---
title: "Restrict and discount products with Constellation"
url: "https://kestrelwp.com/docs/protecting-or-discounting-products/"
description: "Keep products for members only and give members automatic discounts with Constellation."
published: "2026-10-06T20:28:17+00:00"
modified: "2026-10-07T05:39:30+00:00"
---

Constellation can keep products for members only, either hidden from everyone else or visible but only purchasable by members, and give members automatic discounts on the whole catalog, categories or single products. Members can also get a free shipping rate of their own. Discounts apply to logged-in members; there are no coupon codes to share.

## When you’d use this

- Run a wholesale or purchasing club catalog that only members can buy from.
- Tease members-only products to visitors, with a prompt to join.
- Give members 10 percent off everything, or a set amount off certain products.
- Offer members free shipping on every order.

## How to use it

### 1. Restrict products from a plan

To restrict a category or your whole catalog, add rules on the plan’s **Restrict Products** tab and choose what **Only members can** do:

- **view**: non-members can’t see the product. With **Hide restricted products** on, it’s left out of the shop catalog too.
- **purchase**: everyone sees the product, but only members can add it to the cart. Non-members see a message instead of the add to cart button.

[Create membership plans in Constellation](/docs/creating-membership-plans-to-provide-access-perks/#5-restrict-products) covers the rule fields, including delayed access.

### 2. Restrict or discount a single product

When you edit a product, the **Constellation** box below the product data has three tabs:

- **Restriction**: **Add rule** to restrict this product to a plan (view or purchase, immediately or after a time), or turn on **Disable restrictions** to keep it public whatever the plans say. Use **Disable restrictions** on your membership products, so non-members can always buy them.
- **Messages**: replace the store-wide product messages for this product.
- **Discounts**: **Add rule** to give a plan’s members a discount on this product, or turn on **Disable discounts** to exclude it from every member discount.

Click **Save changes** in the box. Rules you add here also appear on the plan.

![The Restriction tab of the product's Constellation box](https://kestrelwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/constellation-woocommerce-memberships-edit-product-restrictions.png)### 3. Add member discounts

For catalog-wide or category discounts, use the plan’s **Purchasing Discounts** tab: choose the products or categories (blank means all products), the **Discount** type (a percentage or a fixed amount off) and the **Amount**, and leave **Active** ticked.

### 4. Check as a member and a visitor

Log in as a member and check the product shows the member price, then check it in a private window as a visitor.

## How member discounts work

- Members see the discounted price in the shop, on the product page and in the cart, with a **Member discount!** badge on shop and product pages.
- If a member’s plans each discount the same product, the discounts stack: each applies after the other.
- Products on sale still get member discounts unless **Exclude products on sale from member discounts** is on.
- Logged-out members see regular prices until they log in.
- Non-members see "Want a discount? Become a member by purchasing {products}!" below the add to cart button, unless you clear the **Product discounted (purchase required)** message.
- With **Apply discounts when purchasing membership** on, customers buying a membership get its discounts on the same order.

These settings are on [Constellation settings](/docs/constellation-settings/#products).

## Free shipping for members

1. Go to **WooCommerce » Settings » Shipping**, open a shipping zone, and add or edit a **Free shipping** method.
2. Set **Free shipping requires…** to **An active membership**.
3. Pick the plans under **Allowed plans**. The rate shows only to active members of the plans you pick. If you leave it empty, nobody sees it.

Every free shipping method also gets **Disallowed plans**, to hide that rate from members of chosen plans, for example a minimum-order free shipping rate that members shouldn’t need.

![Constellation by Kestrel: Free shipping (method settings modal)](https://kestrelwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/constellation-cn-09.png)## What non-members see

- On a **view**-restricted product: "This product can only be viewed by members. To view or purchase this product, sign up by purchasing {products}.", or a 404 with **Hide completely**.
- On a **purchase**-restricted product: "This product can only be purchased by members. To purchase this product, sign up by purchasing {products}."

`{products}` becomes links to the products that grant access. Edit the wording under **Constellation » Configuration » Settings » Messages**.

## Common issues

### Non-members can’t buy the membership product

A product restriction covers it, such as a rule on its category. Turn on **Disable restrictions** in its **Constellation** box.

### A member doesn’t see their discount

Check they’re logged in, the membership is **Active** (or another status with access), the discount rule is **Active**, and the product isn’t set to **Disable discounts** or on sale with sale products excluded.

### The member discount is bigger than expected

The member holds two plans that both discount the product, so the discounts stack.

### Restricted products still show in the shop

**Hide restricted products** only hides products restricted with **view**. Turn it on under **Constellation » Configuration » Settings » Products**; products restricted with **purchase** stay visible by design.

## Keep learning

- [Create membership plans in Constellation](/docs/creating-membership-plans-to-provide-access-perks/)
- [Constellation settings](/docs/constellation-settings/)
- [Restrict content and files with Constellation](/docs/restricting-membership-content/)
- [Sell memberships with Constellation](/docs/selling-woocommerce-memberships-with-constellation/)
