Mastering Conversions: How to Add Sale Tag on Shopify Stores

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Understanding the Value of Sale Tags
3. Method 1: The Native Shopify Admin Way (Compare-at Price)
4. Method 2: Customizing Sale Tags via Theme Editor
5. Method 3: Manual Liquid Coding for Unique Badges
6. Method 4: Using Shopify Apps for Advanced Labelling
7. Strategic Use Case: Digital Products & Courses
8. Why Native Integration is the Gold Standard
9. Success Stories: Lessons from High-Performing Merchants
10. Transparent Pricing for Growing Businesses
11. Optimizing Sale Tags for Mobile Users
12. The Power of Recurring Revenue
13. Implementing "Sale" Strategies for Digital Products
14. Maintaining Your Sale Tags
15. Final Technical Tips for Shopify Sale Tags
16. Conclusion
17. Frequently Asked Questions

Introduction

Did you know that nearly 70% of online shopping carts are abandoned before a customer completes their purchase? In the competitive world of e-commerce, the difference between a bounce and a conversion often comes down to a split-second psychological trigger. Think about the last time you walked through a retail store. Your eyes were likely drawn to those vibrant red "Sale" stickers or "Discount" badges. These visual cues create an immediate sense of urgency and value, signaling to the brain that a limited-time opportunity is at hand. On Shopify, this visual shorthand is achieved through sale tags, badges, or labels.

The purpose of this guide is to provide a deep dive into how to add sale tag on Shopify stores effectively. We will explore everything from the basic "Compare-at price" settings within the Shopify admin to advanced manual Liquid code modifications and the use of specialized apps. Beyond the technical "how-to," we will discuss the strategic importance of these tags in building a diversified revenue stream—especially when bridging the gap between physical products and digital learning.

At Tevello, our mission is to turn any Shopify store into a digital learning powerhouse. We believe that merchants should have full control over their brand experience, which is why we focus on native solutions that keep your customers on your own URL. Whether you are selling physical goods, online courses, or a hybrid of both, mastering the use of sale tags is a fundamental step in increasing Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) and establishing a robust, recurring revenue model.

Understanding the Value of Sale Tags

Before we jump into the technical steps, it is essential to understand why sale tags are so effective. A sale tag is more than just a piece of text; it is a communication tool that informs the customer about the value proposition of a specific item. In the context of the creator economy, where merchants are increasingly moving toward selling digital products, sale tags serve as a powerful tool for upselling and cross-selling.

For example, imagine a merchant who sells premium coffee beans. While the profit margins on physical beans can be tight due to shipping and inventory costs, creating a "Barista Basics" video course offers a high-margin alternative. By adding a sale tag to a bundle that includes both the beans and the digital course, the merchant can significantly increase the average order value without adding significant overhead. This strategy relies on the visual prominence of the sale tag to draw the customer's attention to the added value.

By using these tags correctly, you aren't just discounting a product; you are highlighting a strategic entry point into your brand's ecosystem. This leads to better retention and a more stable financial foundation for your business.

Method 1: The Native Shopify Admin Way (Compare-at Price)

The most straightforward method for how to add sale tag on Shopify is using the built-in "Compare-at price" feature. This method requires no coding and is compatible with almost every Shopify theme.

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Navigate to Products: Log into your Shopify admin dashboard and click on the "Products" section in the left-hand sidebar.
2. Select Your Product: Click on the title of the product you wish to put on sale. If the product has variants (like different sizes or colors), you will need to edit the pricing for each specific variant.
3. Locate the Pricing Section: Scroll down to the "Pricing" card on the product details page.
4. Set the Compare-at Price: In the "Compare-at price" field, enter the original, higher price of the item. This is the price that will appear "crossed out" on your storefront.
5. Enter the Sale Price: In the "Price" field, enter the new, discounted price that you want the customer to pay.
6. Save Your Changes: Click the "Save" button at the top or bottom of the page.

How it Appears on the Storefront

Once these prices are set, Shopify’s logic recognizes that the current price is lower than the original price. Most themes will automatically generate a "Sale" badge on the product image in the collection view and display the crossed-out original price next to the new price on the product page. This native integration ensures a clean, professional look that builds trust with your audience.

Method 2: Customizing Sale Tags via Theme Editor

While the "Compare-at price" method adds the logic for a sale, you may want to change how that tag looks or what it says. Many modern Shopify themes allow you to customize these labels directly within the Theme Editor.

Using Theme Settings

1. Open the Theme Editor: Go to Online Store > Themes and click "Customize" on your active theme.
2. Navigate to Product Settings: Look for sections labeled "Product Cards," "Collection Pages," or "Global Settings."
3. Adjust Badge Styles: Some themes offer options to change the badge shape (square, rounded, or pill-shaped), color, and text. Instead of "Sale," you might want it to say "Special Offer" or "-20%."
4. Save and Preview: Always preview your changes on both desktop and mobile views to ensure the tags don't obstruct the product photos.

This method is ideal for merchants who want to maintain brand consistency without touching the underlying code. By aligning the sale tag's aesthetics with your brand's color palette, you create a more cohesive shopping experience.

Method 3: Manual Liquid Coding for Unique Badges

For those who want complete creative control, or for themes that don't offer robust customization options, manual coding using Liquid (Shopify’s templating language) is an option. This allows you to create badges based on specific conditions, such as tagging a product as "New Arrival" or "Limited Edition."

The Logic Behind Manual Tags

To create a manual sale tag, you would typically modify the product-card.liquid or product-thumbnail.liquid snippet. The code checks if a "Compare-at price" exists and is greater than the current price.

Key Liquid Concept: {% if product.compare_at_price > product.price %} <span class="my-custom-sale-tag">ON SALE</span> {% endif %}

By wrapping this logic in custom HTML and CSS, you can place your sale tag anywhere on the product image. This is particularly useful if you want to highlight all the key features for courses and communities by using specific tags that denote "Certificate Included" or "Community Access" alongside a sale price.

Method 4: Using Shopify Apps for Advanced Labelling

If you manage a large inventory or want highly dynamic labels (like "Only 2 Left!"), using a dedicated Shopify app might be the most efficient path. Apps offer features like scheduling, where sale tags automatically appear and disappear based on the dates you set.

While there are many apps available, always look for ones that prioritize site speed. Some third-party apps can slow down your page load times by loading external scripts. At Tevello, we understand the importance of performance, which is why our digital product solution is built with a native Shopify integration to ensure a lightning-fast experience.

When choosing an app, consider:

• Automation: Can it automatically tag products based on inventory levels?
• Design Templates: Does it offer pre-designed badges that match your aesthetic?
• Ease of Use: How quickly can you deploy a site-wide sale?

Strategic Use Case: Digital Products & Courses

Learning how to add sale tag on Shopify becomes even more powerful when you expand into the world of digital products. Unlike physical goods, digital products have no shipping costs and zero inventory replenishment expenses. This makes them the perfect candidate for aggressive sales and promotional tagging.

Consider a fitness coach selling home workout equipment on Shopify. By using Tevello, they can offer a "12-Week Transformation Course" alongside their physical products. Adding a sale tag to the course during New Year's or the start of summer can drive massive volume with almost 100% profit margins.

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

We have seen this work exceptionally well for merchants who want to increase their brand loyalty. When a customer buys a physical product and sees a "Sale" tag on a related digital masterclass, they are more likely to engage with your brand on a deeper level. This transition from a one-time purchaser to a student or community member is what drives long-term business stability.

Why Native Integration is the Gold Standard

At Tevello, we often discuss the importance of "keeping customers at home." Many platforms that offer online courses or digital memberships redirect your customers to a third-party URL (e.g., yourbrand.thirdpartyplatform.com). This is detrimental for several reasons:

1. Loss of Trust: Redirecting customers during a sensitive moment like checkout or account login can look suspicious and lead to cart abandonment.
2. Fragmented Data: When your customers leave your Shopify environment, tracking their behavior and purchase history becomes a nightmare.
3. Brand Dilution: You’ve worked hard to build your brand. Your customers should see your logo and your URL at every step.

By keeping customers at home on the brand website, you ensure that your sale tags and branding remain consistent. When you use Tevello, your courses and digital products live directly inside your Shopify store. This means your "Sale" tags apply to digital products just as seamlessly as they do to your physical inventory, and the checkout process uses the payment gateways you already trust.

Success Stories: Lessons from High-Performing Merchants

Looking at real-world applications can help clarify the impact of a well-executed Shopify strategy. Many successful brands have found that moving away from fragmented systems allowed them to scale rapidly.

For instance, consider the experience of migrating over 14,000 members and reducing support tickets. By moving to a native platform, this brand was able to simplify the user experience, ensuring that discounts and access to content were handled within a single, unified system. This reduction in technical friction directly correlates to higher customer satisfaction and lower churn.

Another example is how one brand sold $112K+ by bundling courses. This merchant utilized the "Compare-at price" logic to show the incredible value of buying a bundle of digital patterns versus buying them individually. The clear visual indication of a "Sale" or "Value Bundle" tag made the decision easy for their customers.

These examples highlight that the technical act of adding a sale tag is just the beginning. The real magic happens when you use those tags to direct customers toward high-value, high-margin digital content.

Transparent Pricing for Growing Businesses

One of the biggest hurdles for Shopify merchants is the "success tax." Many apps and platforms charge a percentage of your sales or increase their fees as you gain more students or members. This makes it difficult to predict your margins and penalizes you for growing.

We believe in a different approach. We offer predictable pricing without hidden transaction fees. Our Unlimited Plan is priced at a flat $29.99 per month, regardless of how many courses you sell or how many students you enroll. This includes:

• Unlimited courses and students.
• Unlimited video hosting and bandwidth.
• Community features like member directories and social feeds.
• Drip content and quizzes to enhance the learning experience.

By securing a flat-rate plan that supports unlimited members, you can use sale tags as aggressively as you want without worrying about a rising bill from your software provider. You keep 100% of what you earn because we charge 0% transaction fees.

Optimizing Sale Tags for Mobile Users

A significant portion of e-commerce traffic comes from mobile devices. If your sale tag is too large, it might cover the product image; if it's too small, it might go unnoticed.

When you are testing how to add sale tag on Shopify, always use the "Inspect" tool in your browser or check your store on a physical smartphone.

• Positioning: Top-left is the standard, but sometimes bottom-right works better if your product has a clear focal point in the center.
• Contrast: Ensure the text color (usually white) has high contrast against the badge color (usually red, orange, or black).
• Clarity: On small screens, "-50%" is often more legible and impactful than "HALF PRICE SALE."

Before finalizing your sale strategy, it's worth checking merchant feedback and app-store performance signals for your chosen theme and apps to see how other mobile-first brands are handling their visual labels.

The Power of Recurring Revenue

While a one-time sale tag on a physical product is great for a quick boost, the ultimate goal for many Shopify owners is recurring revenue. This is where memberships come in.

Using Tevello, you can create a membership area where users pay a monthly fee for exclusive content or early access to sales. You can use sale tags to offer "Introductory Pricing" for the first month. This creates a stable income stream that isn't entirely dependent on finding new customers every day.

By solving login issues by moving to a native platform, you ensure that your members have a frictionless experience. They log in once to your store and have access to both their order history and their premium digital content. This level of professional integration is what separates top-tier merchants from the rest of the pack.

Implementing "Sale" Strategies for Digital Products

If you are new to selling digital products, here is a practical scenario. Suppose you sell baking supplies. You decide to launch a "Mastering Sourdough" video course.

1. The Launch: You set the price at $49.
2. The Sale: You use the "Compare-at price" method to set the original price at $99, showing a 50% discount.
3. The Tag: Your theme displays a "SAVE 50%" badge on the course thumbnail.
4. The Upsell: On your flour and starter kits, you add a note: "Save an extra 20% on the Sourdough Course when bought with this kit!"

This strategy has been a cornerstone for brands strategies for selling over 4,000 digital courses natively. It turns a simple physical purchase into a gateway for an ongoing educational relationship.

Maintaining Your Sale Tags

Adding tags is only half the battle; you also need to know how to remove them. Running a sale for too long can actually hurt your brand's perceived value. If everything is always "on sale," nothing is.

To remove a sale tag, simply go back into the product details in your Shopify admin and clear the "Compare-at price" field. Once that field is empty and you hit "Save," the sale badge will disappear from your storefront.

For merchants who want to automate this, many apps allow you to set "End Dates" for your promotions. This is especially useful for seasonal events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or holiday clearances.

Final Technical Tips for Shopify Sale Tags

If you find that your sale tags are not appearing even after you've set a "Compare-at price," check the following:

• Inventory Levels: Some themes are coded to hide sale badges if an item is out of stock.
• Variant Consistency: Ensure the price is lower than the compare-at price on all variants, or the badge might only show up when a specific variant is selected.
• Cache: Sometimes, your browser or a caching app might show an old version of your page. Try viewing your store in an "Incognito" or "Private" window.

Before you go live with a major promotion, it is always a good idea to start your 14-day free trial and build your first course now. This allows you to see exactly how your digital products and their associated sale tags will look to your customers.

Conclusion

Mastering how to add sale tag on Shopify is a vital skill for any merchant looking to thrive in the modern e-commerce landscape. From the simple "Compare-at price" adjustment in your admin to sophisticated Liquid customizations, these visual markers are essential for driving conversions and highlighting the immense value of your offerings.

At Tevello, we are committed to helping you bridge the gap between physical and digital commerce. By leveraging our native Shopify integration, you can provide your customers with a seamless, trustworthy experience that keeps them coming back. Whether you are bundling physical goods with online courses or launching a dedicated membership site, our platform gives you the tools to succeed without the burden of hidden fees or success taxes.

Remember, a sale tag is more than just a discount; it is an invitation for your customer to engage more deeply with your brand. Use these tools strategically to build a diversified, high-margin business that stands the test of time.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a sale tag to digital products in Shopify?

Absolutely. Shopify treats digital products the same as physical ones regarding pricing. You can set a "Compare-at price" for your digital files or courses just as you would for a t-shirt. When you use Tevello, these sale tags will appear natively on your storefront, maintaining a consistent look and feel across your entire product catalog.

Does adding a sale tag affect my SEO?

Adding a sale tag itself doesn't directly change your search engine ranking, but the resulting behavior of your customers does. Sale tags often lead to higher Click-Through Rates (CTR) from collection pages and longer time-on-site, both of which are positive signals to search engines. Additionally, the "Compare-at price" data is often included in "Product Schema," which can help your sale price show up directly in Google search results.

Do I need a special app to display "percent off" badges?

While many basic Shopify themes only show a "Sale" text badge, more advanced themes or dedicated apps can calculate and display the exact percentage saved (e.g., "Save 30%"). If your theme doesn't support this natively, you can either edit the Liquid code or install a lightweight app from the Shopify App Store to handle the calculation automatically.

Why is my sale tag not showing up on the collection page?

The most common reason a sale tag doesn't appear is that the "Price" is not lower than the "Compare-at price." Another reason could be theme-specific settings; check your Theme Editor to ensure that "Show sale badge" is toggled on. Lastly, ensure that if your product has variants, the pricing is updated across all of them, as some themes only show the badge if the "starting at" price is discounted.