Limit a discount code to one collection in Shopify
A code that works on everything also works on items you would rather protect. This tutorial limits TEES20, worth 20% off, to the Summer Tees collection, with a $50 minimum that counts collection items only. It runs 11 to 30 November 2026.
Written · Shopify admin, desktop steps · 5 minutes read
The worked example
| Code | TEES20 |
| Value | 20% off |
| Applies to | Summer Tees collection only |
| Minimum purchase | $50.00, collection items only |
| Active | 11 to 30 November 2026 |
| 2 tees $30.00 + hoodie $45.00 | $12.00 off, pays $93.00 |
| Hoodie only, $45.00 | No discount |
Download the planner: collection-discount-cart-worksheet.csv (124 bytes).
A line-by-line worksheet for the worked example cart: which lines the code covers and what each line costs after the discount.
1Open Discounts and start a new discount
From your Shopify admin, go to Discounts, then click Create discount. From the discount type menu, click Amount off products. A collection limit is an amount off products discount: it applies to the products you choose. An amount off orders discount applies to the whole order and cannot be limited to one collection.
2Choose the code method
Under Method, select Discount code. Then enter the code name in the Discount code section, or click Generate code for a random one. This tutorial uses TEES20.
3Set the value to 20%
In the Value section, select Percentage and enter 20. The other choice is Fixed amount, a dollar value off instead of a percent. An amount off discount does not apply to shipping costs.
4Pick the collection
In the Applies to section, select Specific collections, then add the Summer Tees collection. Only products in that collection get the discount, and only those products count toward a minimum purchase, which is the next step.
5Set a minimum purchase of $50
In the Minimum requirements section, select Minimum purchase amount and enter 50. Only the selected collection counts toward the minimum. A cart with $45 of hoodies and $10 of tees holds only $10 toward the minimum, so the code will not apply.
6Set eligibility and usage
In the Eligibility section, select All customers for a public code. In the Maximum discount uses section, check Limit to one per customer to stop one customer using TEES20 on order after order. Shopify tracks a customer's email address or phone number to enforce the limit.
7Set the dates and save
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. Start and end times follow the time zone set in your Shopify admin. Then click Save.
The arithmetic
The discount applies to the collection items only, at their prices.
| Item | Price | 20% off | Pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Tee | $30.00 | $6.00 | $24.00 |
| Summer Tee | $30.00 | $6.00 | $24.00 |
| Summit Hoodie | $45.00 | $0.00 | $45.00 |
| Total | $105.00 | $12.00 | $93.00 |
Only the two tees count toward the $50 minimum: they total $60, so the code applies. A hoodie-only cart holds $0 of collection items, so the code would not apply to it at all.
Held at the counter
The minimum counts only the collection. A cart with a $45 hoodie and a $10 tee totals $55, but only $10 counts toward the $50 minimum. The code stays off until the collection items alone reach $50.
An amount off orders discount cannot be limited to a collection. The Applies to section belongs to amount off products discounts. Picking Amount off orders at step 1 means the code covers the whole order, and there is no way to fence it to one collection afterwards.
Gift cards do not count toward the minimum unless you select them. A gift card bought in the cart counts toward the minimum purchase amount only if you specifically select the gift card product for the discount.
Sources
- Amount off discounts — Shopify's help pages: the Applies to section for specific collections, the minimum purchase rule that only selected items count, and the gift card note.