The best Shopify promotion apps can automate tasks like discounts, bundles, and urgency tactics, driving more customers to complete their purchases. These tools help ecommerce store owners improve their average order value (AOV) and reduce cart abandonment without manually tracking every discount or sale.
But this list goes beyond just discounting; it includes apps that gamify user engagement, create product bundles, and use tiered pricing models to turn one-time buyers into repeat customers. Whether you’re managing a small online store or a large ecommerce agency, using the right tools can significantly improve your marketing strategies.
The average order value on Shopify in 2023 was $73. (source)
Why Shopify Promotion Apps are Essential for E-commerce Stores
Running an ecommerce store isn’t just about listing products and hoping for sales. In a crowded online space, promotions are key to capturing your audience’s attention and motivating them to buy. But managing sales, discounts, and promotions manually can become a full-time job. That’s where Shopify promotion apps come in.
Automating Repetitive Tasks:
- You can set up discounts, create product bundles, and run flash sales automatically. This not only saves time but also ensures that your promotions run smoothly, even during busy shopping seasons like Black Friday or the holidays
Increase Conversions:
- Promotions help reduce hesitation and encourage immediate purchases. Apps like Hextom’s Free Shipping Bar or Countdown Timer create urgency and push customers to buy now, instead of leaving items in their cart
Boost Average Order Value (AOV):
- By offering product bundles or volume discounts, promotion apps can encourage customers to spend more. For instance, bundling related products or offering discounts on larger orders will increase the AOV, directly benefiting your bottom line
Personalized Promotions:
- Many apps let you target specific customer segments with personalized offers. For example, you could offer returning customers a discount or use gamified experiences to attract new ones
Overall, Shopify promotion apps provide an essential toolkit for ecommerce stores. They allow store owners to run strategic promotions, track their success, and adjust as needed to maximize revenue.
Read More: Top 08 Shopify Bundle Apps
The 7 Best Shopify Promotion Apps in 2024
1. Bold Discounts
Bold Discounts is one of the most popular Shopify apps for running promotions and discounts, especially around key shopping periods like Black Friday or Cyber Monday. It automates the entire process, making it easy for store owners to schedule sales in advance.
- Key Features:
- Automate discounts on specific products or entire collections.
- Schedule flash sales and promotions.
- Include countdown timers to create urgency.
- Pros:
- Great for scheduling discounts ahead of busy shopping seasons.
- User-friendly interface.
- Can apply sales across the entire store with one click.
- Cons:
- Some users report minor glitches with applying discounts to variants.
- Rating: 4.2/5
- Pricing: Starts at $14.99/month.
- User Review: “Bold Discounts made running our Black Friday sale a breeze! It’s easy to set up and works perfectly during our busiest times of the year.”
2. Hextom Free Shipping Bar
Hextom’s Free Shipping Bar is a great tool for boosting sales by encouraging customers to reach a minimum order amount to qualify for free shipping.
- Key Features:
- Displays free shipping offers in a customizable bar.
- Creates urgency by showing how much more a customer needs to spend to qualify for free shipping.
- Customizable for specific countries or collections.
- Pros:
- Easy to set up and customize.
- Increases AOV by encouraging larger purchases.
- No coding required.
- Cons:
- Limited design options on the free plan.
- Rating: 4.9/5
- Pricing: Free plan available, paid plans start at $8.95/month.
- User Review: “Since adding the Free Shipping Bar, we’ve noticed a significant increase in our AOV. Customers love knowing how close they are to getting free shipping!”
3. Wheelio
Wheelio is a gamified pop-up app that turns exit-intent promotions into a fun, interactive experience for customers. It helps reduce cart abandonment while making your store feel more engaging.
- Key Features:
- Gamifies pop-ups, offering customers a chance to “spin the wheel” for a discount.
- Works well for capturing emails and driving conversions.
- Highly customizable based on user behavior.
- Pros:
- Fun, interactive way to reduce cart abandonment.
- Great for collecting emails while offering discounts.
- Cons:
- Some users find the setup process slightly confusing.
- Rating: 4.8/5
- Pricing: Starts at $14.92/month.
- User Review: “Wheelio is a game-changer for us! It keeps customers engaged, and we’ve seen fewer people abandoning their carts since we started using it.”
Read More:07 Best Shopify Apps to Add Recently Viewed Products for Your Store
4. Bundle Products & Discounts (Thimatic)
This app allows you to create custom product bundles, which can help boost your store’s AOV by encouraging customers to buy more items together.
- Key Features:
- Create unlimited product bundles.
- Add volume and variant discounts to boost upsells.
- Include a “Frequently Bought Together” option.
- Pros:
- Excellent for increasing AOV by bundling complementary products.
- Highly customizable bundles for any product or collection.
- Cons:
- Limited options for single product or category discounts.
- Rating: 4.7/5
- Pricing: Starts at $7.49/month.
- User Review: “This app has helped us offer great bundle deals, and our customers love it! Super easy to use and very effective for upselling.”
5. VolumeBoost (HulkApps)
VolumeBoost is ideal for stores offering bulk purchases, letting you offer tiered pricing and volume discounts to encourage customers to buy more.
- Key Features:
- Set up volume and tiered pricing discounts.
- Offer discounts based on product quantity or total cart value.
- Customizable discount grids for better user experience.
- Pros:
- Perfect for bulk discounting strategies.
- Helps increase large orders and cart size.
- Cons:
- Some users report difficulty during installation.
- Rating: 4.5/5
- Pricing: Starts at $9.99/month.
- User Review: “VolumeBoost has been fantastic for our wholesale customers. It’s easy to offer tiered discounts, and the setup was quicker than expected.”
6. Upsell & Cross Sell – Selleasy
Selleasy helps you run upsell and cross-sell campaigns automatically, encouraging customers to buy more related products at checkout.
- Key Features:
- Offer upsells and cross-sells during the checkout process.
- Create BOGO offers and percentage discounts for multiple-item purchases.
- Easy integration with Shopify’s checkout.
- Pros:
- Simple to use and very effective for increasing AOV.
- Works well with most Shopify themes.
- Cons:
- Limited customization options for the upsell widgets.
- Rating: 4.9/5
- Pricing: Free plan available, paid plans start at $6.99/month.
- User Review: “Selleasy has really helped us with cross-selling related products. Our AOV has increased significantly since implementing it.”
7. Bulk Discount Code Generator (Seguno)
This app generates unique discount codes in bulk, which is ideal for large sales events or personalized promotions.
- Key Features:
- Generate thousands of unique discount codes at once.
- Works seamlessly with Shopify’s discount system.
- Filter out unwanted words and confusing characters in discount codes.
- Pros:
- Saves time by automating discount code creation.
- Prevents coupon abuse by generating one-time-use codes.
- Cons:
- Some limitations in customization of the generated codes.
- Rating: 4.5/5
- Pricing: Free.
- User Review: “This app has made our promotional campaigns much easier. We no longer have to manually create codes for every single customer—it’s a huge time saver.”
How to Choose the Right Promotion App for Your Store
With so many Shopify promotion apps available, selecting the right one for your store depends on your unique business needs. Here are some key factors to consider when choosing the right promotion app for your ecommerce store:
1. Understand Your Promotion Goals
- Discount Strategy: If your goal is to run flash sales, bulk discounts, or holiday promotions, an app like Bold Discounts or Hextom Free Shipping Bar might be perfect for you. They allow you to automate sales events and encourage more purchases with strategic discounts.
- Increase AOV: If your focus is increasing the average order value, apps like Bundle Products & Discounts or Upsell & Cross Sell – Selleasy can help. These apps allow you to bundle products or offer complementary upsells at checkout
2. Store Size and Customer Base
- Small and Growing Stores: For smaller stores with less complex needs, apps like Hextom Free Shipping Bar or Bulk Discount Code Generator offer simple yet effective solutions to boost conversions and encourage customer loyalty. These apps are easy to set up and require minimal maintenance.
- Larger Stores or Agencies: For larger stores or ecommerce agencies handling multiple clients, it’s best to look for scalable apps with advanced features. For instance, VolumeBoost and Bold Discounts offer more complex pricing and scheduling options, which are essential for managing large-scale promotions
3. User Experience and Customization
- Ease of Use: Not all promotion apps are created equal when it comes to user experience. Apps like Wheelio and Selleasy are praised for their ease of use, even for beginners. Choose an app that integrates seamlessly with your existing Shopify store and doesn’t require extensive coding knowledge.
- Customization: If you need flexibility in customizing the appearance or behavior of promotions, look for apps that offer plenty of design and customization options. Hextom’s Free Shipping Bar allows you to adjust based on customer location or cart value, while Bold Discounts lets you tailor promotions to specific collections or time periods.
4. Cost and Scalability
- Budget-Friendly Options: For stores with a limited budget, apps like Bulk Discount Code Generator and Hextom Free Shipping Bar offer free plans or affordable pricing tiers. These are excellent choices for stores that are still growing and need basic promotional tools.
- Scalable Solutions: If you’re running a high-volume store or working with multiple clients, scalability is key. Apps like Bold Discounts and VolumeBoost offer more advanced plans that allow for unlimited discounts and tiered pricing options.
5. Consider Customer Engagement
- Engagement Focus: If you want to make promotions more interactive, apps like Wheelio gamify the discount process and encourage customer participation through fun, engaging elements like “spin the wheel” pop-ups. This kind of engagement can lead to higher conversions, especially for new customers.
FAQs
What type of promotions work best for ecommerce stores?
The most effective promotions vary by store, but generally, flash sales, volume discounts, and product bundling are great options. Apps like Bold Discounts and VolumeBoost are ideal for scheduling and managing these types of promotions
How do these apps help reduce cart abandonment?
Promotion apps like Wheelio and Hextom Free Shipping Bar use tactics such as gamified pop-ups or free shipping thresholds to encourage customers to complete their purchase instead of abandoning their cart
Which app is best for large stores with high volume orders?
Large stores will benefit from apps like VolumeBoost and Bold Discounts, which offer advanced features like tiered pricing and the ability to schedule promotions across entire product catalogs
Can these apps integrate with my other Shopify tools?
Yes, most of the promotion apps mentioned, such as Selleasy and Bold Discounts, are built to integrate seamlessly with Shopify and other apps, like upselling or checkout tools
Are these apps easy to set up, even for beginners?
Most of the apps, including Hextom Free Shipping Bar and Bulk Discount Code Generator, are beginner-friendly and come with easy-to-follow instructions or support. However, apps like VolumeBoost might have a slight learning curve during setup
Conclusion
Using the right promotion app can be the key to driving more conversions, boosting average order value, and keeping customers engaged. From offering free shipping with Hextom Free Shipping Bar to bundling products with Bundle Products & Discounts, the seven apps we’ve covered give you powerful tools to automate and optimize your Shopify store promotions.
Remember, the best app for you depends on your store size, budget, and promotional goals. Whether you’re looking to run holiday sales with Bold Discounts or engage customers with interactive elements through Wheelio, these apps can take your promotions to the next level. The key is to choose the ones that fit your business needs and offer flexibility for scaling your store over time.
