Double Discount Calculator
Calculate combined double discounts, stacked percentage coupons, final sale prices, and overall effective discount rate.
Understanding Double and Stacked Discounts
A double discount occurs when two separate discounts are applied sequentially to an item's original price. Retailers frequently offer a storewide sale (such as 20% off) combined with an extra promo code, clearance coupon, or loyalty discount (such as an additional 15% off).
How Double Discounts are Calculated
When two percentage discounts ($d_1\%$ and $d_2\%$) are stacked, the second discount applies to the already reduced intermediate price, not the original price:
$$\text{Intermediate Price } (P_1) = P_0 \times \left(1 - \frac{d_1}{100}\right)$$
$$\text{Final Sale Price } (P_2) = P_1 \times \left(1 - \frac{d_2}{100}\right) = P_0 \times \left(1 - \frac{d_1}{100}\right) \times \left(1 - \frac{d_2}{100}\right)$$
The total effective combined discount percentage ($d_{\text{eff}}$) is always slightly less than simply adding the two percentage numbers together:
$$d_{\text{eff}} = 100\% \times \left[ 1 - \left(1 - \frac{d_1}{100}\right)\left(1 - \frac{d_2}{100}\right) \right]$$
For example, a 20% discount followed by a 15% stacked discount equals a 32% total effective discount rate (not 35%).
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 20% off plus an extra 20% off equal to 40% off?
No. The second 20% discount applies to the 80% reduced balance. Stacking two 20% discounts yields a 36% total savings off the original retail price.
Does the order of stacked discounts matter?
For two percentage discounts, order does not change the final price. However, when combining a percentage coupon with a fixed dollar coupon (e.g. $10 off), applying the percentage first vs the dollar amount first yields different totals.
Can I add sales tax to the double discount calculation?
Yes. Sales tax is computed after all store discounts and promo codes are deducted from the item subtotal.