Everyone loves a good deal—especially when they’re shopping online.
Discount pricing isn’t just about offering lower prices—it’s about using the right discount strategy to drive sales without hurting profit margins.
A smart pricing strategy can help attract new customers, retain existing ones, and boost average order value, whether you’re offering flash sales, volume discounts, or seasonal discounts.
The goal isn’t to always give steep discounts, but to apply targeted discounts that fit your sales process.
From percentage discounts to loyalty discounts and gifts for repeat customers, each offer should feel planned, not random.
In this guide, you’ll learn effective discount strategies that increase customer lifetime value, help manage excess inventory, and build long-term customer loyalty—without sacrificing your brand value or full price sales.
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Why Discount Offers Are Essential for Businesses
People shop online not just for ease but to find better prices, discover hot deals, and grab the best coupons before they hit checkout.
That’s why discount offers are more than a nice-to-have—they directly affect whether someone buys or leaves your cart behind.
Offering promo codes, digital coupons, or sitewide discounts helps reduce price hesitation and builds trust.
A study from RetailMeNot found that 80% of consumers say a discount influences their purchase. And about 48% abandon carts if they don’t find a good enough deal.
Here’s why:
Boost Conversions: Shoppers who use coupons are 2x more likely to complete the order.
First Order Discounts: Offering a deal for new members helps turn browsers into buyers. Add a signup offer and see higher engagement from day one.
Increase AOV (Average Order Value): “Buy more, save more” deals or select items with discounts encourage bigger carts.
Reduce Abandoned Carts: A simple app popup or browser extension reminder of the latest deals can recover lost sales.
Improve Loyalty: Giving returning customers access to exclusive offers or best deals keeps them coming back to your site.
So don’t wait. Add smart discounts now, or you might miss the sale.
Different Types of Discounts and When to Use Them
There are many ways to offer a discount, and each one works best in a different situation. This section breaks down the common types of discounts and shows when to use them.
1. First Order Discounts
This offer is great for turning new visitors into buyers. You can show a notification popup that says “Sign up and get 15% off your first order” with tool like WiserNotify.
People love to save money on their first buy, especially when browsing new stores. Add a promo code that’s easy to apply during checkout, and make it work sitewide or on select items.
This gives them a good reason to trust your store.
2. Sitewide Deals
Sitewide sales are the easiest way to grab attention. Use banners or announcement bars to show offers like “20% off all items – Today only!”
It works well for seasonal campaigns or big events like Black Friday. This kind of deal drives higher traffic and quick decisions.
With WiserNotify, you can display real-time activity—like how many users are grabbing the deal or how many items are left in stock—to boost urgency and trust.
3. Limited-Time Coupons
Urgency makes people act. Time-based coupon codes like “SAVE20 – Expires in 6 hours” push users to shop now. Digital coupons shared through your app or email can be tracked and promoted easily.
Add a countdown timer at checkout or on product pages to show that time is running out. This helps move items faster and reduces cart drop-offs.
4. Buy One, Get One (BOGO)
BOGO offers are perfect for fashion, accessories, and common items like t-shirts or bags. You can show “Buy One Get One 50% Off” or even “Buy 2 Get 1 Free.”
This offer makes customers add more to their cart without thinking much about the price. Pair it with a notification from WiserNotify showing others buying the same deal to build more excitement.
5. Free Shipping Offers
Free shipping is one of the top reasons people complete their purchase. You can say, “Enjoy free shipping on orders over $49” to encourage bigger carts.
Add this message across your site and during checkout. It helps reduce friction and gives the feeling of getting a deal without using coupons.
6. Bundle Offers
Bundles are great when customers want more than one item. Offers like “Buy 3 and Save 20%” or “Bundle T-Shirts – 3 for $50” work really well in apparel and accessories.
It feels like a win for both sides—you increase the order size, and they get more value.
Add a tool like WiserNotify to show a notification of how many people bought the bundle in the last hour to build momentum.
Build trust & FOMO
Highlight real-time activities like reviews, sales & sign-ups.
Proven Discount Strategies That Actually Work
Here’s a simple way to build a discount strategy that works:
1. Set a Clear Goal
Before offering any discount, know what you’re trying to do.
Are you trying to increase sales for new visitors? Push first-time buyers to complete an order? Or move old stock like bags, t-shirts, or accessories?
If you’re clearing select items, use markdowns or flash sales.
If you’re chasing sign-ups or first orders, offer digital coupons or promo codes that apply only once. A clear goal keeps your deals focused and easy to measure.
2. Pick the Right Type of Offer Discounts
There are many ways to offer savings. Choose the type that fits your audience and goal:
Promo Codes: Let shoppers enter a code like “SAVE20” at checkout. It’s familiar and easy to use. Even popular stores like Amazon, adidas, and Nike use this style.
Digital Coupons: These can be clicked and applied automatically. They’re great for mobile users and help keep the checkout smooth.
Sitewide Discounts: Offer a flat discount across the entire site. Great for major sale days or launching new products.
First Order Discounts: Give a welcome offer to new customers who sign up. This helps grow your email list too.
Free Shipping: Many buyers abandon carts when shipping costs pop up late. Offering free shipping on select items or cart values over a certain amount can help reduce drop-offs.
BOGO or Volume Discounts: Push larger purchases by offering “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” or 15% off orders over $100. This is helpful when you want to increase cart value.
3. Make the Offer Easy to Spot and Use
If customers don’t see your offer, it doesn’t matter how good it is. Show your deal clearly on the homepage, product pages, or even during browsing with banners, bars, or a pop-up.
Make sure to avoid clutter—focus on simple, direct messages like:
- “Click here to apply your 15% off coupon”
- “Use SAVE10 to get $10 off today’s purchase”
You can also use a browser extension or add a discount app to help users auto-apply the best coupons at checkout—just like they do on big stores with thousands of offers live.
4. Keep It Relevant
Your offers should match what people are already shopping for. If shoppers are checking out laptops, Samsung phones, or bags, highlight markdowns or latest deals on those.
Don’t give random discounts. Instead, show deals that feel personalized:
- “Get 20% off select items you’re browsing.”
- “Hot deals today on accessories and t-shirts”
Add urgency with time limits so users feel they’ll miss out if they don’t act now.
5. Build Trust with Repeat Buyers
Your best customers already trust you. Treat them well.
Create member-only offers or early access to sales. Give them coupon codes through email or app notifications. Let them earn rewards or cash back for frequent purchases.
This works especially well for stores that offer new markdowns often. Let loyal buyers feel like part of the team—they’ll buy more and recommend your store to others.
6. Test and Learn What Works
Not every discount will perform the same. Use A/B testing to see which type of discount drives more purchases.
Track key numbers like:
- How many people clicked the offer
- How many applied the coupon
- What percentage completed the order
Over time, you’ll learn which offers get results and which ones need improvement.
For example, you might find that “15% off sitewide” works better than “Buy 2 get 1 free” for your audience. Or that free shipping brings more orders than promo codes.
How WiserNotify Can Help Show a Discount on a Website
WiserNotify helps you boost sales by showing real-time social proof and urgency messages on your website.
From recent purchases to countdown timers and discount alerts, it builds trust and pushes visitors to take action.
It is easy to set up and supports multiple languages, making it suitable for businesses of all sizes.
1. Build Trust With Social Proof Notifications
Most people hesitate when they land on a new site. They wonder if others are really buying, if the discounts work, or if the store is reliable. That’s where social proof comes in.
WiserNotify shows real-time notifications like:
- “Alex from Chicago just used a promo code”
- “12 shoppers viewed this deal in the last 10 minutes”
- “Sarah bought a Samsung bag 5 minutes ago”
These small messages show that people are actively shopping and saving. It creates a sense of trust and gives new visitors the confidence to continue with their purchase.
2. Create Urgency With Countdown Timers
Shoppers delay buying all the time. They leave things in the cart or say, “I’ll come back later.” Most never return. Countdown timers fix that by creating a visible deadline.
WiserNotify lets you set up countdowns like:
- “Only 1 hour left to use your coupon”
- “Sale ends in 3 hours — don’t miss it”
- “Limited-time offer on select items ends soon”
When visitors see time running out, it triggers action. They don’t want to miss a good deal or find the product gone later.
Countdown timers work well during flash sales, holiday events, or any special sale promotion where timing matters.
You can add them to the product page, checkout, or even a floating bar—wherever they make the most impact.
3. Announce Latest Deals
Sometimes shoppers just don’t know there’s a deal running. If your discounts are buried on a page or hidden in a banner, many will miss them.
WiserNotify helps you put those offers front and center—right when people are browsing.
You can show deal alerts like:
- “New markdown: 20% off on all first orders”
- “Get top discounts today — free shipping on orders above $49”
- “Buy 2 t-shirts, get 1 free — valid until midnight”
These announcements appear at the right time and place, based on visitor behavior. You can set rules so they show only to new visitors, cart abandoners, or repeat buyers.
This makes sure no one misses your latest offer—whether it’s a promo code, sitewide deal, or limited-time sale.
You can show live alerts when someone just applied a promo code successfully—boosting trust and FOMO.
And because it’s automated, you don’t have to update your site every time you launch a new campaign.
Explore the Details of: How to Add an Announcement Bar to Your Website
4. Add CTA Widget
Every good offer needs a clear next step. WiserNotify’s CTA widgets let you guide visitors toward the discount with a clear message and button.
For example:
- “Apply Promo Code Now”
- “Sign up and Save 10%”
- “Click to See All Deals”
- “Add to Cart & Save”
You can place these widgets anywhere—on the product page, near the cart button, or on the exit intent screen. You can link them to a discount landing page, direct checkout, or even your latest deals section.
These widgets are easy to customize and match your brand style. And because they feel like part of the page, they help users move smoothly from browsing to buying—without confusion or extra clicks.
Adding strong CTAs makes your discount strategy complete. It tells visitors exactly what to do, and helps you convert interest into real purchases.
Conclusion
A smart discount strategy can do more than just boost short-term sales.
It can help you attract new customers, increase repeat purchases, and clear out slow-moving products. But not every deal works the same for every business.
The key is to align your offers with your goals—whether that’s getting first-time buyers, rewarding loyal shoppers, or improving average order value.
Test different types of discounts like limited-time offers, bundle deals, or free shipping to see what works best.
Keep the message clear, use urgency the right way, and always track performance. That’s how you turn discounts into a long-term growth tool.
Boost Conversion Instantly
Add Social Proof & Urgency to your website
