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This topic has examples that show how to create various types of discounts with the createItemPromotion method. Each example shows how to configure the discountRules container to create the intended discount.

Note: As of July 8th 2024, promotions are now being referred to as discounts on Seller Hub and eBay help pages. Sell Marketing API documentation has been updated to reflect this product name change, but note that no API interface changes have been made.

For general information about discounts, see Configuring threshold discounts.

Spend Offer discounts

This Amount Off Order discount sets up a discount where the buyer saves $5 off an order when they spend $60 or more on items included in the discount set:

  "discountRules": [
    {
      "discountSpecification": {
        "minAmount": {
          "value": "60",
          "currency": "USD"
        }
      },
      "discountBenefit": {
        "amountOffOrder": { 
          "value": "5",
          "currency": "USD"
      }
    }
  ],

The following promotional discount takes 15% off the final price when the buyer spends $60 or more on items included in the discount set. This offer repeats for every $60 spent on discounted items:

  "discountRules": [
    {
      "discountSpecification": {
        "forEachAmount": {
          "value": "60",
          "currency": "USD"
        }
      },
      "discountBenefit": {
        "percentOffOrder": "15"
      }
    }
  ],
Quantity Offer discounts

The following Percentage Off Item discount sets up a discount where the buyer gets 20% off when they purchase 3 or more of the discounted items:

  "discountRules": [
    {
      "discountSpecification": {
        "minQuantity": "3"
      },
      "discountBenefit": {
        "percentOffItem": "20"
      }
    }
  ],

This Amount Off Item discount that takes $5 off of each item included in the discount set:

  "discountRules": [
    {
      "discountSpecification": {
        "forEachQuantity": "1"
      },
      "discountBenefit": {
        "amountOffItem" : {
          "value": "5",
          "currency": "USD"
        }
      }
    }
  ],

This Amount Off Order gives a $10 discount for every 3 items purchased from the discount set in an order. This is a repeating offer, it triggers each time 3 discounted items are purchased:

  "discountRules": [
    {
      "discountSpecification": {
        "forEachQuantity": "3"
      },
      "discountBenefit": {
        "amountOffOrder" : {
          "value": "10",
          "currency": "USD"
        }
      }
    }
  ],
No Minimum discounts

This Amount Off Order discount takes $20 off an order, providing one of the items bought is in the discount set:

  "discountRules": [
    {
      "discountSpecification": {
        "minQuantity": "1"
      },
      "discountBenefit": {
        "amountOffOrder": { 
          "value": "20",
          "currency": "USD"
        }
      }
    }
  ],

The Percent Off Order discount is same as above, except 10% is taken off the order:

  "discountRules": [
    {
      "discountSpecification": {
        "minQuantity": "1"
      },
      "discountBenefit": {
        "percentOffOrder": "10"
      }
    }
  ],

This Amount Off Order discount takes $5 off for each discounted item in an order:

  "discountRules": [
    {
      "discountSpecification": {
        "forEachQuantity": "1"
      },
      "discountBenefit": {
        "amountOffOrder" : {
          "value": "5",
          "currency": "USD"
        }
      }
    }
  ],
Buy One Get One discounts

BOGO promotions introduce the numberOfDiscountedItems field, which adds a little complexity to the discount configuration.

To create a BOGO promotion, combine the numberOfDiscountedItems field with the forEachQuantity field to specify the structure of the discount. When a buyer purchases the number of items indicated by forEachQuantity, they are entitled to receive a discount on the purchase of an additional number of like items. The number of items that can receive the discount is indicated by the value of the numberOfDiscountedItems field.

Like other threshold discounts, once the buyer meets the criteria set in discountSpecification, the discountBenefit kicks in.

Here's how to configure a Buy One Get One Free offer:

  "discountRules": [
    {
      "discountSpecification": {
        "forEachQuantity": "1",
        "numberOfDiscountedItems": "1"
      },
      "discountBenefit": {
        "percentageOffItem": "100"
      }
    }
  ],

A Buy 3, Get 2 more at $10 off apiece discount:

  "discountRules": [
    {
      "discountSpecification": {
        "forEachQuantity": "3",
        "numberOfDiscountedItems": "2"
      },
     "discountBenefit": {
       "amountOffItem": { 
        "value": "10", 
         "currency": "USD"
       }
     }
  ],

Here, if the buyer purchases 3 of the discounted items, they get $10 off each of an additional two items purchased. If they purchase 6 items, they pay full price for four items, and get a $10 discount off two of them.

The more you buy, the more you save (with volume pricing)!

Withvolume pricing discounts, you can create discounts that offer buyers deeper discounts when they purchase multiple items from your store. You can apply the multi-tiered discounts to any single item listed in your store, or to a set of items in your store.

All volume pricing discounts are Percent Off Order discounts where "The more you buy, the more you save!"

The following example shows how to set up a discount that can applies to a single listing in the seller's store. Here, a largest discount is given when the buyer purchases 3 of the same item from the store.

{
    "name": "Volume Pricing promotion – Buy 2, get 10% off, buy 3 get 20% off",
    "startDate": "2019-05-20T01:00:00.000Z",
    "endDate": "2019-07-30T08:00:00.000Z",
    "marketplaceId": "EBAY_US",
    "promotionStatus": "SCHEDULED",
    "promotionType": "VOLUME_DISCOUNT",
    "applyDiscountToSingleItemOnly": false,
    "inventoryCriterion": {
        "inventoryCriterionType": "INVENTORY_BY_VALUE",
        "listingIds": [270008373949]
    },
    "discountRules": [
        {
            "discountSpecification": {
                "minQuantity": 1
            },
            "discountBenefit": {
               "percentageOffOrder": "0"
            },
            "ruleOrder": 1
        },
        {
            "discountSpecification": {
                "minQuantity": 2
            },
            "discountBenefit": {
                "percentageOffOrder": "10"
            },
            "ruleOrder": 2
        },
        {
            "discountSpecification": {
                "minQuantity": 3
            },
            "discountBenefit": {
                "percentageOffOrder": "20"
            },
            "ruleOrder": 3
        }
    ]
}

For more on configuring these discounts, see Configuring volume pricing discounts.

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