Which Discount Type Should I Use?
A decision guide and comparison table matching every Discount Prime campaign type to the right use case and business type.
Updated October 7, 2026
If you're not sure which Discount Prime campaign fits your goal, match your use case to the table below. Discount Prime, a Shopify discount and pricing app, offers 14 campaign types split into three groups: Discounts & Promotions, Bundles, Cross-sell, Gifts & Upsell, and Pricing.
MASTER COMPARISON TABLE
- Flat Product Discount:
a straightforward % or $ off selected products. Best for Retail & DTC. Example: 20% off selected products.
- Tiered Quantity Discount:
buy more of one item, save more. Best for Retail & DTC, Wholesale/B2B. Example: buy 3+, save 10%; buy 5+, save 20%.
- Product Spend Discount:
reward spend within a product group. Best for Retail & DTC. Example: spend $100+ on selected items, 10% off.
- Tiered Spend Discount (Cart-level):
reward the total cart value. Best for Retail & DTC. Example: spend $150+, 20% off.
- Buy X Get Y (BOGO):
a free or discounted item with a purchase. Best for Retail & DTC. Example: buy 2 shirts, get 1 free.
- Free Shipping & Cart Incentives:
free or discounted shipping past a threshold. Best for Retail & DTC. Example: spend $50, get free shipping.
- Wholesale / B2B Pricing:
gated tiered prices for specific customers. Best for Wholesale & B2B. Example: tagged "wholesale", 10+ items = $42 each.
- Bulk Price Update:
change the listed price directly, in bulk. Best for Dropshipping, Wholesale & B2B. Example: reduce prices by 20%.
- Tiered Unit Pricing:
a fixed per-unit price by quantity bracket. Best for Wholesale & B2B. Example: 3+ items = $8 each.
- Dropshipping Pricing:
profit-safe repricing from product cost. Best for Dropshipping. Example: 20% off the margin, $500 to $480.
| Campaign Type | Best Use Case | Best For | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Bundle | One discount for a complete set | Retail & DTC, Wholesale/B2B | Suit + shirt + shoes, 25% off the set |
| Cross-sell | Recommend add-ons, discount only the add-ons | Retail & DTC, Wholesale/B2B | Camera → battery 10% off |
| Free Gift | A gift added at a spend threshold | Retail & DTC, Wholesale/B2B | Spend $75, get a free serum |
| Upsell (Upgrade Offer) | Replace the item with a better one | Retail & DTC | Derby → Loafer, only $65 more |
COMMON COMPARISONS
Tiered Quantity Discount vs. Tiered Spend Discount
Tiered Quantity counts units of a product ("buy 3, get 10% off"). Tiered Spend Discount counts the total cart value, regardless of which products are in it.
Flat Product Discount vs. Bulk Price Update
Flat Product Discount keeps the listed price and shows a discount line at checkout. Bulk Price Update changes the product's actual price directly, so there's no separate discount label, just a new price.
Wholesale / B2B Pricing vs. Dropshipping Pricing
Wholesale / B2B Pricing gates by customer identity (tag, segment, purchase history). Dropshipping Pricing gates by cost, calculating from your product cost so a price can never fall below what you paid, regardless of who's buying.
Product Spend Discount vs. Tiered Spend Discount
Product Spend Discount only counts spend on the products you select. Tiered Spend Discount counts the customer's whole cart.
Buy X Get Y vs. Tiered Quantity Discount
Buy X Get Y gives a separate reward (often a different product or a partial discount on it). Tiered Quantity Discount discounts the price of the same product as the customer buys more of it.
Product Bundle vs. Buy X Get Y A Product Bundle pays out only when every required slot is filled, and discounts the whole set. Buy X Get Y gives a separate reward (often a different product) for a purchase.
Cross-sell vs. Upsell Cross-sell adds a product next to the one the customer chose (the trigger stays at full price). Upsell replaces the product with a better version.
Free Gift vs. Buy X Get Y (free gift type) Free Gift has tiers, a progress bar or toast, Customer picks, and the gift never counts toward other campaigns. Buy X Get Y's free-gift type is a single threshold with a popup.
Product Bundle vs. Tiered Quantity Discount Tiered Quantity counts units of one product. A Product Bundle counts a set of different items (or "any N" from a list).
QUICK DECISION GUIDE
Is this pricing only for B2B / wholesale customers?
- Yes -> Wholesale / B2B Pricing
- No -> Do you price from product cost / margin (never below cost)?
- Yes -> Dropshipping Pricing
- No -> Is the discount on a specific product?
- Yes -> Flat Product Discount
+ more units -> Tiered Quantity Discount
+ spend threshold on those products -> Product Spend Discount
+ change the real price (no discount label) -> Bulk Price Update
+ fixed price per volume bracket -> Tiered Unit Pricing
- No -> Based on cart total? -> Tiered Spend Discount
Reward for buying X items? -> Buy X Get Y
About shipping cost? -> Free Shipping & Cart Incentives
Still unsure? Open Use Cases & Templates in the app, pick the scenario closest to your goal, and the app selects the right campaign type for you.
Want customers to end up with MORE in the cart?
├── A complete set of items → Product Bundle
├── An add-on to what they chose → Cross-sell
├── A gift for reaching a spend level → Free Gift
└── A better version INSTEAD of what they chose → Upsell
MINI FAQ
What's the difference between a "discount" campaign and a "pricing" campaign?
What's the difference between a "discount" campaign and a "pricing" campaign?
Discount campaigns (Flat Product, Tiered Quantity, Product Spend, Tiered Spend, BOGO, Free Shipping, Wholesale/B2B) leave the listed price alone and apply the saving at checkout. Pricing campaigns (Bulk Price Update, Tiered Unit Pricing, Dropshipping Pricing) change the actual product price.
Can I run more than one campaign type at once?
Can I run more than one campaign type at once?
Yes. Different campaign types can run side by side; whether two campaigns can apply to the same product depends on their combination settings. See "Combining Discounts with Shopify" and "Managing Campaign Conflicts".
Which plan do I need for each type?
Which plan do I need for each type?
Flat Product, Tiered Quantity, Product Spend, and Bulk Price Update are on every plan including the free Starter plan. Tiered Unit Pricing needs Basic. Tiered Spend Discount needs Premium. Buy X Get Y, Free Shipping, Wholesale/B2B, and Dropshipping Pricing need Prime. See "Plans & Pricing Overview".
Product Bundle, Cross-sell, Free Gift and Upsell need Prime. Advanced options need Ultimate: rule-based and optional bundle slots, set ladders and Combo products; Smart cross-sell suggestions; multiple gift tiers, Customer picks and segment eligibility on gifts; Smart upsell ladders.
I don't know my business type. Where do I start?
I don't know my business type. Where do I start?
Check the persona hub closest to your store: Retail & DTC, Wholesale / B2B, or Dropshipping.