Limit a discount code to specific customers in Shopify
Some offers are meant for a few people by name, not for the whole store. This tutorial sets up VIP30, worth 30% off, for three named customers only, with one use per customer, running 11 to 30 November 2026.
Written · Shopify admin, desktop steps · 5 minutes read
The worked example
| Code | VIP30 |
| Value | 30% off the order |
| Eligibility | 3 named customers |
| Usage limit | One per customer |
| Active | 11 to 30 November 2026 |
| $200.00 order | $60.00 off, pays $140.00 |
| $90.00 order | $27.00 off, pays $63.00 |
Download the planner: named-customer-list.csv (199 bytes).
The three customers on the VIP30 list, with the worked example order for each. Names and email addresses are examples; use your own customer list when you set the code up.
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 orders. An amount off orders discount applies to the whole order.
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 VIP30. Codes are typed by customers at checkout, so keep the code short and readable.
3Set the value to 30%
In the Value section, select Percentage and enter 30. 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 customers
In the Eligibility section, select Specific customers, then select the customers you want to assign the discount to and click Add. Only those customers can use the code. A customer who is not on the list can type VIP30 at checkout and get no discount.
5Limit it to one use per customer
In the Maximum discount uses section, check Limit to one per customer. Shopify tracks a customer's email address or phone number to enforce the limit.
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 code does not expire. Start and end times follow the time zone set in your Shopify admin.
7Save the code
Click Save. The code appears on the Discounts page and is ready to use. Tell the three customers about it directly: only they can use it, so it will not spread on its own.
The arithmetic
The discount applies to the order total before tax and shipping.
| Order | 30% off | Customer pays |
|---|---|---|
| $200.00 | $60.00 | $140.00 |
| $150.00 | $45.00 | $105.00 |
| $90.00 | $27.00 | $63.00 |
A customer who is not on the list gets no discount at all, whatever the order total. The one-per-customer limit is enforced by email address or phone number, so a customer checking out with a different email is treated as a different customer.
Held at the counter
Guest checkout with a new email looks like a new customer. The limit is tracked by email address or phone number. A customer who used the code once and checks out again as a guest with a different email will not be stopped.
Specific customers is a fixed list, not a rule. New customers do not join it on their own. When the list should grow by itself, use a customer segment instead, and add new customers to the list by hand in the meantime.
The code still needs an end date. Without one, VIP30 runs until you stop it. A private code shared once can travel a long way when there is no expiry to stop it.
Sources
- Amount off discounts — Shopify's help pages: the Eligibility section for specific customers, and the usage-limit rule that tracks email address or phone number.