The best order to apply discounts

Why order matters

Discounts come in two shapes: percentage (10% off) and fixed (£5 off, or a few percent off a gift card). The golden rule is simple:

• Percentage discounts work best on the highest number, so apply them early, against the full price.
• Gift-card and payment savings come last, because they’re about how you pay the final total, not the price itself.
• Cashback usually tracks on the amount you actually pay the retailer — and paying with a gift card can change that figure, so the sequence matters.

The optimal sequence

1. Start from the lowest base price (compare retailers + check price history first).
2. Apply percentage voucher codes against that full price.
3. Apply loyalty / member pricing where it’s a price reduction.
4. Click through a cashback portal so the discounted total is what gets tracked.
5. Pay with a discounted gift card for the final balance.
6. Settle any remainder on a rewarding card for one last layer.

Worked example 1 — code + cashback

A £200 item, a 15% code, and 5% cashback.

• 15% off £200 = £170 paid at checkout.
• 5% cashback tracks on £170 = £8.50 back later.
• Net cost: £161.50 — about 19% off.

Note the cashback is calculated on the discounted £170, not the original £200 — that’s normal, and still the best outcome.

Worked example 2 — adding a discounted gift card

Same £200 item and 15% code, now paid with a gift card bought at 6% off.

• 15% off £200 = £170 due at checkout.
• Buy a £170 gift card for 6% less = it costs you £159.80.
• If cashback (say 4%) still tracks on the £170 order value, that’s another £6.80 back.
• Net cost: about £153 — roughly 23% off.

Figures are illustrative; real rates and gift-card discounts vary.

Gotchas that break the stack

• Some retailers exclude gift-card payments from cashback — check the cashback terms before assuming both layers apply.
• A voucher code can sometimes void cashback — portals list which codes are allowed; using an unlisted one can cancel the tracking.
• Gift cards can’t always cover the whole order (e.g. delivery) — pay the rest on a rewarding card.
• Member portals can override your cashback click — if you go through an employer or membership shopping portal, that may take the commission instead.

Let DealStacker sequence it for you

DealStacker applies the layers in the order that saves the most and shows the true net cost — so you don’t have to do the maths by hand. See the full stacking method or run the checklist, then search a product to see your stacked price.

How we make money: DealStacker is free. When you click through to a retailer or partner and buy, we may earn a commission. It costs you nothing extra and never changes which deal we rank cheapest.