For anyone running an online store on Shopify, running effective sales is one of the key measures for boosting revenue. That said, many people may be wondering, "How do I set up a sale?" or "What sale techniques are actually effective?"
This article explains, in a beginner-friendly way, everything from how to set up a sale on Shopify to specific sale campaigns and recommended apps.
How to Set Up a Sale on Shopify
There are three main ways to set up a sale on Shopify. Let's look at the characteristics and setup steps of each in detail.
Use Shopify's Native Discount Feature
This is the most basic method, letting you set things up directly from the Shopify admin.
Setup Steps
The blog article below explains in detail how to use the discount feature (setup steps). Please use it as a reference.
Benefits
- Free to use
- Easy to set up
- Fully integrated with Shopify's features
Drawbacks
- Difficult to run sales with complex conditions
- Limited customizability
Set a Sale Price on the Product
This method lets you set a sale price directly on an individual product from Shopify's product management.
Setup Steps
The blog article below explains in detail how to set a sale price (and compare-at price) in product management. Please use it as a reference.
Benefits
- Free to use
- Clearly shows the price reduction on the product page
- Simple and intuitive
Drawbacks
- Requires manual management
- Time-consuming when dealing with a large number of products
Use a Shopify App
If you're looking for more advanced sale features, using a dedicated app is recommended.
Representative Shopify Apps
Benefits of Running a Sale on Shopify
Immediate Boost to Sales
A sale is one of the most effective ways to boost sales in a short period of time. In addition to increasing revenue, it can also deliver the following benefits:
- Clearing out products that need to be liquidated
- Selling through seasonal products
- Acquiring new customers
Growing Your Customer List
An appealing sale offer attracts the interest of new customers, leading to email list sign-ups and social media follows.
Increasing Brand Awareness
A buzzworthy sale can be expected to spread through word of mouth and social media.
Boosting Customer Loyalty
A special sale for existing customers can help deepen their attachment to your brand.
Drawbacks of Running a Sale on Shopify
Reduced Profit Margins
A decrease in profit due to the discount is unavoidable, which is why calculating profitability in advance is important.
Impact on Brand Value
Frequent sales can undermine your brand's sense of premium quality.
Reduced Willingness to Buy at Regular Price
Customers who have grown accustomed to sales may become reluctant to purchase at the regular price.
Examples of Sale Campaigns Possible on Shopify
Flash Sale
A flash sale is a limited-time discount offer that runs for a very short period (typically anywhere from a few hours to a day). As the name "flash" suggests, this type of sale has a "momentary," "sudden" character.
The blog article below introduces how to run a flash sale on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
Time-Limited Sale
A time-limited sale is a sale that runs for a set period with a time restriction.
Time-limited sales bring benefits to both the store and its users. For stores, they offer increased short-term sales, more efficient inventory clearance, and opportunities to acquire new customers. For users, they can purchase products at a lower price than usual and enjoy the special feeling of "only now," which can also push them to finally purchase an item they had been hesitating over.
The blog article below introduces how to run a time-limited sale on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
Member-Only Sale
A member-only sale is a discount campaign in which only registered (or logged-in) members can purchase products at a special price.
The blog article below introduces how to run a member-only sale on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
VIP Member-Only Sale
A VIP member-only sale is a discount campaign in which only users tagged as "VIP" customers can purchase products at a special price.
The blog article below introduces how to run a VIP member-only sale on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
LINE-Linked Member-Only Sale
A LINE-linked member-only sale is a discount campaign in which only users who have linked their LINE account to your Shopify store can purchase products at a special price.
The blog article below introduces how to run a LINE-linked member-only sale on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
For those using CRM PLUS on LINE as their LINE integration app
For those using Lipify as their LINE integration app
Membership-Rank-Based Sale (Higher Rank = Better Discount)
A membership-rank-based sale is a discount campaign where, if your Shopify store has membership ranks, higher-ranked users can purchase products at a better discount.
For example, you might apply different discounts by membership rank, such as:
- Guest member → No discount
- Regular member → No discount
- Bronze member → 5% OFF
- Silver member → 10% OFF
- Gold member → 15% OFF
The blog article below introduces how to run a membership-rank-based sale on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
Limited-Time Sale
A limited-time sale is a sales promotion strategy that offers products at a lower price than usual for a specific, short period. It's particularly effective for clearing seasonal inventory (such as an end-of-summer clearance sale) or promoting new products (such as a special launch price).
The blog article below introduces how to run a limited-time sale on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
Weekly Recurring Discount on a Specific Day (¥100 Off Every Sunday)
A weekly discount sale is a campaign that repeats a discount on the same day every week. For example, this could be a "¥100 OFF every Sunday" campaign or a "5% discount sale every Thursday."
The blog article below introduces how to run a weekly discount sale on a specific day on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
Monthly Recurring Discount on a Specific Date (7% Off on Dates Containing "7")
A monthly discount sale is a campaign that repeats a discount on the same date every month. For example, this could be a "10% OFF campaign on the 1st of every month" or a "7% discount sale on any date containing the number 7."
The blog article below introduces how to run a monthly discount sale on a specific date on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
"Meat Day" Sale (Discount Sale on the 29th of Every Month)
A "meat day" sale is a campaign that offers meat products at a discounted price on the 29th of every month (a pun on "2-9," which can be read as "ni-ku," meaning "meat" in Japanese).
The blog article below introduces how to run a "meat day" sale on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
First-Come, First-Served Sale (Discounts for Early Customers)
A first-come, first-served sale is a discount campaign where earlier customers get a better deal.
For example, you might apply different discounts based on order of purchase, such as:
- First 10 customers → 20% discount
- 21st customer onward → No discount
The blog article below introduces how to run a first-come, first-served sale (discount by order of purchase) on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
Bulk Purchase Sale (The More You Buy, the Better the Deal)
A bulk purchase sale is a sales promotion method where a discount is applied when a customer purchases a certain number of items (or a certain amount) together. It uses a tiered discount structure where the discount rate increases with the purchase quantity, applied in stages such as "5% OFF for 2 or more" or "10% OFF for 3 or more."
The blog article below introduces how to run a bulk purchase sale (volume discount) on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
First-Order Free Shipping Sale (Shipping Discount for First-Time Purchases Only)
A first-order free shipping sale is a discount campaign where only first-time customers can get free shipping on their purchase. It's one effective way to help new customers feel comfortable placing an order.
The blog article below introduces how to run a first-order free shipping sale on Shopify. Please use it as a reference.
Recommended Shopify Apps for Setting Up Sales
RuffRuff Order Bonus
RuffRuff Order Bonus is a Shopify app that lets you implement all sorts of discount campaigns based on virtually any condition.
For example, you can run discounts such as:
- Free shipping for VIP members only
- Discounts by membership rank
- Volume discounts
- Discounts when a specific product is included
- Discounts for customers with 10 or more past purchases
- First-come, first-served discounts (20% OFF for the first 10 customers)
- Time-limited sales
and more.
Many other discount campaigns are also possible. For details, check the service page via the button below.
RuffRuff 予約販売
"RuffRuff 予約販売" is a Shopify app that lets you run pre-orders with simple setup and accept an unlimited number of pre-orders. It has earned the "💎Built for Shopify" mark, a sign of the highest-quality apps.
With a single app, you can achieve limited-time sales, time-limited sales, upcoming release announcements, recurring sales, made-to-order pre-orders (build-to-order sales), member discounts, VIP member-only sales, purchase restrictions for blacklisted members, deferred payment, bundling controls, quantity limits, product card badge display (Starter plan or higher), hiding delivery date/time selection, multilingual support, and customizable cart button design.
In Closing
Setting up sales on Shopify may feel a bit confusing at first, but by properly using the various features and apps available, you can create campaigns that appeal to your customers. As you continue operating your store, it's important to find the setup method that best fits your own workflow and challenges.
Going forward, keep an eye on Shopify's official help resources and app update information to build an even more effective sales operation.
