Mastering Promotions: How to Put Something on Sale on Shopify

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Preparing Your Store for a Successful Sale
3. Method 1: The Manual "Compare at" Price
4. Method 2: Bulk Editing for Store-Wide Sales
5. Method 3: Discount Codes vs. Automatic Discounts
6. Strategic Sale Types to Boost Revenue
7. Enhancing the Sale Experience with Tevello
8. Pricing Transparency: The Unlimited Advantage
9. Highlighting Sale Items for Maximum Visibility
10. Case Studies: Real-World Success with Integrated Sales
11. Tracking Sale Performance and Adjusting in Real Time
12. Post-Sale Actions: Turning Customers into Fans
13. How Tevello Simplifies the Process
14. Conclusion
15. FAQ

Introduction

Did you know that during peak shopping seasons like Black Friday, some Shopify merchants generate over 50% of their annual revenue in just a single weekend? While that figure is staggering, it also highlights a critical reality of the modern e-commerce landscape: if you aren't strategically leveraging sales and promotions, you are leaving an enormous amount of money on the table. However, running a sale is about much more than just slashing prices and hoping for the best. It requires a meticulous blend of psychological triggers, technical precision, and inventory management to ensure that your "deal" doesn't actually end up hurting your brand’s perceived value or your bottom line.

The purpose of this guide is to move beyond the surface-level "how-to" and provide you with a comprehensive masterclass on how to put something on sale on Shopify. We will cover everything from the basic mechanics of setting a "Compare at" price to the advanced strategies of automated discounting and digital bundling. Beyond physical logistics, we will explore how we at Tevello help you transform a one-time discount seeker into a lifelong community member by integrating digital learning directly into your store ecosystem.

Whether you are looking to clear out aging inventory or launch a high-margin digital product to complement your physical catalog, this article provides the technical steps and strategic insights needed to succeed. Our thesis is simple: a successful Shopify sale should not just boost short-term revenue; it should increase Customer Lifetime Value (LTV), diversify your income streams, and solidify your brand as a destination for value.

Preparing Your Store for a Successful Sale

Before you ever click "Save" on a new discount code, you must lay the groundwork. A sale without preparation is a recipe for broken links, out-of-stock frustrations, and customer support nightmares.

Conduct a Rigorous Inventory Audit

You cannot run a sale if you don't know what you have. Start by identifying products that fall into three categories: slow-movers that need to be cleared, high-margin items that can afford a deep discount, and "loss leaders" designed to pull people into your store. Ensure your inventory counts are accurate within Shopify to prevent overselling. For digital creators using our platform, this step is significantly easier, as digital inventory is effectively infinite.

Define Your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

"Increasing sales" is too vague. Are you trying to boost your Average Order Value (AOV)? Are you aiming to acquire new customers who haven't shopped with you before? Or are you focused on clearing shelf space for a new product line? By setting clear KPIs—such as a 20% increase in AOV or 500 new email subscribers—you can choose the right sale structure to meet those specific needs.

Optimize Site Performance and Navigation

A sale brings traffic, and traffic tests your site’s speed. Ensure your theme is updated and that your mobile experience is flawless. Use heatmaps to see where customers get stuck. If you are selling digital products alongside physical goods, verify that your unified login that reduces customer support friction is working seamlessly. When customers can access their courses and their shipping tracking from the same account, they are much more likely to complete their purchase.

Method 1: The Manual "Compare at" Price

The most common way to put something on sale on Shopify is by using the "Compare at price" feature. This creates the visual effect of a strikethrough price, showing the customer exactly how much they are saving right on the product page.

How to Set a Manual Sale Price

1. From your Shopify Admin, navigate to Products.
2. Click on the product you wish to discount.
3. In the Pricing section, you will see a field for "Price" and "Compare at price."
4. Set the "Price" to the new, lower amount.
5. Set the "Compare at price" to the original, higher amount.
6. Click Save.

The Psychology of the Strikethrough

This method is powerful because it leverages "anchoring." When a customer sees a $100 price tag crossed out next to a $70 price, their brain anchors to the $100 value. They perceive they are gaining $30 in value immediately. This is far more effective than simply listing the product at $70 without context.

Method 2: Bulk Editing for Store-Wide Sales

If you have hundreds of products, manual editing is impossible. Shopify provides a built-in bulk editor that allows you to change prices across entire collections or the whole store in minutes.

Using the Shopify Bulk Editor

1. Go to Products.
2. Select all the products you want to put on sale using the checkboxes.
3. Click Bulk edit.
4. Add the "Compare at price" and "Price" columns to your view.
5. Update the values for the top row and use the "fill down" feature (by dragging the corner of the cell) to apply the changes to all selected items.

Automating with Apps

For merchants running complex, scheduled sales (e.g., a sale that starts at midnight on Friday and ends at midnight on Sunday), manual bulk editing can still be stressful. We recommend seeing how the app natively integrates with Shopify to understand how the ecosystem supports different types of automation. While Shopify handles the pricing, your marketing and delivery stack should be just as integrated.

Method 3: Discount Codes vs. Automatic Discounts

Shopify offers two distinct ways to apply discounts at checkout: manual codes and automatic triggers. Choosing the right one depends on your marketing goals.

The Power of Discount Codes

Discount codes (e.g., "SAVE20") are excellent for tracking specific marketing campaigns. If you give a specific code to an influencer, you can see exactly how many sales they generated. Codes also create a "treasure hunt" feeling for the customer, making them feel like they’ve earned the discount.

• Best for: Email marketing, influencer partnerships, and reward programs.
• Pro Tip: Use Shopify’s "Customer segments" to send unique codes to your top 10% of spenders.

The Frictionless Automatic Discount

Automatic discounts apply as soon as the customer meets the criteria (e.g., "Buy 3, Get 1 Free" or "15% off orders over $100"). This is the gold standard for conversion because it removes the risk of a customer forgetting to type in a code and abandoning their cart in frustration.

• Best for: Site-wide seasonal sales and inventory clearance.

Strategic Sale Types to Boost Revenue

Knowing how to put something on sale on Shopify technically is the "how"; knowing which sale to run is the "why."

Buy One, Get One (BOGO)

BOGO is the king of inventory clearance. It is psychologically more appealing than "50% off" because customers love the idea of "free" more than they love the idea of "cheap." If you have excess physical stock, BOGO is your best friend.

Tiered Discounts

Example: "Spend $50, save 10%. Spend $100, save 20%." This strategy is designed specifically to increase your Average Order Value. It encourages customers to add "one more thing" to their cart to hit the next savings threshold.

Bundling Physical and Digital Goods

This is where Tevello’s mission truly shines. Imagine a merchant selling high-end espresso machines. Instead of just discounting the machine by $50, they could keep the price high and include a "Mastering the Perfect Shot" video course for free. This adds immense perceived value without the merchant losing $50 in cash margin.

By generating revenue from both physical and digital goods, you create a more resilient business model. A physical product is a one-time transaction; a digital course is the start of an ongoing relationship. If unifying your stack is a priority, start by a simple, all-in-one price for unlimited courses.

Enhancing the Sale Experience with Tevello

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. This is why we created a solution that keeps your customers on your own URL, rather than redirecting them to a third-party course platform.

Why Digital Products Outperform Physical Sales

When you put a physical product on sale, your profit margin shrinks because you still have the "cost of goods sold" (COGS) and shipping fees. When you put a digital product on sale—such as a membership or a course—your COGS is effectively zero. This allows for much deeper discounts during sales events without sacrificing the health of your business.

Seamless Native Integration

One of the biggest hurdles in e-commerce is "platform fragmentation." This happens when your shop is on Shopify, your courses are on a different site, and your community is on a third. This creates login friction and drives up support tickets. We focus on our "Native Shopify Integration," which ensures a seamless checkout experience using the payment gateways you already trust. This is the same reason why many successful brands are migrating over 14,000 members and reducing support tickets by moving to a more integrated system.

Building Community Loyalty

A sale is a great way to get someone into your ecosystem, but how do you keep them there? Our Unlimited Plan includes community features like member directories and social feeds. When a customer buys a product on sale, they aren't just getting a discount; they are joining a tribe. This shift from "transactional" to "communal" is what builds long-term brand equity.

Pricing Transparency: The Unlimited Advantage

When you are scaling a business, the last thing you want is a "success tax." Many platforms in the digital space charge "per user" fees or take a percentage of your sales. We find that model counterproductive to your growth.

Our Simple, All-In-One Plan

We reject complicated tier structures. We offer The Unlimited Plan for $29.99 per month. That is it. No hidden fees, and most importantly, 0% transaction fees. Whether you sell 10 courses or 10,000, you keep 100% of what you earn. This allows you to have predictable pricing without hidden transaction fees, which is essential for accurate financial planning during big sales.

The Unlimited Plan includes:

• Unlimited courses and students.
• Unlimited video hosting and bandwidth (no more worrying about huge bills if your video goes viral).
• Community features (profiles, directories, social interaction).
• Drip content scheduling and quizzes to keep students engaged.
• A 14-day free trial to build your entire curriculum risk-free.

Highlighting Sale Items for Maximum Visibility

If a product is on sale but no one sees it, did the sale even happen? You must guide your customers' eyes toward the deals.

Use Product Badges and Tags

Shopify themes often allow you to add "Sale" or "20% OFF" badges to the product image on the collection page. This creates a visual "pop" that stands out against full-priced items.

Create a Dedicated Sale Collection

Don't make customers hunt for deals. Create a menu item in your navigation labeled "SALE" or "OFFERS." Use Shopify’s automated collection feature to automatically pull in any product where the "Compare at price" is greater than the "Price."

Leverage Announcement Banners

Use the top bar of your website to broadcast your primary offer. "Free Shipping + 20% Site-wide" should be visible on every single page of your store. This is part of keeping customers at home on the brand website and ensuring they never have to leave your store to find information about your current promotions.

Case Studies: Real-World Success with Integrated Sales

To understand the power of combining physical sales with digital ecosystems, we look at merchants who have mastered the "hybrid" model.

The Power of Bundling

Consider how one brand achieved massive scale by moving away from "physical only" sales. By how one brand sold $112K+ by bundling courses, they proved that digital content can be the ultimate "gift with purchase" or "add-on" that drives conversion. This brand used strategies for selling over 4,000 digital courses natively, ensuring that their customers never felt the jar of a third-party redirect.

Solving the Fragmentation Problem

Another significant challenge for growing stores is "login fatigue." When a customer has one login for their physical orders and another for their digital content, they get frustrated. We have seen merchants solving login issues by moving to a native platform, which drastically improves the user experience during a high-stress sale period. When everything is under one roof, the customer feels more secure and is more likely to return.

Tracking Sale Performance and Adjusting in Real Time

A Shopify sale is not a "set it and forget it" event. You must monitor your analytics dashboard constantly.

Metrics that Matter

• Conversion Rate: If traffic is up but conversion is down, your discount might not be deep enough, or your landing page might be confusing.
• Add-to-Cart Rate: If people are adding items but not checking out, check your shipping costs or payment gateway functionality.
• Revenue by Discount Code: Identify which marketing channels (email, Facebook, Instagram) are driving the most profitable sales.

The Mid-Sale "Pivot"

If you notice that a specific product isn't moving despite a 20% discount, don't be afraid to increase it to 30% mid-sale. If you see your "Barista Basics" digital course is being added to 50% of espresso machine orders, consider making it a featured "frequently bought together" item on the cart page. You should always be reviewing the Shopify App Store listing merchants install from to ensure your tools are updated and ready for these adjustments.

Post-Sale Actions: Turning Customers into Fans

The sale is over—now the real work begins. The "post-sale" period is the most overlooked phase of e-commerce.

The Retention Email Sequence

Don't just send a shipping confirmation. Send a series of emails that add value. If they bought a digital course via Tevello, send them a "Welcome to the Community" email. Encourage them to set up their profile. This moves them from "someone who bought something on sale" to "a member of our brand."

Upselling the Non-Buyers

For the people who visited your site during the sale but didn't buy, use retargeting ads or "we missed you" emails. Sometimes, a customer just needs one more nudge—or a different type of offer—to convert.

Review Your Technical Stack

Was your store slow? Did you have too many apps clashing? Use the post-sale downtime to audit your tools. We recommend a flat-rate plan that supports unlimited members to avoid the "success tax" where your app bills spike just because you had a great sales month.

How Tevello Simplifies the Process

We understand that as a merchant, your time is your most valuable asset. You shouldn't be spending hours wrestling with complex code or trying to sync customer data between different platforms.

Our app provides all the key features for courses and communities in a way that feels like a natural extension of the Shopify Admin you already know. When you install Tevello from the Shopify App Store today, you are getting a partner dedicated to your growth. We focus on the tech so you can focus on the teaching and the selling.

Conclusion

Learning how to put something on sale on Shopify is a fundamental skill for any e-commerce entrepreneur. Whether you use simple "Compare at" pricing for a flash sale or complex automatic discounts for a seasonal event, the goal remains the same: provide value to your customer while protecting your brand's integrity. By integrating digital products and communities into your sales strategy, you can enjoy higher margins and better customer retention than physical products alone could ever provide.

At Tevello, we are proud to offer an all-in-one ecosystem where physical products, digital courses, and community engagement live side-by-side. Our commitment to 0% transaction fees and a simple, $29.99/month Unlimited Plan means you keep every penny of your hard-earned sale revenue. Remember, your store is more than just a place to buy things; it is a place to learn, grow, and connect.

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

FAQ

1. Can I put digital courses on sale just like physical products?

Absolutely. Since Tevello integrates directly with Shopify, your digital products and courses behave exactly like physical ones in the admin. You can use "Compare at" pricing, discount codes, and automatic discounts for your courses. This is a great way to boost high-margin revenue during traditional sale periods like Black Friday.

2. How do I prevent customers from using multiple discount codes?

By default, Shopify does not allow "discount stacking" unless you specifically enable it. When you create a discount, you can choose whether it can be combined with other product discounts, order discounts, or shipping discounts. Most merchants find it safest to keep these separate to protect their margins.

3. Will running a sale slow down my Shopify store's speed?

The sale itself (the price changes) will not slow down your store. However, the increased traffic can sometimes impact performance if your theme is not optimized. Using native apps that don't rely on heavy external scripts is key. Tevello is designed for a native experience to ensure your course pages load as quickly as your product pages.

4. Is there a limit to how many students can buy my course during a sale?

Not with Tevello. Unlike other platforms that might charge you more as your student count grows, our Unlimited Plan supports an unlimited number of courses and students. You can scale your sale as big as your marketing allows without worrying about a sudden increase in your software costs.