Imagine shopping online and having the freedom to pay what you want—no fixed prices, no stress, just complete flexibility. Sounds great, right?
Now, picture offering the same experience to your customers. With Shopify’s Name Your Price feature, shoppers can suggest a price within a set range, making them feel in control while still ensuring fair pricing for them.
Don’t lose potential sales over a few dollars—give customers the power to choose and improve conversions. Follow these steps to set it up in your store.
Implement “Shopify Pay What You Want” Pricing – 8 Simple Steps
Below are the simple steps to implement the “Shopify Pay What You Want” pricing strategy. Give customers the power to suggest prices through the following steps:
Step 1: Install the Shopify Name Your Price App
- Install the app from the product page or your Shopify account
- Embed the app after installation & open app settings from the back end
Once the settings are open go to General Settings and click Activate to start setting up the app on your store.
Step 2: Create Rules to Display the Feature Wherever You Want
- Choose to activate/deactivate a rule anytime
- Insert a unique rule name
- Choose rule priority to minimize clashes
- Choose to hide/show the price for each rule
Step 3: Add Custom Text for the “Pay Your Price” Feature
Insert a custom text for the “Pay Your Price” feature to show it prominently on your website.
Step 4: Choose Customers Who Can Avail the Feature
Select all or specific customer tags who can suggest prices using the feature.
Step 5: Pick Products for Which Customers Can Suggest Prices
Select all or specific products and collections for which the feature will be shown.
Step 6: Add a Price Range or Show a dropdown
- Show a Price Dropdown – Limited Options
Enable a custom price dropdown & add prices to allow users to choose only from the given price options.
- Show a Price Range – Unlimited Options
You can add max and min limits within which the customer can suggest a price. You can choose to omit a min or max limit as well for added flexibility.
Step 7: Add Warning Messages Once a User Suggests an Invalid Price
You can add messages if a customer doesn’t meet the price limit criteria:
- Minimum Price Limit Exceeding Message Text
- Maximum Price Limit Exceeding Message Text
Step 8: Manage All Rules in One Place
Each rule you create will appear in an intuitive user log. You can add, edit, and delete rules from the log and view all rules in one place for better decision-making.
6 Tips to Maximize Your Pay-What-You-Want Strategy
Maximizing a Pay What You Want strategy requires more than just setting flexible prices—it’s about influencing customer behavior and creating perceived value. Here are some expert tips to avoid pitfalls:
1. Provide Starting Price Points
When given complete freedom, customers may struggle to decide how much to pay. To guide them, offer suggested price points that highlight fair value while leaving room for generosity. Clearly, presenting pricing tiers helps you nudge buyers towards paying more without pressure.
2. Communicate Value for Money Effectively
Without a set price, customers may undervalue your product. Counter this by clearly showcasing its worth through detailed descriptions, case studies, and testimonials. Highlight unique benefits, quality, and real-world impact to justify higher contributions. When customers see the real value, they’ll be more inclined to pay fairly.
3. Leverage Social Proof & Testimonials
People are naturally influenced by the choices of others. Displaying positive reviews & testimonials from happy customers who paid more can encourage others to do the same. For example, if a customer pays generously and loves their purchase, ask if they’d share their experience. Seeing others contribute willingly builds trust and normalizes paying a higher price.
4. Offer Additional Incentives
Give customers a reason to pay more by offering exclusive perks. Premium content, early access to new and exciting products, or personalized support can all serve as powerful motivators. Small rewards create a sense of increased value, making higher contributions feel like a smart choice rather than an obligation.
5. Continuously Monitor and Adjust Pricing
A Pay What You Want model isn’t static—it requires continuous optimization. Track key metrics like the average price paid, conversion rates, and total revenue to identify trends. If needed, refine your suggested price points, adjust incentives & rewards, or test different messaging to maximize results.
6. Avoid Freeloaders Strategically
Some customers will always choose to pay the minimum—or nothing at all. Instead of focusing on eliminating them, incentivize generosity. Offer exclusive bonuses, VIP content, or special recognition to those who contribute more. By making generosity rewarding, you naturally encourage higher payments while minimizing freeloading behavior.
Conclusion
This article explored 8 simple steps to set up the Pay What You Want feature on your store. Start by installing the Shopify Name Your Price app, configuring its settings, and defining price limits.
You can display a dropdown with available price options or set a minimum and maximum range. The app also allows you to choose specific products and customer tags for which the feature applies. Allowing customers to suggest a price has multiple benefits—it boosts engagement and increases purchase likelihood. Just ensure you communicate the product’s value and set starting prices to guide negotiations without overwhelming customers. If you found this guide helpful, explore more tutorials and resources on the Addify site.
