Percentage Discounts
3 min read
Percentage discounts reduce product prices by a specified percentage of the original price. This is the most common discount type and is available in the Free version of Smart Cycle Discounts.
How Percentage Discounts Work #
When you set a percentage discount, the plugin calculates the discount amount by multiplying the original price by the discount percentage, then subtracts that amount from the original price.
Formula #
Discounted Price = Original Price × (1 - Discount Percentage / 100) Example: $100 product with 25% discount $100 × (1 - 25/100) = $100 × 0.75 = $75
Configuration Options #
Discount Value (Required) #
Enter a number from 1 to 100 representing the discount percentage.
| Value | Effect | Example ($100 Product) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10% off | $90.00 |
| 25 | 25% off | $75.00 |
| 50 | 50% off (half price) | $50.00 |
| 75 | 75% off | $25.00 |
| 100 | 100% off (free) | $0.00 |
Validation Rules #
- Minimum value: 1 (at least 1% discount)
- Maximum value: 100 (cannot exceed 100%)
- Decimal values are allowed (e.g., 12.5 for 12.5% off)
- Health score warnings appear for extreme values (below 5% or above 70%)
Setting Up a Percentage Discount #
- Navigate to SC Discounts → Campaigns → Add New Campaign
- Complete Step 1 (Basic Information) and Step 2 (Products)
- On Step 3: Discount Configuration:
- Select “Percentage Discount” as the discount type
- Enter your discount value (e.g., 20 for 20% off)
- Configure optional badge settings
- Continue to scheduling and review
Badge Display #
When enabled, percentage discounts display promotional badges on product images:
Auto-Generated Badge Text #
By default, the badge shows the discount percentage:
- “20% OFF” for 20% discount
- “SAVE 50%” or similar variations
Custom Badge Text #
Override the automatic text with your own message:
- “SPRING SALE”
- “LIMITED TIME”
- “CLEARANCE”
Badge Position Options #
| Position | Best For |
|---|---|
| Top Left | Most visible, standard placement |
| Top Right | When left side has other badges |
| Bottom Left | Less intrusive placement |
| Bottom Right | Secondary promotions |
Price Display #
When a percentage discount is active, product prices display:
- Original price — Shown with strikethrough styling
- Discounted price — Highlighted as the current price
- Savings amount — Optionally displayed (configurable in settings)
Example Display #
$100.00$75.00 You save: $25.00 (25%)
Variable Products #
For variable products (products with variations), percentage discounts apply to each variation’s price individually:
| Variation | Original Price | 20% Discount |
|---|---|---|
| Small | $80.00 | $64.00 |
| Medium | $100.00 | $80.00 |
| Large | $120.00 | $96.00 |
The price range displayed on the main product page updates to show the discounted range:
$80.00 – $120.00$64.00 – $96.00
Sale Price Handling #
If a product already has a WooCommerce sale price set:
- Default behavior: Campaign discount applies to the regular price, not the sale price
- Result: Customers see the better of the two prices
- Conflict resolution: The priority system determines which discount applies when multiple campaigns overlap
Common Use Cases #
| Use Case | Recommended Percentage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minor promotion | 5-10% | Subtle incentive, maintains margins |
| Standard sale | 15-25% | Noticeable discount, common for seasonal sales |
| Major sale event | 30-50% | Black Friday, clearance, significant events |
| Clearance | 50-75% | Moving old inventory, end-of-season |
| Loss leader | 75-100% | Traffic drivers, special promotions |
Health Score Impact #
The campaign health system evaluates your percentage discount:
| Percentage Range | Health Impact | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 5-50% | No penalty | Normal discount range |
| 1-4% | Warning | Very small discount may not be compelling |
| 51-70% | Minor warning | High discount affects margins |
| 71-100% | Significant warning | Extreme discount, verify this is intentional |
Tips for Effective Percentage Discounts #
- Use round numbers: 20%, 25%, 30% are more appealing than 17% or 23%
- Consider price anchoring: Show the original price prominently
- Match customer expectations: Different product categories have different “expected” discount levels
- Test different percentages: A/B test to find the optimal discount for conversion vs. margin
- Combine with urgency: Time-limited percentage discounts create urgency
