Example: 10% off if the Cart Total is Equal to or Over $100

Motivate customers to add more items to their cart by offering discounts when they reach a specific spending threshold. It’s a great way to boost your average order value.

Best Use Cases:

• Increasing overall sales during promotions
• Reducing cart abandonment by offering a last-minute discount
• Encouraging customers to explore more products in your store

How to Set Up Discounts in WooCommerce Based on Cart Condition

To create WooCommerce cart discounts, you will need to use Disco conditions. In Disco, condition filters are the building blocks for setting up WooCommerce dynamic pricing & discounts.

They let you apply discounts based on specific rules, like product quantity, cart total, customer roles, categories, or even custom fields. You can also combine multiple conditions using AND/OR logic, making it easy to create highly targeted WooCommerce conditional discounts.

For example, you can give a discount only if a customer buys more than 5 items and belongs to a VIP user role.

• Select the Cart discount intent and specify the products from the top.
• From the Cart Rules section, set your WooCommerce discount percentage value.

• Click the Add Condition button to add a condition filter.

• For this example, we only need to add just one condition called Cart Subtotal.

• Select the Greater Than Or Equal operator and enter your minimum cart value (100).

• Save the rule and add $100 or more worth of items to the cart to test the discount rule.

3. Specific Product Discounts: Targeted Promotions

Example: 25% Off Selected Kids Dresses

Focus your discounts on specific products to drive traffic to underperforming or seasonal items. This strategy allows you to create highly targeted promotions that resonate with specific customer segments.

Best Use Cases:

• Promoting new arrivals or seasonal collections
• Clearing out slow-moving inventory
• Highlighting high-margin products to increase profitability

How to Set Up Percentage Discounts in WooCommerce for Specific Products?

Here’s how to create this type of WooCommerce discount rules for your store –

• Select the Product intent for the WooCommerce product discount rule.
• From the Discount section, select the Few Products option.

• Type, search, and select your target products.

• Set the percentage value from the Product Rules section.

• Once you save this rule, Disco will automatically display the discounted prices along with a Sale badge on the target product pages.

4. Category-Specific Discounts: Drive Traffic to Key Categories

Example: 20% Off All ‘Summer Collection.’

Apply discounts to entire product categories to boost sales in specific areas of your store. This is especially effective for seasonal or themed promotions.

Best Use Cases:

• Promoting seasonal categories (e.g., winter gear, summer accessories)
• Clearing out overstocked categories
• Driving traffic to underperforming product lines

How to Set Up Discounts in WooCommerce Based on Category?

To create WooCommerce category discounts, follow these steps –

• Select the Product discount intent.
• To offer the discount on all products under your selected category, select All products.
• Set the percentage value.

• Add the condition Categories.

• Search and select the target category (Summer Collection).

• As soon as you save the rule, the plugin will automatically start displaying the discount prices at the storefront.

5. Free Shipping Discounts: Encourage Bigger Carts

Example: Free Shipping on Orders over $50.

Offer WooCommerce free shipping discounts when customers reach a certain cart total. This strategy not only increases average order value but also eliminates one of the biggest barriers to purchase—shipping costs.

Best Use Cases:

• Reducing cart abandonment rates
• Competing with larger retailers offering free shipping
• Encouraging customers to add more items to their cart

How to Set Up Free Shipping Discounts in WooCommerce?

Here are the steps –

• Select the Shipping discount intent from the top.
• Specify your products.

• Add the condition Cart Subtotal.
• Select the Greater Than operator this time and enter your minimum cart value.

• Save and test the rule.

6. VIP Discounts: Reward Loyalty

Example: Exclusive 30% Off for ‘Wholesale’ Customers.

Make your best customers feel special with exclusive discounts tailored just for them. It’s a great way to build long-term loyalty and encourage repeat purchases.

If you run a membership site, VIP discounts can become even more powerful. You can offer tiered subscription plans (e.g., Silver, Gold, and Platinum) and apply different discount rates for each level. For instance, Silver members get 5% off, Gold members get 10%, and Platinum members get 15%.

This strategy doesn’t just reward loyalty—it also motivates customers to upgrade their membership to enjoy better savings. With Disco, you can easily set these discounts using the User Role condition filters.

Best Use Cases:

• Retaining high-value customers
• Encouraging repeat purchases
• Building a loyal customer base through email marketing

How to Set Up Discounts in WooCommerce Based on User Role?

Disco offers 2 conditions to offer customer-specific discounts. Use Role and Customer.

The Customer is for targeting individual customers, and the User Role is for selecting a certain group of customers. For this example, we will need the User Role filter.

• Select the Product or Cart discount intent and specify the target products.
• Set the percentage value.

• Add the condition User Role.
• Scroll or type in your target user role (Wholesale).

• Save the rule, and your Wholesale customers can now enjoy 30% off on their next purchases.

Best Practices for Managing WooCommerce Discounts

Running discounts is like walking a tightrope—too few, and you miss out on sales; too many, and you risk devaluing your brand. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

Here are some best practices to help you manage WooCommerce discounts like a pro, ensuring they’re effective, profitable, and sustainable.

1. Avoid Discount Fatigue by Balancing Frequency

• Why it matters: If customers see discounts all the time, they’ll wait for the next sale instead of buying at full price.
• Pro Tip: Use discounts strategically—save them for special occasions, seasonal sales, or to clear out old inventory.
• Example: Run a flash sale for 24 hours instead of offering week-long discounts.

2. Track Performance Using Built-In Analytics

• Why it matters: You can’t improve what you don’t measure. WooCommerce’s built-in reports (Now separated in a dedicated menu called Analytics) let you see which discounts are driving sales and which are falling flat.

• Pro Tip: Monitor metrics like redemption rates, revenue generated, and customer acquisition costs.
• Example: If a 10% off coupon isn’t converting, try a free shipping offer instead.

3. Combine Different Discount Types Strategically with Disco’s Flexible Conditions

• Why it matters: Not all discounts work for every situation. Use Disco’s advanced rules to create tailored promotions that fit your goals.
• Pro Tip: Pair a bulk discount with a free shipping threshold to maximize order value.
• Example: Offer 15% off when customers buy 3+ items AND free shipping on orders over $75.

4. Set Clear Goals for Each Discount Campaign

• Why it matters: Discounts should align with your business objectives, whether it’s clearing inventory, boosting sales, or rewarding loyal customers.
• Pro Tip: Define your goal before creating a discount. Are you aiming for higher revenue, more traffic, or customer retention?
• Example: Use a VIP discount to reward repeat customers and encourage loyalty.

5. Test and Optimize Your Discounts

• Why it matters: What works for one store might not work for another. Testing helps you find the sweet spot for your audience.
• Pro Tip: Run A/B tests with different discount amounts, types, and messaging to see what resonates.
• Example: Test a 20% off coupon against a $10 flat discount to see which drives more sales.

6. Use Scarcity and Urgency to Drive Action

• Why it matters: Limited-time offers create a fear of missing out (FOMO), pushing customers to act fast.
• Pro Tip: Combine time-limited discounts with countdown timers or low-stock alerts.
• Example: “48 Hours Only: 30% Off Summer Collection!”

7. Personalize Discounts for Better Engagement

• Why it matters: Customers love feeling special. Personalized discounts can increase conversion rates and build loyalty.
• Pro Tip: Use customer data (e.g., past purchases, browsing history) to create targeted offers.
• Example: Send a 10% off coupon to customers who abandoned their cart with a specific product.

8. Avoid Overlapping Discounts

• Why it matters: Stacking discounts can eat into your profits and confuse customers.
• Pro Tip: Use Disco’s conditions to ensure discounts don’t overlap unintentionally.
• Example: If you’re running a site-wide sale, disable individual product discounts during the promotion.

9. Communicate Discounts Clearly

• Why it matters: If customers don’t know about your discount, they can’t use it. Make sure your WooCommerce promotions are visible and easy to understand.
• Pro Tip: Use banners, pop-ups, and email campaigns to promote your discounts.
• Example: Add a banner at the top of your site: “Black Friday Sale: Up to 50% Off—Shop Now!”

10. Monitor Profit Margins

• Why it matters: Discounts can boost sales, but they can also cut into your profits if not managed carefully.
• Pro Tip: Calculate your break-even point before launching a discount campaign.
• Example: If your profit margin is 30%, avoid offering discounts over 20% unless you’re clearing out old stock.

By following these best practices, you’ll not only maximize the impact of your discounts but also ensure they’re sustainable and profitable in the long run. With Disco’s powerful features and a little strategy, you can turn your WooCommerce store into a discount-driven sales machine!

Why Choose a Discount Plugin Like Disco?

Running a WooCommerce store is no small feat. Between managing inventory, optimizing your site, and keeping customers happy, there’s a lot on your plate.

When it comes to discounts, you might wonder: Why bother with a plugin like Disco when WooCommerce already has a built-in discount option?

The truth is, while WooCommerce’s default coupon system is great for basic discounts, it often falls short when it comes to creating more advanced, targeted, and automated promotions. That’s where a dedicated discount plugin like Disco comes in.

Here’s why it’s worth considering:

1. Flexibility to Create Advanced Discounts

• WooCommerce’s default system is limited to simple coupon codes and basic conditions.
• Disco lets you create tiered bulk discounts, free shipping thresholds, or category-specific promotions.
• Tailor discounts to your exact needs, whether you’re running a flash sale, rewarding loyal customers, or clearing out old inventory.

2. Save Time with Automation

• Manually creating and managing discounts can be time-consuming.
• Disco powers WooCommerce add discount programmatically and fuels your discount campaigns with start/end dates, usage limits, and specific conditions.
• Set it and forget it—no need to constantly monitor or adjust settings.

3. Targeted Promotions for Better Results

• Generic discounts attract customers, but targeted promotions drive real results.
• Create discounts based on customer behaviors, product categories, cart totals, and more.
• Example: Offer exclusive discounts to VIP customers or incentivize bulk purchases with tiered pricing.

4. Boost Average Order Value

• One of the biggest challenges for online stores is increasing the average order value.
• Disco helps by offering discounts that encourage customers to spend more.
• Examples:
  • Set up a free shipping threshold.
  • Offer a percentage discount when customers reach a certain cart total.

5. Improve Customer Retention

• Discounts aren’t just for attracting new customers—they’re also a powerful tool for retaining existing ones.
• Create loyalty-focused discounts, like:
  • Exclusive offers for repeat buyers.
  • Personalized discounts based on past purchases.
• These small gestures build long-term customer relationships.

6. Stay Competitive

• In today’s crowded eCommerce landscape, standing out is crucial.
• Disco helps you create unique, eye-catching promotions that set your store apart.
• Example: Run a limited-time flash sale or offer exclusive bundle deals.

7. Easy to Use, Even for Non-Techies

• No coding expertise required!
• Disco’s intuitive interface and step-by-step setup make it easy for anyone to create and manage discounts.
• Focus on growing your business, not figuring out complicated tools.

8. Scalable for Growing Stores

• As your store grows, so do your discount needs.
• Disco is designed to scale with your business, offering features like:
  • Bulk discounts and bundle deals.
  • Advanced reporting to track campaign performance with Disco Pro.
• Whether you’re running a small boutique or a large marketplace, Disco has you covered.

In short, a discount plugin like Disco isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a game-changer for WooCommerce stores. It gives you the tools to create smarter, more effective discounts that:

• Drive sales.
• Boost customer loyalty.
• Grow your business.

So, if you’re ready to take your discount strategy to the next level, it might be time to give Disco a try.

FAQ Section

How to Add Discounts Programmatically in WooCommerce?

If you’re a developer or comfortable with code, you can add discounts programmatically using WooCommerce hooks and filters. However, with Disco, you don’t need to touch a single line of code! The plugin’s intuitive interface lets you create and manage discounts effortlessly, saving you time and hassle.

How to exclude sale items from coupons in WooCommerce?

Go to WooCommerce >> Marketing >> Coupons, edit or create a coupon, then check the “Exclude sale items“ box under the Usage Restrictions tab. Save the changes.

Wrap Up

Let’s wrap this up! Now that you know how to set up discounts in WooCommerce, it’s time to put those strategies into action. Whether you’re offering bulk deals, cart-based discounts, or targeted promotions, discounts are your ticket to driving sales and keeping customers hooked.

So, what are you waiting for? Dive in, start experimenting, and watch your store thrive. Let’s make those sales soar!