How to Setup WooCommerce Cart Discounts? – Easy Steps

WooCommerce cart discounts: they’re the online shopping equivalent of finding a twenty-dollar bill in your old jeans!

Suddenly, that purchase feels so much better. These discounts, whether percentage-based, a fixed amount off, or free shipping, are a great way to encourage larger purchases and reward your loyal customers.

This guide will walk you through setting up cart discounts for WooCommerce, step by simple step. Let’s get started.

How to Setup WooCommerce Cart Discounts?

WooCommerce’s own discount feature, the coupon tool, has the option to create a basic WooCommerce cart total discount code. However, the options are limited, and customers have to input the codes manually.

To unlock the full potential of WooCommerce cart discounts—automation, advanced features, and personalization—you’ll need a plugin. We will use the free plugin called Disco.

It packs all the muscles to power and run your discount campaigns, be it basic percentage, fixed product discounts, or advanced dynamic ones.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating a WooCommerce cart discount using the plugin.

Step 1: Install the Discount Plugin

Login to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Plugins >> Add New to access free WooCommerce cart discount plugins. Disco is currently one of the best WooCommerce cart discount plugins in the repository.

Search, find, install, and activate the plugin. It will create its own dedicated menu through which you can access its dashboard.

Step 2: Create and Configure a New Discount Rule

Example Scenario – Offer 10% off on orders over $100.

• Click the Create a Discount to start the process.

• It will redirect you to this window.

• Give your cart discount rules WooCommerce a name and select the Cart discount intent.

• Select All Products from the Discount section.

• From the Discount Type dropdown, select the Percentage option and enter your discount value.

Step 3: Apply Conditions to WooCommerce Cart Discounts

Next, we need to add a condition to the WooCommerce cart discounts rule. Disco offers a plethora of conditions for you to customize and personalize your discount campaigns based on different criteria such as product attributes, customer behavior, user roles, etc.

These conditions let you personalize your strategy and ensure the discounts align perfectly with your goals.

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

• For our current example, we will need the Cart Subtotal condition.

• Select Greater Than and insert the minimum spending value, 100.

Step 4: Save and Test

• Once you are done configuring the above, hit the Save button.

• Add products worth over $100 to the cart to test the discount. It should deduct 10% from the cart total.

This is a simple walkthrough of setting up a WooCommerce discount on cart subtotal. In the following sections, we will explore more advanced and personalized strategies.

Advanced WooCommerce Bulk Discounts

Alright, so you’ve got the basics down. Now it’s time to unleash the real power of WooCommerce cart discounts.

We’re talking about advanced rules that let you get super specific with your offers, targeting different customers, products, and even shipping methods. Let’s dive into some seriously effective discount strategies that can help you drive sales and boost your customer’s loyalty.

1. WooCommerce Cart Discount Based on Cart Quantity

• Example: Buy 5 or more items, get 15% off the entire cart

Quantity discounts incentivize customers to purchase more items by offering increasing discounts based on the number of products in their cart. This strategy is highly effective for boosting average order value and clearing out inventory.

Best Use Cases:

• Encourage customers to purchase more items per order.
• Effective for clearing out inventory.
• Suitable for businesses selling products that are often purchased in multiples (e.g., stationery, clothing items, craft supplies).

How to Offer WooCommerce Cart Discounts Based on Cart Quantity?

Here are the steps to creating quantity-based cart discounts in WooCommerce –

• Select the Cart discount intent from the top and specify your products.

• Set the percentage value and click the Add Condition button.

• Add the condition Cart Items Quantity.

• Select the Greater Than Or Equal option, as we are offering discounts when the item quantity equals or exceeds 5.

• Save and test the rule from the front by adding 5 or more products to the cart.

If in case you want to limit the maximum quantity for the discount to be valid, you do so by selecting the Between option. For example, if the discount applies to 5-10 products, here is how you can set the limit.

2. WooCommerce Cart Discounts Based on Specific Products

• Example: Offer 20% off “Product X” and “Product Y” when the cart contains 3 or more of either product (or a combination of both).

Targeted product cart discounts allow you to drive sales of specific items by offering a discount when customers purchase a certain quantity of those items. This is great for boosting sales on selected products without necessarily creating bundles.

Best Use Cases:

• Increase sales of specific products you want to promote.
• Clear out excess stock of particular items.
• Encourage bulk purchases of specific products, even if they aren’t typically bundled.
• Reward repeat purchases of specific products.

How to Offer WooCommerce Cart Discount for Specific Products Only?

Creating a WooCommerce cart conditional discount for specific products using Disco is pretty straightforward. Here are the steps –

• After selecting the Cart discount intent, select the Few Products option from the Discount section.

• Type in, search, and select your target products.

• Set your percentage value and add the Cart Items Quantity condition.
• Set the condition with the Greater Than Or Equal option.

Let’s refresh our previous cart, which also had more than 3 items in the cart but had different products.

As you can see, the discount is not applied. Let’s add some of our target products to the cart for WooCommerce apply discount to item in cart.

3. WooCommerce Cart Discount Based on User Role

• Example: Wholesale customers receive a flat 20% discount when the cart total is $300 or more.

User role discounts provide a way to reward specific customer groups, such as wholesale members or VIPs, with exclusive offers. This strategy helps foster customer loyalty and encourages repeat business.

These discounts are particularly helpful for recovering abandoned cart customers. You can identify customers who abandoned carts and offer targeted discounts to entice them back and complete their purchases.

Furthermore, user role discounts play a pivotal role in WooCommerce membership sites. Store owners who offer different subscription-based membership plans can use these discounts to provide exclusive benefits to members at various tiers.

This not only encourages members to maintain their subscriptions but also incentivizes them to upgrade to higher tiers to access greater discounts and other perks. This creates a tiered loyalty program that drives both recurring revenue and customer engagement.

Best Use Cases:

• Reward loyal customers or members of a specific group (e.g., wholesale members, VIPs).
• Incentivize customers to join a membership program.
• Create exclusive offers for business partners or resellers.

How to Offer User Role-Based WooCommerce Cart Discounts?

In this example, we’ll use multiple conditions with Disco’s AND/OR logic:

1. AND Logic: All conditions must be met (e.g., buy Product A and spend $100).
2. OR Logic: Any condition can trigger the discount (e.g., buy Product A or Product B).

Let’s set up our example discount.

• Select the Cart option and specify your products from the top sections.

• Set your percentage value and add the User Role condition.
• Select the target user role and hit the Add Another Condition button.

• For this instance, we need the AND logic. Add and set the Cart Subtotal condition.

This should apply WooCommerce cart price reduction for your wholesale members.

4. WooCommerce Cart Discount Based on Shipping

• Example: Offer free shipping on orders over $150.

Shipping costs are a prime reason for cart abandonment. Therefore, offering a free shipping discount can significantly reduce cart abandonment. This strategy encourages larger orders and makes the checkout process more appealing.

Best Use Cases:

• Encourage larger orders to offset shipping costs.
• Promote a specific shipping method.
• Increase average order value.

How To Create a Free Shipping Discount in WooCommerce cart?

Here’s how you can create these discounts using the get cart discount WooCommerce plugin.

• Select the Shipping option and select All Products.

• Add the Cart Subtotal condition.
• Set your value according to your strategy.

• Save and test the WooCommerce cart discount based on shipping method rule.

Here’s how WooCommerce show discount in cart page.

5. WooCommerce Cart Discount Based on Date/Time

• Example: Offer a 30% Black Friday discount on orders over $200.

Time-specific WooCommerce cart discounts create a sense of urgency and encourage immediate purchases. These WooCommerce cart promotion strategies are ideal for flash sales, limited-time offers, and driving traffic during specific periods.

Best Use Cases:

• Create a sense of urgency and encourage immediate purchases.
• Run short-term promotions for special events or holidays.
• Drive traffic during off-peak hours.

How to Offer Time-Specific WooCommerce Cart Discounts?

Let’s create this discount using Disco.

• Select the Cart intent and specify the products. To set the time and date, we need to use the Valid Between fields.

• Select your start date and time for the discount campaign.

• Set your end date.

• Set the percentage and Cart Subtotal value. Save the rule.

How to Setup WooCommerce Cart Discounts Using the Coupon Tool?

Coupon codes provide a flexible way to offer targeted cart discounts for specific marketing campaigns or promotions. They’re also useful for rewarding email subscribers or social media followers.

The core WooCommerce plugin comes with a handy coupon tool that allows you to offer cart amount-based discounts. Here are the steps create WooCommerce cart discount based on coupon code.

Here’s how to set up WooCommerce cart discounts using the built-in coupon tool, along with the steps you requested:

How to Setup WooCommerce Cart Discounts Using the Coupon Tool?

Coupon codes provide a flexible way to offer targeted cart discounts for specific marketing campaigns or promotions. They’re also useful for rewarding email subscribers or social media followers.

The core WooCommerce plugin comes with a handy coupon tool that allows you to offer cart amount-based discounts. Here are the steps to create a WooCommerce cart discount based on a coupon code:

• Example Scenario: 10% off when the cart total is a minimum of $100.

Step 1: Navigate to Coupons

• In your WordPress admin dashboard, go to Marketing >> Coupons.

Step 2: Add a New Coupon

• Click the Add New button at the top of the page.

Step 3: Configure Coupon Settings (General Tab)

• Coupon code: Enter the code customers will use (e.g., SPRING10, SAVE10). Make it memorable and relevant to your promotion.
• Description (Optional): Add a brief description for your internal use.
• Discount type: Select the Percentage Discount option.
• Coupon amount: Enter the discount value.
• Coupon expiry date (Optional): Set an expiration date for the coupon.

Next, you need to set the cart condition.

Step 4: Usage Restriction Tab

• Minimum spend: Set the minimum cart total required to use the coupon. As per our current strategy, the value is 100.
• Maximum spend (Optional): Set a maximum cart total that the coupon can be applied to.
• Individual use only: Check this box to prevent the coupon from being used in conjunction with other coupons.
• Exclude sale items: Check this box to prevent the coupon from being applied to products that are already on sale.
• Products: You can select specific products that the coupon applies to (or leave blank for all products).
• Exclude products: Select specific products that the coupon does not apply to.
• Product categories: You can specify certain product categories that the coupon applies to.
• Exclude categories: You can select specific product categories that the coupon does not apply to.
• Email restrictions: This option allows you to set specific emails to offer the discount to specific users.

Step 5: Usage Limits Tab

• Usage limit per coupon: Set the total number of times the coupon can be used.
• Limit usage to X items: Set the maximum number of individual items the coupon can be applied to in a single cart.
• Usage limit per user: Set the number of times a single user can use the coupon.

Step 6: Publish the Coupon

Click the Publish button to make the coupon active. Add $100 worth of items to the cart and insert the coupon code.

Here’s how WooCommerce apply discount to cart.

Best Practices and Tips for WooCommerce Cart Discounts

To maximize the impact of your WooCommerce cart discounts and ensure a smooth experience for your customers, consider these best practices:

Transparency is Key: Clearly Display Discount Information

Don’t leave your customers guessing. Clearly display the discount details at every stage of the checkout process: on the product page (if applicable), in the cart, and at checkout.

Use clear and concise language, such as “10% Off at Checkout” or “Free Shipping on Orders Over $50.” Showing the discount breakdown in the cart itself is crucial for building trust and preventing confusion.

Use Compelling Language to Promote Your Deals

Ditch the dry, technical jargon. Use exciting and persuasive language to promote your cart discounts.

Words like “Instant Savings,” “Exclusive Offer,” “Limited-Time Deal,” or “Unlock Your Discount” can create a sense of urgency and encourage conversions.

Test, Test, Test Before Launching

Before unleashing your cart discounts on the world, test them thoroughly! Ensure they are applied correctly under various conditions (different quantities, product combinations, etc.). This will prevent any embarrassing (and potentially costly) errors.

Monitor Your Sales Data to Track Effectiveness

Don’t just set it and forget it! Closely monitor your sales data to understand how your WooCommerce cart discounts are performing.

Track metrics like conversion rates, average order value, and revenue to determine which discounts are most effective and make adjustments as needed.

Consider Combining with Other Promotions

For even greater impact, consider combining cart discounts with other promotions, such as free shipping offers or product bundles. This can create truly irresistible offers for your customers.

Communicate Clearly About Restrictions

If there are any restrictions on your WooCommerce cart discounts (e.g., minimum spend, specific products excluded, expiration dates), make sure to communicate these clearly to your customers. This will avoid confusion and frustration.

Wrap up

WooCommerce cart discounts are a powerful tool in any WooCommerce store’s marketing arsenal. By strategically implementing the techniques and best practices outlined in this guide, you can effectively boost sales, increase average order value, reward loyal customers, and even recover abandoned carts.

Whether you choose to use WooCommerce’s built-in coupon functionality for simple discounts or opt for a dedicated plugin for more advanced rules and automation, the key is to tailor your strategies to your specific business needs and target audience.

Remember to test, track, and optimize your discounts to achieve the best possible results. Now, go ahead and create some irresistible cart offers that will delight your customers and drive your business forward!