How to Set Up BOGO Promotions on Shopify with the Native Tool and Apps

93% of American consumers have used a Buy One Get One (BOGO) discount at least once. So, why are BOGO deals so important?

Setting up effective BOGO deals can increase your sales while creating irresistible offers that customers can’t ignore. Many Shopify merchants miss this opportunity to boost their average order value and clear inventory.

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to set up BOGO promotions on Shopify using both native tools and specialized apps. This post also covers proven strategies to maximize your campaign effectiveness.

Before diving into the setup process, let’s first understand what BOGO offers are and who benefits most.

Buy One Get One (BOGO) Offers: Definition and Best User Type

Buy One Get One (BOGO) offers are promotional deals that allow customers to receive an additional item for free or at a discounted price. These BOGO deals are ideal for:

Shopify store owners

BOGO deals are a quick win for boosting sales and clearing inventory. You can launch these promotions without coding with Shopify’s built-in discount tools or apps. They are ideal for retail, fashion, F&B, and personal care businesses that want to drive repeat purchases and increase average order value.

E-Commerce beginners

BOGO offers are easy to understand and execute. They help you attract attention, grow your customer base, and make your first sales without needing complex marketing tactics.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs)

For SMEs, BOGO promotions are cost-effective tools for competing with larger brands, promoting bundles, and turning overstock into opportunities. They’re ideal for enhancing brand visibility and fostering customer loyalty.

Marketing staff

BOGO campaigns are a great way to boost engagement and drive more conversions, which marketing staff must pay attention to. They’re great for seasonal promotions, email campaigns, and social media marketing, especially for urgency and limited-time offers.

Now that you understand the BOGO definition and its targeted users, we’ll explore the step-by-step guide on how to create this offer.

How to Set Up BOGO on Shopify for an Effective Campaign

The ability to set up BOGO promotions on Shopify is essential for maximizing your store’s sales. Shopify’s BOGO discount settings enable you to create compelling promotional experiences that encourage customers to purchase multiple items.

There are several effective methods to create BOGO deals in Shopify stores. Each offering has unique advantages for different campaign objectives and business scenarios.

Option A: Creating Buy One Get One discounts with Shopify’s native tool

Ideal for simple BOGO offers without advanced customization.

Option B: Setting up Shopify BOGO offers with the best Shopify BOGO Apps

For complex BOGO campaigns (tiered pricing, mix-and-match, cart value, etc.).

First, let’s explore how to set up BOGO promotions in your Shopify store using the built-in discount tool.

How to create Buy One Get One discounts on Shopify with the native built-in tool

Shopify’s native Buy X Get Y discount feature provides a straightforward solution for creating BOGO promotions. This built-in tool offers an automatic discount application that works across all devices and themes.

Step 1: Access Shopify Admin

• Log in to the Shopify Admin account.

Step 2: Create a Discount

• On the Shopify Dashboard, click Discounts in the left-hand menu bar.
• Click Create discount on the top right, select Buy X Get Y.

Step 3: Configure BOGO Details

• Choose Automatic discount for a seamless experience (or create a discount code for specific customers).
• Name your BOGO offer clearly (e.g., “Buy One Get One For Summer Sales”).

• In Customer buys, set the purchase condition (X): Choose the minimum quantity or purchase amount required to trigger the offer.

• In Customer gets, define the reward (Y): Specify which product(s) or collections are given for free or at a discount.

Pro tip: If you offer your items at a percentage amount, notify your customers with a discount pop-up. It shows exactly what they’ll receive and avoids the chance of missing your deals.

Step 4: Set additional settings

• Add discount combinations for products, orders, and shipping as needed.
• Enable Point of Sale (POS) integration as desired.
• Limit the maximum discount uses for your BOGO promotions (e.g., only one use per order).

Step 5: Save and Activate

• Schedule the start and end dates for your promotion.
• Click Save discount.
• Your BOGO offer is now live.

In case you want to offer a “Buy 1 Get Half Off” deal, explore our guide on creating second-item discounts on Shopify. This method can boost your average order value up to 20-35%.

How to set up BOGO on Shopify with third-party apps

Another effective way to create BOGO promotions on Shopify is to use third-party Buy 1 Get 1 apps that offer advanced functionality. This method enables you to set up BOGO campaigns with enhanced customization options.

The AOV.ai Free Gift with Purchase helps both new and professional Shopify merchants to implement complex BOGO rules. You can optimize your Buy X Get Y offers with optimal A/B testing and Buy X Get X features. This app creates a seamless shopping experience and increases customer retention with ease.

General app information

• Rating: 4.9/5 (483 reviews)
• Developer: AOV.ai (by Avada)
• Pricing: Free plan available, $19.99–$49.99/month
• Free plan: Yes

Here’s how this app configures your BOGO deals on Shopify:

Step 1: Create campaign

• In the AOV.ai Free Gift dashboard, click Create campaign.
• Choose Buy X Get Y campaign type, then Create.

Step 2: Set up BOGO details

• Name your BOGO campaign clearly (e.g., “Buy One Get One”).

In Customer buys, set the purchase condition (X):

• Choose the minimum quantity or purchase amount required to trigger the offer.

In Customer gets, define the reward (Y):

• Specify which product(s) or collections are given for free or at a discount.
• Turn on Buy X Get X if you want to offer the same gift as the Customer buys.

Pro tip: You can enable A/B Tests to evaluate your offers in different conditions to see which one converts better.

Step 3: Set additional rules

• Add combinations of product, order, and shipping discounts as needed
• Schedule the start and end dates for your promotion
• Limit the total number of uses to one to prevent promotional abuse.
• Apply to all customers or specify customer segments (e.g., only subscriptions receive this deal).

Step 4: Save and Activate

• Click Save at the top. Your BOGO offer is now live.

Step 5: Test the offer

• Add qualifying products to your cart and verify that the BOGO discount applies correctly at checkout.

With your BOGO promotion now active, it’s essential to understand the specific benefits these deals bring to your business performance.

Why BOGO Deals Can Boost Sales on Shopify?

BOGO offer is one of the best ways to get sales on Shopify. BOGO promotions deliver measurable results across multiple business metrics when implemented strategically:

1. Increase average order value (AOV)

The BOGO promotion encourages customers to add more items to their cart to unlock the deal. This results in higher revenue per transaction without a significant increase in marketing costs.

According to Shopify, stores using tiered incentives like BOGO see a 20–30% increase in AOV when combined with clear progress indicators and free gift logic.

This drives more revenue per transaction without increasing customer acquisition costs.

2. Drive larger purchases

Research found that time-limited promotions can increase conversion rates by up to 45%, especially when the deal feels “too good to miss.”

BOGO taps into that urgency while also giving customers perceived extra value. Limited-time BOGO deals create a sense of urgency and offer immediate value, which increases overall sales volume.

3. Improve inventory management

“Buy 1 Get 1” promotions encourage perceived value. BOGO helps move these items faster without the negative brand impact of deep discounts.

This strategy keeps your inventory fresh and maintains healthier cash flow.

4. Boost customer retention

BOGO promotions are easy to understand and appealing, which makes them attractive to first-time shoppers. Once they make a purchase, you have a chance to turn them into repeat customers.

Now that you understand why BOGO benefits your Shopify store, we’ll explore the step-by-step guide on how to create this offer.

5 Tips to Create Effective BOGO Campaigns with Real-World Examples

Even with the right setup, BOGO promotions may not consistently deliver optimal results without strategic planning.

Here are some strategies that you can follow to optimize your BOGO promotions on Shopify:

1. Choose the right BOGO type

Not all BOGO offers work the same. Choosing the right type, such as “Buy One Get One Free” or “Buy One Get One 50% Off”, lets you align the promotion with your goals (e.g., clearing inventory vs. boosting AOV) and customer behavior.

For example, Desio, a premium contact lens brand, offers one-day lens samples for those who purchase “Precious Grey” contact lenses.

2. Clear message and optimal BOGO rules

Your BOGO offer should help customers instantly understand the offer and how to redeem it. Customers won’t act on a deal they don’t understand. A clear, simple message reduces confusion, improves user experience, and increases conversion rates.

A pop-up banner that says “Buy One, Get One Free – Add any 2 to your cart, discount applies automatically!” will attract customers and motivate them to redeem the offer.

Setting smart conditions, such as minimum purchase amounts or limiting eligible items, helps protect profit margins and prevent abuse of the offer.

A 20% discount on a specific product or collection with a minimum purchase of $500 to clear redundant stock or off-season items can be a good idea for your BOGO deals.

3. Emphasize urgency & scarcity

Urgency (e.g., “24 hours only”) and scarcity (e.g., “limited stock”) motivate quicker purchasing decisions, reducing hesitation and increasing conversions.

You can add a countdown timer on the product page: “Ends in 24 hours!” or a note like “Only 10 left in stock – don’t miss out!”

4. Use specialized apps for automation

Shopify apps streamline the setup and automatically apply BOGO discounts, which saves time and ensures a smoother experience for both you and your customers. Some key metrics to consider are Conversion rate (CVR), Click-through rate (CTR), Average order value (AOV), Return on investment (ROI), and Cost per acquisition (CPA).

Pro tip: Not only can AOV.ai apps configure BOGO offers, they can also implement Buy 2 Get 1 deals or free gift with purchase promotions, without requiring manual codes.

5. Promote BOGO deals across channels

Another way to boost sales on your Shopify store is to promote your deals through email, social media, and on-site banners. This strategy helps you reach a wider audience and maximize traffic and sales.

Multi-channel promotion strategies:

• Email marketing campaigns: Send targeted BOGO announcements to your subscriber list with compelling subject lines like “Limited Time: Buy One, Get One FREE!” Include clear visuals and countdown timers to create a sense of urgency.
• Social media promotion: Share eye-catching graphics on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok showcasing your BOGO deals. Utilize stories, reels, and posts featuring hashtags like #BOGO and #LimitedTime to boost visibility.
• On-site promotional banners: Display prominent BOGO offers on your homepage, product pages, and checkout process. Use pop-ups, announcement bars, and product badges to ensure maximum visibility.
• Paid advertising: Run targeted Facebook and Google ads promoting your BOGO deals to specific customer segments and lookalike audiences.
• Influencer partnerships: Collaborate with relevant influencers to showcase your BOGO promotions to their engaged audiences.

Consistent messaging across all channels ensures customers receive multiple touchpoints about your promotion. It also increases the likelihood of conversion and maximizes your campaign’s reach and effectiveness.

FAQs about Shopify Buy One Get One Promotion