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Create Minimum Spend Discounts in WooCommerce (Automatic Coupons)

Learn how to create powerful minimum spend discounts in WooCommerce using automatic coupons. This complete guide covers cart subtotal-based discounts and minimum spend on specific items like products or categories. Drive higher order values and boost average order value with tiered promotions.

📋 Table of Contents​

🚀 Before You Begin: Enable WooCommerce Coupons​

The Discount Rules and Dynamic Pricing for WooCommerce plugin works with WooCommerce's built-in coupon system. Please ensure it is enabled first:

  1. Go to your WordPress Admin Dashboard
  2. Navigate to WooCommerce > Settings
  3. Click on the General tab
  4. Check the box for Enable coupons
  5. Save your changes

Now you're ready to create automatic coupon rules under the Woo Pricing & Discounts > Discounts tab. This powerful plugin (available in a free version) offers advanced cart discount rules that help you create discounts based on cart subtotal, specific items, categories, and more.

Option 1: Minimum Spend Based on Cart Subtotal​

Best for: Encouraging larger purchases by rewarding customers who reach a certain cart total. Perfect for increasing average order value and boosting overall sales.

Scenario: Give tiered discounts based on cart subtotal including tax:

  • Spend $100 get 5% off
  • Spend $200 get 10% off
  • Spend $300 get 15% off
  • Spend $400 get 20% off

Step 1: Access Discounts and Choose a Template​

  1. In your WordPress admin, go to the Woo Pricing & Discounts menu
  2. Open the Discounts tab
  3. Click on the Add from Template button to quickly start a new rule

Add from Template button

  1. In the "Choose your desired campaign" modal, search for templates
  2. Under Automatic Coupons, find and select "Minimum Spend (incl tax): Spend $100 Get 5% Off, ..." or "Minimum Spend (excl tax): Spend $100 Get 5% Off, ..." based on your requirement
  3. Click "Add Campaign"

Minimum Spend template selection

Step 2: Configure the Discount​

Minimum Spend discount configuration

  1. Name: "Minimum Spend" (customizable)
  2. Private Note: Add internal notes for your reference
  3. Status: Ensure Enable is checked
  4. Manual Coupon: Leave unchecked for automatic application (customers get the discount without entering a code)
  5. Apply Mode: Choose how this rule interacts with other discounts
    • Apply with other applicable rules (Non-Exclusive): Works alongside other discounts
    • Apply this rule and disregad otehr rules - Exclusive: Disregards all other applicable rules
    • Apply if other rules are not applicable: Acts as a fallback
  6. Discount Type: Select "Cart subtotal including tax" or "Cart subtotal excluding tax" based on your preference
  7. Usage Limit: Leave blank for unlimited uses

Step 3: Set Order Total Ranges​

The Order Total Ranges section allows you to create tiered discounts based on cart subtotal:

Order Total Ranges configuration

  1. Subtotal Minimum: Set the minimum cart subtotal required for each tier
  2. Subtotal Maximum: Leave blank for no upper limit, or set a maximum for each tier
  3. Discount Type: Choose between percentage discount or price discount
  4. Discount Amount: Set the discount value for each tier
  5. Click "Add" to add more tiers as needed

Example Tiers:

Subtotal MinimumSubtotal MaximumDiscount TypeDiscount Amount
$100(No limit)Percentage discount5
$200(No limit)Percentage discount10
$300(No limit)Percentage discount15
$400(No limit)Percentage discount20

Step 4: Schedule the Coupon (Optional)​

By default, the campaign is unscheduled and runs immediately:

Unscheduled discount

For scheduled promotions, under the "Date Time" section to configure:

  • Date Range - Run a promotion over a period (e.g., 2026-07-20 to 2026-07-31 for a summer sale)
  • Date Time Range - Precise start and end date/time for flash sales
  • Specific Date - Single date activation (e.g., 2026-11-27 for Black Friday)
  • Days - Recurring weekly promotions (e.g., Saturday & Sunday)
  • Time - Daily time ranges (e.g., "happy hour" between 14:00-16:00)

Schedule for a date period

Use "+ And New Rule" to combine conditions (e.g., weekends AND specific time) or "+ OR New Group" for alternative schedules.

tip

For a deep dive into timezone setup, recurring schedules, and multi-tier scheduling logic, read our comprehensive Scheduling & Date-Time Guide.

Step 5: Save and Test​

Click Save and test with different cart totals.

Result Examples​

Scenario 1: Cart Subtotal Below $100 (No Discount)​

Cart items:

  • Shirt - Cream: $25.00 × 1
  • Shirt - Green: $25.00 × 1
  • Sweater: $20.00 × 2

Subtotal: $90.00

Result: No discount applied because the minimum spend of $100 hasn't been reached.

No discount below minimum spend

Scenario 2: Cart Subtotal $120 (5% Discount)​

Cart items:

  • Shirt - Cream: $25.00 × 2
  • Shirt - Green: $25.00 × 2
  • Sweater: $20.00 × 1

Subtotal: $120.00

Discount Calculation: 5% × $120 = $6.00 discount

Result: The "Minimum Spend" coupon applies automatically, giving the customer 5% off their entire cart.

5% discount applied

Scenario 3: Cart Subtotal $215 (10% Discount)​

Cart items:

  • Shirt - Cream: $25.00 × 4
  • Shirt - Green: $25.00 × 3
  • Sweater: $20.00 × 2

Subtotal: $215.00

Discount Calculation: 10% × $215 = $21.50 discount

Result: The "Minimum Spend" coupon applies automatically, giving the customer 10% off their entire cart.

10% discount applied

Option 2: Minimum Spend Based on Specific Items​

Best for: Encouraging larger purchases of specific products, categories, or variations by rewarding customers who spend a minimum amount on selected items.

Scenario: Give tiered discounts based on subtotal of products in the Shirts category:

  • Spend $100 on Shirts get 5% off
  • Spend $200 on Shirts get 10% off
  • Spend $300 on Shirts get 15% off
  • Spend $400 on Shirts get 20% off

Step 1: Access Discounts and Choose a Template​

  1. In your WordPress admin, go to the Woo Pricing & Discounts menu
  2. Open the Discounts tab
  3. Click on the Add from Template button
  4. Under Automatic Coupons, find and select "Minimum Spend (products): Spend $100 Get 5% Off, ..." or "Minimum Spend (categories): Spend $100 Get 5% Off, ..." based on your requirement
  5. Click "Add Campaign"

Minimum Spend on products template

Step 2: Configure the Discount​

Minimum Spend on products configuration

  1. Name: "Minimum Spend" (customizable)
  2. Private Note: Add internal notes for your reference
  3. Status: Ensure Enable is checked
  4. Manual Coupon: Leave unchecked for automatic application
  5. Apply Mode: Choose how this rule interacts with other discounts
    • Apply with other applicable rules (Non-Exclusive): Works alongside other discounts
    • Apply this rule and disregad otehr rules - Exclusive: Disregards all other applicable rules
    • Apply if other rules are not applicable: Acts as a fallback
  6. Discount Type: Select "Products subtotal" to base the discount on specific items
  7. Usage Limit: Leave blank for unlimited uses

Step 3: Select Products or Categories​

Under the Items section, you define which products or categories qualify for the minimum spend discount:

For Products:

  1. Select the "Products in list" condition
  2. Search for and select your desired products
  3. You can add multiple products into the search field

Select products

For Variations:

  1. Select the "Product variations in list" condition
  2. Search for and select your desired product variations
  3. You can add multiple variations into the search field

Select variations

For Categories:

  1. Select the "Categories in list" condition
  2. Search for and select your desired categories
  3. You can add multiple categories using into the search field

Select categories

Combination of items:

You can add combination of items like Products, Product Variations & Categories under items by using multiple conditions via the "+ OR New Group" button.

Select products or categories

Example: In our tutorial, we'll select the Shirts & Accessories categories.

tip

For detailed information on filtering products by categories, variations, attributes, stock status, or dynamic segments, check out our Product Selection Guide.

Step 4: Set Order Total Ranges​

The Order Total Ranges section allows you to create tiered discounts based on the subtotal of selected items:

Order Total Ranges configuration for specific items

  1. Subtotal Minimum: Set the minimum subtotal required for the selected items
  2. Subtotal Maximum: Leave blank for no upper limit, or set a maximum
  3. Discount Type: Choose between percentage discount or price discount
  4. Discount Amount: Set the discount value for each tier
  5. Click "Add" to add more tiers as needed

Example Tiers for Shirts Category:

Subtotal MinimumSubtotal MaximumDiscount TypeDiscount Amount
$100(No limit)Percentage discount5
$200(No limit)Percentage discount10
$300(No limit)Percentage discount15
$400(No limit)Percentage discount20

Step 5: Schedule the Coupon (Optional)​

By default, the campaign is unscheduled and runs immediately. For scheduled promotions, follow the scheduling steps described in Option 1.

Step 6: Save and Test​

Click Save and test with different quantities of selected items in the cart.

minimum spend based on specific items

Result Examples​

Scenario 1: Selected Category Subtotal Below $100 (No Discount)​

Cart items:

  • Shirt - Cream: $25.00 × 1
  • Shirt - Green: $25.00 × 1
  • Sweater: $20.00 × 3 (Sweater is in a different category)

Shirts Subtotal: $50.00 (Below $100 minimum)

Result: No discount applied because the selected items subtotal hasn't reached $100.

No discount below minimum spend for selected items

Scenario 2: Selected Category Subtotal $100 (5% Discount)​

Cart items:

  • Shirt - Cream: $25.00 × 2
  • Shirt - Green: $25.00 × 2
  • Sweater: $20.00 × 1

Shirts Subtotal: $100.00

Discount Calculation: 5% × $100 = $5.00 discount

Result: The "Minimum Spend" coupon applies automatically, giving the customer 5% off the subtotal of items in the Shirts category.

5% discount applied on selected items

Quick Comparison Table​

FeatureCart Subtotal Minimum SpendSpecific Items Minimum Spend
Template"Minimum Spend (incl tax): Spend $100 Get 5% Off, ...""Minimum Spend (products): Spend $100 Get 5% Off, ..."
Discount TypeCart subtotal including/excluding taxProducts subtotal
Eligible ItemsAll products in the cartSelected products, categories, or variations
Best ForIncreasing overall cart valuePromoting specific product lines
Example Rate5% off entire cart when subtotal ≥ $1005% off selected items when their subtotal ≥ $100
Cart (Mixed items)5% × $120 = $6.005% × $100 = $5.00 (only on selected items)
Discount Applied ToEntire cart subtotalSubtotal of selected items only

🎉 Success!​

You've learned how to create two types of minimum spend discounts using automatic coupons in WooCommerce. Each discount type serves different promotional goals:

  • Cart Subtotal Minimum Spend - Best for encouraging larger overall purchases by discounting the entire cart
  • Specific Items Minimum Spend - Best for promoting specific product lines, categories, or variations by discounting only those items

Both discount types apply automatically with no coupon code required, creating a frictionless shopping experience that can significantly increase average order value and boost sales.

Try it Live & Explore PRO

Experience all discount rules and pricing strategies in action on our Live Demo Website.

Upgrade to Discount Rules and Dynamic Pricing for WooCommerce PRO to unlock advanced conditions, user role pricing, recurring schedules, tiered variations, and priority support.

📚 Next Steps​

Now that you've mastered cart total discounts, explore other automatic cart-level promotions:

🔍 SEO Keywords​

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