Create an automatic buy one, get one free discount in Shopify
The automatic form of buy X, get Y applies the moment the cart qualifies, with no code to type. This tutorial sets up an automatic buy 2, get 1 free discount on the Tees collection, running 11 to 30 November 2026.
Written · Shopify admin, desktop steps · 5 minutes read
The worked example
| Title | Buy 2 get 1 free tees |
| Type | Automatic, Buy X get Y |
| Buys | 2 tees |
| Gets | 1 tee free |
| Active | 11 to 30 November 2026 |
| 3 tees, $75.00 | $25.00 off, pays $50.00 |
| 6 tees, $150.00 | $50.00 off, pays $100.00 |
Download the planner: automatic-buy-x-get-y-worksheet.csv (137 bytes).
A worksheet for the worked example carts: how many tees, how many are free, and what the customer pays.
1Open Discounts and start a new discount
From your Shopify admin, go to Discounts, then click Create discount. In the Select discount type menu, click Buy X get Y from the list.
2Choose the automatic method
Under Method, select Automatic discount. In the Title section, enter a name for the automatic discount, for example Buy 2 get 1 free tees. There is no code for the customer to enter: the discount applies on its own when the cart qualifies.
3Set what the customer buys
In the Customer buys section, choose Minimum quantity of items and set the number to 2. In the Any items from section, choose Specific collections and add the Tees collection. Only products in that collection count as buy items.
4Set what the customer gets
In the Customer gets section, set the quantity to 1. In the Any items from section, choose Specific collections and add the Tees collection. In the At a discounted value section, select Free.
5Set who can use it
In the Eligibility section, choose which customers can use the discount. Select All customers for a public offer. The other choices are Specific customers, Customer segments, and Markets.
6Set the dates
In the Active dates section, set the start date to 11 November 2026 and click Set end date to set the end date to 30 November 2026. If you do not set an end date, the discount does not expire. Start and end times follow the time zone set in your Shopify admin.
7Save
Click Save to create the discount. The discount appears on the Discounts page and starts applying to qualifying carts.
The arithmetic
Each set of two bought tees gives one free tee.
| Tees | Cart total | Free tees | Pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 tees | $75.00 | 1 — $25.00 off | $50.00 |
| 4 tees | $100.00 | 1 — $25.00 off | $75.00 |
| 6 tees | $150.00 | 2 — $50.00 off | $100.00 |
Four tees give one free tee, not one and a third: the sets are whole. Six tees give two free tees. The free item still has to be added to the cart by the customer.
Held at the counter
The free item is never added automatically. The customer has to add all the items to the cart by hand. For an automatic discount, the discount applies on its own once the items are in the cart, but the items themselves are never added for the customer.
Automatic discounts do not work on the post-purchase page. A buy X, get Y discount created in the admin applies in the cart and at checkout, but not to the post-purchase page.
At most 25 active automatic discounts. That total includes app-based automatic discounts. If your store already runs 25, you have to end one before a new automatic discount can go live.
Sources
- Buy X get Y discounts — Shopify's help pages: the create-an-automatic-Buy-X-get-Y steps, the two variations of the discount, and the rule that the get item is never added automatically.
- Combining discounts — Shopify's help pages: the 25 active automatic discount limit.