A professional or trade discount program (often called a "pro program") gives verified professionals, such as hairstylists, interior designers, contractors, personal trainers or salon owners, a lower price than regular shoppers. Shopify doesn't have a "pro program" feature with that name, but you can build one on any plan with three pieces: an application form, a manual approval step, and an automatic discount that only approved members get. This guide shows how to do it for free with Shopify's own tools and when an app saves you time.
The short answer
To run a trade program on Shopify: add a form where professionals apply with proof (license, business card, website), review each application, tag approved customers (for example pro), and create an automatic discount limited to a customer segment built from that tag. Members get the discount at checkout when they're logged in. No codes to leak.
Approach | Cost | Application form | Proof uploads | Expiry and renewals | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shopify Forms + tags + automatic discount | Free | Basic | No | Manual | Under ~20 members |
Shopify B2B (Basic plan and up) | Included | Company account request | No | No | True wholesale with catalogs and net terms |
Pro program app | Free to paid | Yes | Usually | Usually | Growing programs, yearly or seasonal memberships |
Who a pro program is for
A pro program is different from wholesale. Wholesale buyers usually purchase in volume for resale. Pro program members often buy for their own work: a makeup artist buying kits, a stylist buying tools, a physio buying supplies for the clinic. They expect:
- A clear, fixed percentage (for example 20% or 30% off)
- A fast, fair way to prove they're a professional
- The discount to "just work" when they log in
You, as the merchant, need to keep the program closed to the public, check who's applying, and remove people who no longer qualify.
Method 1: Build a trade program with Shopify's free tools
Step 1: Add an application form
Install the free Shopify Forms app or use a contact form on a "Pro Program" page. Ask for name, email, business name, profession, website or social profile, and a license number if your industry has one. Shopify Forms can't take file uploads, so ask applicants to email proof or paste a link.
Step 2: Review and tag approved customers
When someone applies, check their details. If they qualify, open their customer record in Customers and add a tag such as pro. Make sure they have a customer account; they need to log in for the discount to apply.
Step 3: Create a customer segment
Go to Customers > Segments and create a segment with the filter customer_tags CONTAINS 'pro'.
Step 4: Create an automatic discount for that segment
Go to Discounts > Create discount > Amount off order (or Amount off products). Set Customer eligibility to the segment. Note that Shopify limits customer eligibility on some discount types to discount codes. If your plan or discount type doesn't let you pick a segment for an automatic discount, create a discount code limited to the segment instead, and give that code only to members. Test with a tagged test customer before you announce it.
Step 5: Tell members and track the program
Send an approval email by hand, and keep a spreadsheet of who joined and when their membership should end.
Where this breaks down: proof arrives in your inbox, approvals and rejection emails are manual, and nothing reminds you when a stylist's license or a yearly membership has expired. Members keep the tag forever unless you remember to remove it.
Method 2: Use Shopify B2B (if you really need wholesale)
Since 2024–2025, Shopify B2B is available on Basic, Grow and Advanced plans as well as Plus, with limits (up to 3 B2B catalogs outside Plus). It's built around companies, locations, catalogs, payment terms and quantity rules. That's great for wholesale accounts that order cases on net 30 terms, but it's heavy for a pro program of individual stylists or designers who just want 25% off. If your members are individuals, tags and discounts are simpler.
Method 3: Use a pro program app
An app makes sense once you get more than a handful of applications a week, or when memberships should expire. We built Lilya: Pro Program & Discounts for exactly this case. Here's what it does, and what it doesn't:
- Storefront application form on the app page or as a form block on any page, with proof file uploads.
- Approval queue: approve into a member group, reject with a reason, or approve many at once. Invite codes and allowed email domains (for example
@yoursalon.com) can approve people instantly. - Automatic member discount at checkout for logged-in members: one program percentage, a different percentage per group, or a personal percentage for a single member. You can add a minimum order and an allowance per period (for example, discount on up to $500 a month).
- Memberships that end after a number of months, at season end, or never, with a grace period, reminders and renewals. Existing members can be imported from CSV.
- Seven member emails (application received, approved, rejected, expiring and so on) in seven languages, which you can edit, preview and test.
Honest limits: the discount is a percentage, not a per-product price list. Checkout rules work online, not in Shopify POS. Pricing is free for up to 10 active members with every feature, then $19/month for unlimited members.
How to set up a pro program with the app, step by step
- Install Lilya: Pro Program & Discounts from the Shopify App Store.
- Set the program discount, for example 20%, and optionally create groups (for example "Stylist 20%" and "Salon owner 30%").
- Choose the application fields and which proof files to require.
- Add the application form block to a page, or link to the app page from your footer ("Are you a professional? Apply here").
- Choose how long memberships last: 12 months, until season end, or no end.
- Edit the member emails and send yourself a test.
- Approve your first application and place a test order as that member.
Tips for a pro program that doesn't leak margin
- Ask for proof that's quick to check. A license number, a salon website or a portfolio link beats a vague "I'm a pro".
- Use expiries. A yearly renewal keeps the list clean and gives you a reason to contact members.
- Cap the allowance if you worry about members buying for friends.
- Show the program on your storefront. A footer link and a dedicated page bring in applications. If you also need buyers to accept program terms at checkout, see our guide on adding a terms and conditions checkbox to Shopify.
- Check your margins first. If your retail prices are about to change, read how to increase prices on Shopify by percentage before you pick a pro percentage.
FAQ
Can I run a trade program on Shopify without Shopify Plus?
Yes. Customer tags, segments and discounts work on every plan, and apps that use Shopify Functions for checkout discounts also work without Plus.
What's the difference between a pro program and wholesale?
A pro program gives verified individuals a percentage off retail for their own professional use. Wholesale usually means businesses buying in volume for resale, often with price lists, minimum quantities and payment terms.
Can professionals see the discount before checkout?
With Shopify's automatic discounts, the reduction shows in the cart and at checkout for logged-in members. Product pages show the normal price unless your theme or app displays member pricing.
Does the pro discount work in my retail store (POS)?
With Lilya: Pro Program & Discounts, checkout discounts work online only, not in POS.
How much should a trade discount be?
Most pro programs we see use 15–30% off retail. Pick a number that still leaves margin after payment fees and shipping, and test it with a few members first.
Bottom line
For a few pros, Shopify's tags and discounts are enough. When applications, proof files, expiries and renewals start eating your week, try Lilya: Pro Program & Discounts free for up to 10 members.