Articles on: Acquire

Subscription discounts

In this guide, we'll walk you through the different types of discounts available on Loop, how to configure them, and how they interact with Shopify’s discount system. Whether you’re offering standard incentives or building personalised retention flows, this article has everything you need.


In this article


Understanding discounts
Discount hierarchy
Types of discounts
Compatibility with other discount apps
Related articles
Need help?


Understanding discounts


Any reduction from the usual cost of a product can be called a discount. Let’s illustrate this with an example where Product A costs 100$ and is offered at a 10% discount. This directly translates to the final price which would come out to be 90$.

Product A - 100$ Discount - 10%

Total Price = 100$ - 10% of 100$ => 90$

There are several different ways of offering discounts on Shopify and Loop. This article will shine a light on all the different ways of configuring discounts in Shopify as well as on Loop


Discount hierarchy


There is a certain hierarchy to discounts and how it applies to the product base price set on Shopify. You can consider the discounts configured in Loop as the base price of the product when purchased as a subscription. Any discount configured in Shopify that applies to Subscriptions will stack on top of the existing discount applied on the selling plan.

For example, if a product is priced at $100 on Shopify and a 10% selling plan discount is applied, the subscription price becomes $90. If the subscriber then applies a 10% discount code during checkout, the final price is further reduced to $81.

This stacking behaviour means Shopify discount codes apply on top of the discounted subscription price set by Loop.




Types of discounts


Discounts available to subscribers can be broadly categorised into two types: Loop Discounts and Shopify Discounts. Each serves a different purpose and can be combined to maximise value for both brands and subscribers.

Discounts in Loop


Loop offers a range of built-in discounting tools designed to drive subscription adoption, boost retention, and increase customer engagement. These discounts can be configured directly within the Loop app and tailored to suit different business goals.

With Loop, you can create compelling offers for subscribers using various features and settings, allowing you to build personalised journeys and incentivise long-term commitment.

Standard Discounts

Different types of discounts can be applied to a Standard Discount. A standard discount is a single discount that is applied on top of the products that are mapped to the selling plan.

You can configure this discount by going to Loop App > Acquire > Selling plans.



Tiered Discounts

Tiered discounts allow you to adjust the discount offered to a subscriber based on the number of subscription orders completed. This is especially useful when you want to offer a higher discount upfront to drive acquisition, and then reduce or modify the discount after the first few orders.

For example, you might offer a $20 discount on the first order, and then reduce it to $10 from the second order onward.

Loop provides multiple ways to configure tiered discounts, depending on your desired setup and can be implemented using below given methods.

Standard selling plan settings: Apply a basic tiered discount directly within a selling plan.
Loop flows: Create custom journeys that adjust discounts dynamically based on order milestones.
Cancellation flows: Trigger discount changes to retain customers at risk of churn.
Admin portal overrides: Manually adjust discounts for specific subscriptions if needed.



Note: The standard discount and the tiered discount can be configured independently, allowing you to apply different discount types or values.

Free Shipping Discount

Many customers prefer going for subscriptions because brands offer Free Shipping as an incentive to drive subscription adoption. You can configure Subscription specific shipping profiles to offer Free Shipping for certain selling plans.

Note: Once configured, Free Shipping is automatically applied to eligible products that are mapped to selling plans associated with the designated shipping profile in Loop’s subscription-specific shipping settings.


Unique Subscription Journey Discounts


Sometimes, brands want to create unique discount journeys, such as offering 10% off after 3 orders, 20% off after 6 orders, and so on. This can be achieved using Loop Flows, which allows you to automate and customise discount progression throughout a subscriber’s lifecycle.



Learn more about Loop flows here.


Discounts on Shopify


Shopify offers additional discount types that can be applied on top of Loop’s subscription discounts, allowing you to stack savings and further incentivise purchases.

However, it’s important to note that these discounts must be manually entered by the customer, either during checkout or through the Loop Customer Portal.

Shopify currently supports the following discount types for subscriptions:

Amount off products
Amount off orders
Free shipping

Learn more about Shopify discounts here


Compatibility with Other Discount Apps


Loop supports Shopify’s native discount codes. However, compatibility with third-party discount apps may vary. We recommend testing or contacting support before using them in a live store.

Note: Automatic Discounts from Shopify do not apply to subscriptions.




Here are some related articles that may offer additional insight and context.

Loop flows
Cancellation flows
Apply discounts on Customer portal


Need help?


No worries — we're here for you!
If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to email us at support@loopwork.co or chat with us using the support beacon at the bottom right of your screen.

Regards,
Loop Subscriptions Team 🙂

Return to top

Updated on: 02/06/2025

Was this article helpful?

Share your feedback

Cancel

Thank you!