Running Sales and Promotions on Squarespace
TL;DR:
- Plan your promotion by selecting products, setting duration, and defining your goals
- Choose between sale pricing (visible badges) or discount codes based on your strategy
- Use announcement bars, pop-ups, and summary blocks to promote sales on your site
- Track performance with Squarespace's analytics to see what works
- Commerce Advanced plan users can apply automatic discounts without codes
Plan Your Promotion
Before launching any sale, you need a clear plan. Start by deciding which products to discount and how long the sale will run. Think about whether you're targeting new visitors or existing customers, and what you want to achieve. Maybe you're clearing old inventory, boosting traffic, or rewarding loyal customers.
Having a specific goal shapes everything else. If you're clearing stock, deeper discounts work better. If you're building your email list, you might offer a smaller discount in exchange for signups.
Choose Your Discount Method
Squarespace gives you two main ways to run promotions, each with different benefits.
Sale Pricing
This method puts a "Sale" badge on your products and shows the original price crossed out. The discount applies to everyone automatically, no codes needed.
Best for: Clearing inventory and grabbing attention. The visual impact of crossed-out prices and sale badges makes the discount obvious.
Discount Codes
These let you control exactly who gets the discount. You can set percentage discounts, fixed amounts, or free shipping. The savings show up at checkout, and you can target specific products or categories.
Best for: Targeted campaigns, limited-time offers, or rewarding specific customer groups. Commerce Advanced plan users can apply these automatically without requiring codes.
Promote Your Sale on Your Site
Once your promotion is live, you need to make sure people see it.
Built-in Tools
Sale Categories: Create a dedicated section for discounted items so customers can find them easily.
Announcement Bars: Add a persistent banner at the top of your site with key sale details.
Pop-ups: Capture attention immediately when visitors arrive on your site.
Summary Blocks: Feature your best sale items directly on your homepage.
Beyond Your Site
Social Media: Share direct links to sale products on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms.
Email Campaigns: Send targeted emails with discount codes to your subscribers.
Track Your Results
Squarespace's analytics show you how your promotions perform. Check traffic sources, sales data, and customer behavior to see what's working.
Pay attention to how often people use your promo codes. Low usage might mean the discount isn't appealing enough, or people can't find the code easily.
Tip: Enable limited availability labels to show when stock is running low. This creates urgency and can boost conversions.
FAQs
Which Squarespace plan lets me apply discounts automatically?
Commerce Advanced plan users can set up automatic discounts that apply without customers entering codes.
How do I know if my promotion is working?
Use Squarespace's analytics to track traffic, sales, and discount usage. Compare these numbers to your normal performance.
Can I make sale items stand out visually?
Yes, sale pricing adds visible badges and crossed-out original prices. You can also use limited availability labels to highlight low stock.
Jargon Buster
Sale Pricing: Direct price reductions that show up on product pages with visible "Sale" badges and crossed-out original prices.
Promo Code: A specific code customers enter at checkout to get their discount.
Analytics: Squarespace's built-in tools that track your site's performance, including sales data and visitor behavior.
Wrap-up
Running effective sales on Squarespace comes down to planning, picking the right discount method, and making sure people know about your promotion. The key is tracking what works so you can improve next time.
Start with a clear goal, choose between sale pricing or discount codes based on your strategy, and use Squarespace's built-in tools to get the word out. Don't forget to check your analytics afterward to see what drove the best results.
Ready to dive deeper into Squarespace strategies? Join Pixelhaze Academy for more hands-on guidance.