How to Create Shopify Membership Discounts: Best Tips for Member-Only Pricing
67% of customers expect exclusive member benefits when joining loyalty programs. How can this opportunity maximize your Shopify revenue? Here’s what we found. Strategic Shopify membership discou
67% of customers expect exclusive member benefits when joining loyalty programs. How can this opportunity maximize your Shopify revenue? Here’s what we found.
Strategic Shopify membership discounts can significantly enhance customer retention and foster a sense of exclusivity.
In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to create a membership discount on Shopify and explore the best apps for automated member pricing. And moreover, we’ll also cover strategies to boost your customer loyalty program effectiveness.
First, let’s examine the different types of membership discounts that successful Shopify stores utilize to reward their loyal customers.
Shopify Membership Discounts: Types and Benefits for Your Store
Shopify membership discounts are exclusive pricing offers available only to registered members or specific customer groups. These member-only pricing strategies enable merchants to build stronger customer relationships while increasing their lifetime value.
Effective Shopify loyalty program discounts create several key advantages for your business:
- Enhanced customer retention: Members who receive exclusive discounts are 75% more likely to make repeat purchases compared to regular customers.
- Increased average order value (AOV): Specified customer discounts (e.g., VIP individuals) in Shopify programs encourage larger purchases, thereby maximizing member benefits.
- Stronger brand loyalty: Exclusive member pricing creates a sense of belonging that differentiates your store from competitors.
- Improved customer data collection: Membership requirements offer valuable insights into customer preferences for targeted marketing campaigns.
Now let’s examine the six most effective types of membership discount structures that Shopify merchants use to drive sales and customer engagement.
6 Types of Shopify Membership Discounts That Drive Customer Loyalty
A deep understanding of various membership discount models enables you to select the most suitable approach for your target audience and business objectives.
Each type offers unique advantages for implementing Shopify automatic discounts for members and recurring customer discounts in Shopify strategies.
1. Paid membership programs
Paid membership creates an exclusive tier where customers pay an annual or monthly fee for ongoing discounts and benefits. This model works exceptionally well for stores with a high volume of repeat customers.
Implementation examples include offering 15-20% discounts on all products, a free shipping promo, early access to sales, and exclusive product launches for subscriptions.
2. Tiered membership systems
Shopify membership tier discounts reward customers based on their spending levels or engagement. This progressive system encourages customers to increase their purchase frequency to unlock better benefits.
Typical tier structures include Bronze (5% discount), Silver (10% discount), and Gold (15% discount) levels based on annual spending thresholds.
Explore how to create Shopify tiered pricing with expert tips to drive your sales effectively.
3. Loyalty program membership
Traditional loyalty programs offer points-based rewards that can be redeemed for discounts on future purchases. This approach builds long-term customer relationships through consistent engagement.
Members earn points for purchases, reviews, social media engagement, and referrals that translate into percentage discounts or dollar-off rewards.
4. Subscription-based membership
Shopify subscription customer discount programs combine recurring purchases with member pricing to offer discounts. Customers receive discounts for committing to regular deliveries of consumable products.
This model works perfectly for businesses selling supplements, coffee, beauty products, or other items that customers purchase on a regular basis.
5. Student and demographic memberships
Targeted demographic discounts help merchants tap into specific customer segments. Student discounts, military discounts, and senior citizen pricing create goodwill while expanding market reach.
For example, military discounts typically offer 10-15% with proper verification through third-party services.
6. Wholesale and B2B membership
Business-to-business merchants use wholesale membership tiers to offer volume discounts for resellers or corporate customers. This approach scales revenue through larger order quantities.
Wholesale members typically receive discounts of 20-40% based on minimum order requirements and approved business credentials.
With these membership types established, let’s explore how to implement member-only pricing on your Shopify store using both native tools and specialized apps.
How to Set Up Shopify Member-Only Pricing without Apps
Membership discounts on Shopify require strategic planning and proper implementation. You can achieve member pricing through Shopify’s built-in customer segmentation or specialized membership apps.
Let’s get started!
How to create basic membership discounts with Shopify’s native customer tags
Shopify’s built-in customer tagging system provides a foundation for tag-based discounts for Shopify members. Here’s how to create a basic membership discount structure:
Step 1: Create Customer tags
- Navigate to your Shopify admin dashboard and access the Customers section.
- Select Segment > Click Create segment.
- Select a template or a filter to create a segment. In this case, we choose a filter.
- Create specific tags, such as VIP Member, Premium Customer, or Loyalty Member, to identify your membership tiers.
- Press Ctrl + Enter to run your code.
- Your customer tag is now on the list.
Step 2: Configure membership discount codes
- Go to Discounts > Create discount> Amount off products.
- Set up the automatic discount for a seamless shopping checkout.
- Set your discount percentage or fixed amount.
- Specify product(s) or collection(s) to trigger the discount.
- Under Customer eligibility, select Specific customers and choose customers with your membership tags (e.g., the Vip Member tag you’ve created in Step 1).
Step 3: Apply a discount for returning customers
- Enable the Limit one use per customer option to prevent discount abuse.
- Ensure legitimate members can benefit from exclusive pricing.
- Implement the discount combinations for an enhanced loyalty promotion.
Step 4: Save & activate the discount
- Schedule your membership discount offer.
- Your VIP discount deal is now live.
To optimize your customer lifetime value (LTV), consider utilizing Shopify Buy X Get Y campaigns to offer attractive discounts or even complimentary gifts to your customers.
After walking through this Shopify tag-based discount setup with VIP membership, here are three creative ways to create sophisticated customer segments:
Advanced membership setup ideas with customer group segmentation
For more sophisticated Shopify discounts for customer groups, utilize Shopify’s advanced customer segmentation features:
- Customer spending tiers: Create segments based on total amount spent, enabling automatic upgrades to higher membership levels.
- Purchase history segmentation: Target customers who bought specific products or collections with relevant membership offers.
- Geographic segmentation: Offer region-specific membership benefits to expand into new markets effectively.
While native tools provide basic functionality, specialized apps offer more robust features for comprehensive membership programs. You can configure the three mentioned ideas with these Shopify membership discount apps:
5 Best Shopify Apps for Effective Membership Discount Setup
These carefully selected apps offer advanced features for advanced membership discount strategies. All the Shopify apps in this list foster customer loyalty and boost revenue.
Best Shopify Membership Discount Apps by User Type
Before diving into detailed reviews, here are our top recommendations based on store types and specific merchant needs:
- Best for DTC brands in beauty & fitness: Joy Loyalty Rewards Program (Comprehensive rewards app with VIP tiers, referrals, and omnichannel loyalty integration. Ideal for reducing ad spend.)
- Best for premium product or POS-integrated stores: Appstle℠ Memberships (Flexible billing, tiered perks, and strong POS support. Great for high-end products or in-store programs.)
- Best for merchants on a budget: Simplee Memberships & Rewards (Affordable $9.75/month with rich features like store credits, Shopify Flow integration, and first-order discounts.)
- Best for customizable membership programs: Conjured Memberships (Full control over benefits, gated content, and design. Great for merchants scaling up with tailored experiences.)
- Best for digital course creators and educators: Inflowkit Membership & Courses (Built for selling online courses, downloads, and gated content. Supports subscriptions and student tracking.)
Let’s take a look at each Shopify membership app’s pricing plan, features and benefits:
1. Joy Loyalty Rewards Program
The Joy Loyalty Rewards Program is one of the best Shopify membership discount apps.
This app helps merchants reduce acquisition costs by rewarding actions (e.g., referrals and social sharing), replacing expensive ad campaigns with organic word-of-mouth.
With its intuitive interface and responsive customer support, this powerful tool enhances the shopping experience and strengthens customer relationships.
General app information:
- Rating: 4.9/5 (1,454 reviews)
- Developer: Joy Loyalty (by Avada)
- Pricing: $24.99–$499/month
- Free plan: Yes
Key features:
- Points, rewards, and referrals: Build a meaningful loyalty program with points-based rewards, unlimited referral tracking, and fraud-protected sharing to drive organic growth.
- Membership and VIP tiers: Offer exclusive perks through customizable membership levels, including VIP and B2B tiers, with automatic discount application.
- Branded loyalty experience: Enhance brand consistency with a fully customizable loyalty widget and seamless integration across cart, product, and checkout pages.
- Omnichannel integration: Sync loyalty rewards across online and offline channels through POS integration, ensuring a mobile-friendly experience for every customer.
Who is it best for?
- Medium-sized to growing Shopify stores.
- DTC brands encompass a range of products, including beauty, fitness, and more.
2. Appstle℠ Memberships
Appstle℠ Memberships stands out as a comprehensive Shopify membership app with discounts for creating paid membership programs. It offers recurring billing and exclusive member benefits, including discounted pricing, access and free shipping.
General app information:
- Rating: 4.9/5 (466 reviews)
- Developer: Appstle Memberships
- Pricing: $19–$79/month
- Free plan: Free
Key features:
- Easy membership setup: Use an intuitive merchant interface to create and manage membership plans in just minutes—no coding required.
- Tiered member perks: Offer customized benefits such as discounted pricing, free or priority shipping, and exclusive product access based on membership tiers.
- Smart member tagging: Automatically assign tags to link the right perks to the right members, ensuring accurate benefits delivery.
- Automated billing cycles: Set up recurring billing at flexible intervals, fully customizable to fit your pricing strategy and member preferences.
- Customizable member portal: Provide members with a comprehensive, brand-aligned portal experience, backed by robust APIs and webhooks for advanced integration.
Who is it best for?
- High-end product stores (e.g., jewelry, accessories).
- POS-integrated retail merchants.
3. Simplee Memberships & Rewards
Another membership discount app on Shopify is Simplee Memberships & Rewards. This specialized app excels at offering discounts or free shipping on your store or POS (including on their first order) to maximize customer engagement.
General app information:
- Rating: 5.0/5 (72 reviews)
- Developer: Simplee Apps
- Pricing: Free trial available, $9.75/month
- Free plan: No
Key features:
- Flexible recurring billing: Support setup fees, offer free or discounted trials, and schedule fixed billing dates to suit your membership model.
- Gated content access: Restrict access to specific products, blog posts, pages, or collections, ideal for creating members-only experiences.
- Exclusive member discounts: Apply product and shipping discounts not only to future orders, but also to your very first purchase.
- Powerful integrations: Connect seamlessly with Shopify Flow and send automated campaigns through platforms like Klaviyo and Omnisend.
- Store credit rewards: Incentivize members by offering store credit or cashback on their first order.
Who is it best for?
- Medium to large stores focused on building long-term customer relationships.
- Budget-conscious first-time merchants.
4. Conjured Memberships
The next Shopify membership discount app is Conjured Memberships. It offers a user-friendly platform for creating loyalty programs, including exclusive perks (e.g., free shipping, member discounts).
This app is a robust solution that handles high volumes with a flexible and intuitive management experience.
General app information:
- Rating: 4.6/5 (74 reviews)
- Developer: Conjured
- Pricing: Free plan available, $9.99–$69/month
- Free plan: Yes
Key features:
- Loyalty-building perks: Quickly configure access to exclusive content, classes, and downloadable resources to enhance member engagement and retention.
- Recurring revenue generation: Monetize your audience with membership billing, even if your products aren’t traditionally subscription-based.
- Full program control: Customize every aspect of your membership offering, with a flexible setup that scales effortlessly as your business grows.
- Seamless Shopify integration: Enjoy native compatibility with your Shopify theme and checkout for a frictionless customer experience.
- On-brand member portal: Deliver a consistent, trust-building experience with a fully customizable and embedded membership interface.
Who is it best for?
- Small to medium stores need professional design and functionality.
5. Inflowkit Membership & Courses
The next Shopify membership discount app to consider is Inflowkit Membership & Courses, a powerful tool designed for merchants selling digital content and gated experiences.
This app allows you to attach educational content, such as tutorials, PDFs, or downloadable files, to product pages for added value.
This app offers subscription plans and trial periods, providing customers with a personalized dashboard experience.
General app information:
- Rating: 4.2/5 (34 reviews)
- Developer: InflowKit
- Pricing: Free plan available, $24–$129.99/month
- Free plan: Yes
Key features:
- Online course creation: Build and deliver professional digital courses with ease while tracking student progress and engagement in real time.
- Digital product sales: Upload and sell music, videos, graphics, files, and documents through a fully integrated digital storefront.
- Subscription-based selling: Increase recurring revenue by offering your courses and digital products as flexible subscription plans.
Who is it best for?
- Educators and coaches offering online courses, workshops, or webinars.
- Content creators and influencers selling digital downloads like templates, guides, or exclusive content.
- Brands with high-consideration products that benefit from tutorials or educational materials attached to products (e.g., skincare, fitness equipment).
These apps provide the foundation for effective membership programs. However, success depends on implementing proven strategies that maximize member engagement and revenue.
5 Essential Tips to Boost Sales with Membership Discounts
A successful Shopify membership with a discount program requires strategic planning and ongoing optimization. These proven techniques help maximize the effectiveness of your Shopify loyalty program discounts.
1. Structure progressive discount tiers
The first tip is to create multiple membership levels that encourage customers to increase their spending to unlock better benefits. A well-designed tier system motivates continued engagement and higher-order values.
Implementation example:
- Bronze Member: 5% discount after $200 annual spending.
- Silver Member: 10% discount after $500 yearly spending.
- Gold Member: 15% discount + free shipping after $1,000 annual spending.
This progression creates clear incentives for customers to increase their purchases to reach the next tier.
You may also like this article: How to create quantity discounts for your Shopify store.
2. Combine membership discounts with limited-time offers
Another strategy is to layer membership benefits with seasonal promotions to create compelling value propositions. Members should feel that they receive the best possible deals through their exclusive status and access to Shopify member-only pricing.
Some practical tactics that you can follow:
- Offer member-only early access to sales.
- Double points during special events.
- Exclusive products are unavailable to regular customers.
3. Use clear membership communication
Transparent messaging about membership benefits reduces confusion and increases program adoption. When you feature prominent Shopify member-only pricing advantages, you remove all friction throughout the customer journey.
Effective communication includes:
- Member pricing displayed alongside regular prices.
- Clear explanation of Shopify Plus membership tier discounts and benefits.
- Email campaigns highlighting exclusive member opportunities.
- Member dashboard showing current status and rewards.
4. Implement automatic member recognition
Logged-in members enjoy a seamless experience as the system automatically applies their discounts. This strategy eliminates friction and reinforces a premium shopping journey.
Stores differentiate member pricing by showing exclusive rates compared to regular customers, helping shoppers instantly recognize the value of membership.
5. Track and optimize member performance
Ongoing tracking of key metrics ensures your Shopify membership app with discounts drives positive return on investment (ROI). It also reveals opportunities to improve recurring customer discount programs.
Essential metrics include:
- Member acquisition cost vs. lifetime value.
- Average order value comparison between members and non-members.
- Membership tier progression rates.
- Discount redemption patterns and frequency.
Regular analysis helps refine your program for maximum effectiveness and profitability.
Conclusion
Effective Shopify membership discounts require a deep understanding of your customer base, a well-structured discount system, and the implementation of user-friendly systems that foster long-term loyalty.
Whether you use Shopify’s native customer segmentation or invest in specialized membership apps, the key to success lies in providing genuine value while maintaining sustainable profit margins.
