How to Set Up End-to-End Shipping Discounts with Kite

This guide explains how to configure Free Shipping discounts in Kite, manage eligibility rules (like subtotal thresholds), and choose between automatically applying the discount or requiring a customer code.

Step-by-Step Configuration

1. Basic Settings & Eligibility

• Promotion Name: Enter a name for your offer.
• Important: If you choose "Manual" later, this name effectively becomes the Discount Code customers must type at checkout.
• Eligibility Rules: Define when the shipping discount applies. Common setups include:
• • Subtotal: The cart must reach a certain value (e.g., spend 400).
  • Cart Quantity: The customer must buy a specific number of items.
  • Specific Products: The cart must contain specific items.

2. Delivery & Discount Rules

• Delivery Rules: Select which shipping rates are eligible for this discount. For example, you can apply it only to "Standard Shipping" while keeping "Express" at full price.
• Discount Settings:
• • Percentage: Set to 100% for completely free shipping.
  • Fixed Amount: Use this if you want to discount shipping by a flat rate (e.g., $5 off shipping).
• Combinations: Ensure you check the Combinations box if you want this Free Shipping offer to work alongside other discounts (like a 10% Welcome code).

3. Widget Display & Styling

• Placement: Choose where to display the progress message (e.g., Cart Page, Side Cart/Drawer). This visual cue encourages customers to add more items to reach the free shipping threshold.
• Customization: Use the editor to change the font size, text color, and body size to match your brand theme.

Automatic vs. Manual Application

You have two execution modes for Free Shipping:

• Automatic (Default):
• • The discount applies automatically at checkout as soon as the customer meets the criteria (e.g., Cart total > 400).
  • Pros: Higher conversion rate; zero friction for the customer.
• Manual (Discount Code):
• • The customer must enter a code at checkout to receive free shipping.
  • How to set it: Select "Manual" in the Discount section.
  • The Code: The Promotion Name you entered in Step 1 becomes the code. (e.g., if the name is FREESHIP400, the customer must type FREESHIP400).

Technical Notes & Limitations

Stacking Rules: Shopify treats Shipping Discounts separately from Product and Order discounts. If you enable "Combinations," a customer can typically use one Shipping discount + one Product/Order discount. They cannot usually stack two different Shipping discounts.
Checkout Isolation: If a customer uses a generic "Buy Now" button (bypassing the cart), they may miss the visual progress bar, but the discount will still apply at checkout if it is set to Automatic and the criteria are met.

Troubleshooting Checklist

• Discount not applying? Check your Delivery Rules. If the customer selected "Express Shipping" at checkout but your rule only applies to "Standard," the discount will not work.
• Manual Code Invalid? Ensure the customer is typing the exact Promotion Name. Spaces or special characters in the name can make the code difficult to enter; keep names simple (e.g., SHIPFREE).
• Progress Bar not updating? If you are using a Side Cart, ensure your theme allows Kite to detect cart changes. If the bar is stuck, contact support to check for CSS selector conflicts.

Updated on: 23/01/2026