How to Make Sale Price on Shopify to Boost Revenue

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Psychology of the Sale Price
3. Understanding the Shopify Pricing Architecture
4. Step-by-Step: Setting a Sale Price for a Single Product
5. How to Make Sale Price on Shopify in Bulk
6. Strategic Sales for Digital Products
7. Leveraging Tevello for a Seamless Sale Experience
8. Automated Collections for Sales
9. Diversifying Revenue Streams with Memberships
10. Best Practices for Running a Successful Sale
11. Analyzing Your Sale Performance
12. Avoiding Common Pitfalls
13. The Tevello Advantage: No Success Fees
14. Real-World Scenario: The Fitness Store
15. Conclusion
16. FAQ

Introduction

Did you know that the global e-learning market is projected to surpass $460 billion by 2026? For the average Shopify merchant, this isn't just a statistic; it represents a massive opportunity to diversify beyond physical inventory. However, whether you are selling handmade ceramics or a masterclass on how to throw them, one fundamental truth remains: human psychology is hardwired to respond to a "good deal." The sight of a price tag with a slash through it, replaced by a lower number, triggers an immediate cognitive response that signals value and urgency.

The purpose of this blog post is to provide a comprehensive look at how to make sale price on Shopify. We will move beyond the basic clicks and buttons to explore the strategic "why" behind discounting, how to manage bulk price changes without losing your mind, and how to use these tools to scale a digital learning powerhouse. We will cover the mechanics of the "Compare-at price" field, the nuances of bulk editing, and the specific ways you can leverage sale pricing to launch high-margin digital products like courses and memberships.

At Tevello, our mission is to turn any Shopify store into a digital learning powerhouse. We believe that merchants should own their customer data and brand experience, which is why we focus on keeping your audience on your own URL. By the end of this article, you will have a master's level understanding of Shopify’s pricing architecture and a clear roadmap for using discounts to increase your customer lifetime value (LTV).

The Psychology of the Sale Price

Before we look at the technical "how," we must understand the "why." E-commerce is not just about logistics; it is about perception. When a customer lands on your product page, they are looking for a reason to trust you and a reason to buy now.

Price Anchoring

Price anchoring is a psychological phenomenon where the first piece of information offered (the "anchor") sets the standard for everything that follows. In Shopify terms, your "Compare-at price" is the anchor. When a customer sees a $100 price tag crossed out and replaced with $70, their brain perceives a $30 gain rather than a $70 spend. This visual cue is the foundation of how to make sale price on Shopify effective.

Creating Scarcity and Urgency

A sale price without a deadline is just a price. To truly move the needle, sale prices should be paired with a sense of urgency. Whether it’s a flash sale or a seasonal clearance, the "Compare-at" visual reminds the customer of what they will lose if they wait. This is particularly effective for digital products where there is no physical inventory to run out of—the "scarcity" is purely time-based.

Understanding the Shopify Pricing Architecture

Shopify uses a dual-field system for its pricing. To successfully display a sale price, you must understand how these two fields interact.

1. Price: This is what the customer actually pays. It is the current, active price of the item.
2. Compare-at Price: This is the original price or the "MSRP." For a sale price to show up on your storefront (usually with a "Sale" badge or a strikethrough), the Compare-at price must be higher than the Price.

If you set the Price to $20 and the Compare-at price to $20, no sale notification will appear. If you set the Price to $25 and the Compare-at price to $20, Shopify will simply list the product for $25 because the system logic requires the "Compare-at" to be the higher "original" value.

Step-by-Step: Setting a Sale Price for a Single Product

For most merchants starting out or managing a boutique collection, manually setting sale prices is the most direct method.

Navigating the Admin

First, log in to your Shopify admin and navigate to the Products section. Click on the name of the product you wish to edit.

Entering the Data

Scroll down to the Pricing section of the product details page. You will see the two fields mentioned above. To put the item on sale, enter your desired discount price in the Price field. Then, enter the original, higher price in the Compare-at price field.

Managing Variants

If your product has variants—for example, a t-shirt in small, medium, and large—you may need to click into each variant to set the prices individually. Alternatively, you can scroll to the Variants section on the main product page and edit the prices in the grid provided. This is crucial because customers expect the "Sale" badge to remain consistent across the options they select.

Verifying the Result

Once you click Save, navigate to your live storefront. Depending on your theme, you should see the old price struck through, the new price highlighted (often in red), and potentially a "Sale" badge on the collection thumbnail.

How to Make Sale Price on Shopify in Bulk

Managing a store with hundreds or thousands of SKUs requires a more efficient approach. You cannot afford to click into every product manually when a seasonal shift occurs.

Using the Bulk Editor

Shopify’s built-in Bulk Editor is a powerful tool for quick adjustments.

1. Go to Products.
2. Select the products you want to change using the checkboxes.
3. Click Bulk Edit.
4. In the editor, ensure the columns for Price and Compare-at price are visible. If they aren't, click the Columns button to add them.
5. You can now tab through the fields and update prices rapidly, much like an Excel spreadsheet.

CSV Uploads

For massive catalog updates, the CSV method is the gold standard. You can export your product list to a CSV file, use a spreadsheet program to apply formulas (e.g., New Price = Original Price * 0.8), and then re-import the file to Shopify. When importing, ensure you check the box that says "Overwrite any current products that have the same handle" to apply the changes to your existing inventory.

Strategic Sales for Digital Products

While physical goods have margins dictated by shipping and manufacturing, digital products offer a unique playground for pricing strategies. At Tevello, we see merchants generating over €243,000 by upselling existing customers with digital content that complements their physical stock.

The Low-Risk Upsell

Consider a merchant who sells high-end espresso machines. By creating a "Barista Pro" video course, they can offer this digital product at a sale price during the machine’s checkout process. Because there are no shipping boxes or inventory costs, a 50% discount on a $100 course still results in a high-margin $50 sale.

Challenge-Based Marketing

Sales don't always have to be about clearing stock. They can be about building community. Many successful brands use "challenges" to engage their audience. We have seen how brands converted 15% of challenge participants into long-term subscribers by offering a "Sale Price" for the initial entry fee.

Leveraging Tevello for a Seamless Sale Experience

When you decide to sell digital products, the "how to make sale price on Shopify" question remains the same, but the delivery mechanism changes. This is where Tevello shines.

Native Shopify Integration

One of our core values is our Native Shopify Integration. Unlike third-party platforms that force your customers to leave your site and create a separate account on a different URL, Tevello keeps everything under your brand. When you put a course on sale using Shopify's native pricing fields, the customer goes through the same checkout they already trust.

Unified Inventory

In your Shopify admin, a course powered by Tevello looks exactly like a physical product. This means all your standard Shopify sales tools—like discount codes, automated collections, and bulk editors—work perfectly with your digital content. You can have digital products that live directly alongside physical stock in your "Sale" collection without any technical friction.

If unifying your stack is a priority, start by a simple, all-in-one price for unlimited courses.

Automated Collections for Sales

To maximize the visibility of your discounted items, you should create an automated "Sale" collection. This ensures that every time you update a "Compare-at price" for a product, it automatically appears in a dedicated section of your site.

Setting Up the Logic

1. Go to Products > Collections and click Create collection.
2. Set the collection type to Automated.
3. Under Conditions, select Compare-at price is greater than $0.
4. Save the collection.

Now, any product with a Compare-at price will be funneled into this page. This is an excellent way to provide a "Clearance" or "Current Deals" hub for your customers, improving their navigation experience and boosting the visibility of your promotions.

Diversifying Revenue Streams with Memberships

Relying solely on one-off sales can create a "revenue roller coaster." To stabilize your income, many Shopify merchants are moving toward recurring revenue models. A sale price can be the perfect "hook" for a membership program.

The Introductory Offer

You can set a sale price for the first month of a membership or a discounted annual rate compared to the monthly cost. This provides the recurring revenue stability that helps a business weather slow seasons. By driving 50% of sales from repeat course purchasers, brands can build a sustainable ecosystem that doesn't rely on constant new customer acquisition.

Scaling Without Per-User Fees

Many platforms penalize your success by charging more as your community grows. We believe in predictable pricing without hidden transaction fees. Whether you have 10 students or 10,000, your costs should remain manageable so you can reinvest those sale profits back into your marketing.

Best Practices for Running a Successful Sale

Knowing how to make sale price on Shopify is only half the battle. You also need to execute the campaign with precision.

1. Notify Your Customers

A sale is only successful if people know about it. Use your email list and social media channels to announce the discount. Since Tevello allows for all the key features for courses and communities, you can even notify your existing students within your member area about a new "sale price" for an advanced module.

2. Use Countdown Timers

Add a countdown timer to your product page or your top announcement bar. This reinforces the urgency of the Compare-at price and encourages the "buy now" behavior.

3. Don’t Discount Too Often

If you are always on sale, you are never on sale. Constant discounting devalues your brand and trains customers to wait for a price drop. Instead, tie your sales to specific events: seasonal changes, holidays, or reaching a business milestone.

4. Bundle for Better Value

Instead of just lowering the price of one item, consider bundling. "Buy the physical yoga mat and get the digital flow course for 50% off." This increases your Average Order Value (AOV) while still giving the customer the "sale" feeling they crave. We have seen many examples of successful content monetization on Shopify that rely on this "physical + digital" bundle approach.

Analyzing Your Sale Performance

After your sale ends, it is vital to look at the data. Shopify Reports can show you exactly how much revenue was generated from products with a Compare-at price versus full-price items.

Key Metrics to Watch

• Conversion Rate: Did the sale price actually increase the percentage of visitors who bought?
• AOV (Average Order Value): Did people buy more items because of the sale, or did they just spend less on the same item?
• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): Was the discount deep enough to attract new customers who had never bought from you before?

By comparing plan costs against total course revenue, you can ensure that your promotions are actually profitable and not just "busy work."

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

When learning how to make sale price on Shopify, there are a few traps that can frustrate both you and your customers.

The "Price Same as Compare-at" Error

As mentioned earlier, if these numbers are identical, the sale price won't show. Always ensure your "Compare-at" is the higher number.

Forgetting to Revert Prices

If you run a weekend sale, don't forget to change the prices back on Monday. Leaving a sale on indefinitely can lead to legal issues in some jurisdictions regarding "perpetual sales" and deceptive pricing practices.

Misleading Discounts

Be honest with your Compare-at prices. Setting an artificially high "original price" that the product never actually sold at is a quick way to lose customer trust. Authenticity is the cornerstone of brand loyalty.

The Tevello Advantage: No Success Fees

One of the most frustrating aspects of many e-commerce tools is the "success fee." When you work hard to run a sale, drive traffic, and convert a customer, the last thing you want is a platform taking a 3% or 5% cut of your hard-earned revenue.

We believe you should keep 100% of what you earn. Our model is built on transparency:

• The Unlimited Plan: $29.99 per month.
• Transaction Fees: 0%.
• Hidden Costs: None.

This flat-rate structure allows you to scale your sales campaigns with total confidence. You can start your 14-day free trial and build your first course now and see exactly how it integrates with your pricing strategy before committing to a paid plan.

Real-World Scenario: The Fitness Store

Imagine a merchant selling home gym equipment. They have a high-quality barbell that retails for $300. During the New Year, they want to run a promotion.

Instead of just dropping the price of the barbell to $250, they use Tevello to create a "12-Week Strength Program" video course. They set the barbell's Price to $250 and the Compare-at price to $300. Then, they bundle the digital course (normally $99) for free with the purchase.

By knowing how to make sale price on Shopify for both physical and digital goods, they’ve created a "Value Stack" that is much harder for competitors to match. The customer sees a massive discount and high perceived value, while the merchant maintains healthy margins because the digital product costs nothing to "ship."

Conclusion

Mastering how to make sale price on Shopify is a fundamental skill for any e-commerce entrepreneur. It is the bridge between having a product and having a customer. By utilizing the Price and Compare-at price fields effectively, leveraging bulk editing tools, and integrating high-margin digital products through Tevello, you can transform your store into a diversified, high-growth business.

Remember, a sale is more than just a lower price; it is a strategic tool to increase LTV, clear inventory, and build a loyal community. Whether you are selling physical goods, digital courses, or exclusive memberships, the Shopify ecosystem provides the flexibility you need to thrive. We invite you to explore the possibility of expanding your store's reach. Our app offers all the key features for courses and communities while ensuring you keep 100% of your revenue thanks to our 0% transaction fee policy.

To build your community without leaving Shopify, start by reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from.

FAQ

Q: Can I set a sale price for a product with multiple variants all at once? A: Yes. You can use the Shopify Bulk Editor. Select all variants of the product, click "Bulk Edit," and then update the "Price" and "Compare-at price" columns for all rows simultaneously. This is much faster than clicking into each variant individually.

Q: Will the "Sale" badge show up automatically on my collection pages? A: In most modern Shopify themes, yes. As long as the "Compare-at price" is higher than the "Price," the theme's code will trigger a "Sale" badge or a strikethrough of the original price. If it doesn't appear, check your theme settings under "Product Grid" or "Product Pages."

Q: How do I schedule a sale to start and end at a specific time? A: Shopify's core functionality allows for manual changes, but to schedule them, you typically need an app or use "Shopify Functions" if you are on a higher-tier plan. Alternatively, you can create a "Discount Code" that is only active for a specific time window, though this won't show the "strikethrough" price on the product page itself.

Q: Can I use sale prices for my Tevello courses and memberships? A: Absolutely. Because Tevello features a see how the app natively integrates with Shopify, your courses are treated just like any other product. You can set sale prices, use them in automated "Sale" collections, and apply discount codes at checkout just as you would for physical items.