A volume discount (also called a quantity break) drops the unit price as customers buy more — "1 for $20, 3 for $54, 5 for $85." It's a simple, honest way to reward bigger orders, move stock faster, and raise average order value without a sitewide sale.
When to use quantity breaks
- Consumables customers stock up on — coffee, supplements, pet food.
- Wholesale-leaning or bulk-friendly products.
- Low-consideration add-ons where "buy a few" is natural.
- Anywhere you'd rather sell 3 units at a small discount than 1 at full price.
How to structure your tiers
Keep it to two or three clear tiers so the choice is easy:
Buy 1 → $20.00 each Buy 3 → $18.00 each (save 10%) Buy 5 → $17.00 each (save 15%)
Each step should feel like a real reward, but never below your cost — check the margin at each tier with ProfitVault before you launch.
How to set it up on Shopify
- Install Packmate and go to Bundles → Create bundle → Volume discount.
- Add your tiers — quantity thresholds and the discount at each.
- Turn on the widget so the tiers show on the product page with the savings.
- Publish — the right price applies automatically at checkout, no code.
Best practices
- Show the per-unit price at each tier — shoppers respond to "$17 each," not just "15% off."
- Anchor the top tier so the middle one looks like the smart choice.
- Don't over-tier. Two or three steps convert better than six.
Quantity breaks pair well with other offers — see how to increase average order value on Shopify for the full toolkit.