Tiered Volume Pricing
2 min read
Tiered volume pricing offers increasing discounts based on the quantity purchased. This encourages customers to buy more by rewarding larger orders with better prices. This feature requires Smart Cycle Discounts Pro.
How Tiered Pricing Works #
You define quantity thresholds (tiers), each with its own discount. Customers automatically receive the best applicable discount based on how many items they add to their cart.
Example Configuration #
| Tier | Quantity | Discount | $50 Product Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1-4 items | 0% (regular price) | $50.00 each |
| 2 | 5-9 items | 10% off | $45.00 each |
| 3 | 10-24 items | 20% off | $40.00 each |
| 4 | 25+ items | 30% off | $35.00 each |
A customer buying 12 items receives 20% off each item (Tier 3), paying $480 instead of $600.
Configuration Options #
Creating Tiers #
Each tier requires:
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Quantity | The quantity threshold to activate this tier | 5 |
| Discount Type | Percentage or fixed amount per item | Percentage |
| Discount Value | The discount applied at this tier | 10 (for 10% off) |
Tier Limits #
- Minimum tiers: 2 (at least two quantity levels)
- Maximum tiers: 10 (practical limit)
- Tiers must have ascending minimum quantities
- Tier discounts should typically increase with quantity
Setting Up Tiered Pricing #
- Navigate to SC Discounts → Campaigns → Add New Campaign
- Complete Step 1 (Basic Information) and Step 2 (Products)
- On Step 3: Discount Configuration:
- Select “Tiered Volume Pricing” as the discount type
- Click “Add Tier” to create your first tier
- Configure each tier:
- Enter the minimum quantity
- Select discount type (percentage or fixed)
- Enter the discount value
- Add additional tiers as needed
- Continue to scheduling and review
Discount Type Options Per Tier #
Percentage Per Item #
Each item in the order receives a percentage discount:
Tier: Buy 10+, get 15% off each 10 items × $50 × 0.85 = $425.00 (saved $75.00)
Fixed Amount Per Item #
Each item receives a fixed discount amount:
Tier: Buy 10+, get $5 off each 10 items × ($50 - $5) = $450.00 (saved $50.00)
Frontend Display #
Product Page #
Customers see a tiered pricing table on eligible product pages:
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐ │ VOLUME DISCOUNTS │ ├─────────────────────────────────────┤ │ 1-4 items $50.00 each │ │ 5-9 items $45.00 each (10% off)│ │ 10-24 items $40.00 each (20% off)│ │ 25+ items $35.00 each (30% off)│ └─────────────────────────────────────┘
Cart Updates #
As customers adjust quantities, prices update in real-time:
- Cart line items show the tier-adjusted price
- Savings are displayed per item and total
- Visual indicators encourage adding more to reach the next tier
Calculation Methods #
Per-Item Calculation (Default) #
The discount applies to each item’s price individually:
12 items at Tier 3 (20% off): Regular: 12 × $50 = $600 Discounted: 12 × $40 = $480 Savings: $120
Quantity Counting #
Quantities are counted per campaign product scope:
- Same product: All quantities of Product A count together
- Campaign products: If multiple products are in the campaign, quantities can be combined (configurable)
Variable Products #
For variable products, tiered pricing can work in two ways:
Per-Variation Counting #
Each variation counts separately:
5 × Small shirt + 3 × Large shirt = Tier 2 for Small (5 items), Tier 1 for Large (3 items)
Combined Counting #
All variations of the same product count together:
5 × Small shirt + 3 × Large shirt = 8 total shirts → Tier 2 pricing for all
Common Tiered Pricing Strategies #
Standard Volume Discount #
| Quantity | Discount | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 1-4 | 0% | Regular purchases |
| 5-9 | 10% | Small bulk orders |
| 10-24 | 15% | Medium orders |
| 25+ | 20% | Large orders |
Aggressive Growth Strategy #
| Quantity | Discount | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | 0% | Baseline |
| 3-5 | 15% | Encourage multi-buy |
| 6-10 | 25% | Medium bulk |
| 11+ | 35% | Large orders |
Wholesale/B2B Pricing #
| Quantity | Discount | Customer Type |
|---|---|---|
| 1-49 | 0% | Retail |
| 50-99 | 20% | Small business |
| 100-499 | 30% | Medium business |
| 500+ | 40% | Wholesale |
Health Score Considerations #
The health system evaluates tiered pricing campaigns:
| Check | Warning Trigger | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Tier progression | Discount decreases at higher tiers | Verify this is intentional |
| Extreme discounts | Any tier exceeds 50% | Review margin impact |
| Large gaps | Big jump between tier quantities | Consider adding intermediate tiers |
| Too many tiers | More than 6 tiers | Simplify for customer clarity |
Best Practices #
- Start with achievable tiers: First discount tier should be within easy reach (3-5 items)
- Gradual progression: Increase discounts incrementally (5-10% per tier)
- Clear communication: Display the tier table prominently on product pages
- Consider psychology: Odd quantities (5, 10, 25) feel more natural than round numbers
- Test your margins: Ensure profitability at each tier level
- Limit complexity: 3-5 tiers is usually optimal; more can confuse customers
Combining with Other Features #
With Recurring Campaigns #
Run tiered pricing during specific periods (weekends, monthly sales).
With Product Selection #
Apply tiered pricing to specific categories (e.g., “Bulk office supplies”).
With Priority System #
Tiered campaigns can override or be overridden by other campaigns based on priority.
