Black Friday without giving away your margin: 7 alternatives to discounting for your online store

Nico Bértolo · 2026-10-13

In short

• With a 60% gross margin, a 30% discount means selling twice as many units to earn the same.
• There are alternatives that sell without cutting prices across the catalogue: gifts with purchase, bundles, early access, better shipping, tiered discounts, limited editions and causes.
• If your store only sells on discount, the problem is rarely the price: the store isn’t conveying what the product is worth.

The maths almost nobody does

A €100 product with a 60% gross margin leaves you €60 per unit. At 30% off you sell it for €70, but it still costs €40, so you keep €30: half the margin, which means selling twice as many units to earn the same.

• −20%: You need to sell 1.5× the units.
• −30%: You need to sell twice as many.
• −40%: You need to sell three times as many.

7 alternatives to a sitewide discount

• A gift with purchases over a threshold.
• Bundles at a fixed price.
• Early access for your email list.
• Better shipping: free with no minimum, or express for the price of standard.
• Tiered discounts by order value.
• A limited edition or drop.
• A cause or a “Green Friday”, if it genuinely fits your brand.

Does your store only sell on discount? In 30 minutes we look at your store with you and tell you what holds it back at full price. Book a call

The real problem: a store that only sells on discount

When a brand only sells well during sales, it’s rarely the price. The store isn’t conveying the product’s value. Use November for urgent fixes and January for the store redesign, when traffic drops and before/after can be measured properly.

A discount can sell for a week. A store that conveys what your product is worth sells all 52.

Nico Bértolo, 224

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to discount on Black Friday?

No. Gifts with purchase, bundles, early access, better shipping or a limited edition can sell without cutting prices across the catalogue.

How much does a 30% discount cost me?

With a 60% gross margin, a 30% discount halves what you earn per unit: you need to sell twice as many units to earn the same.