Your e-commerce system includes a comprehensive Promotions feature that allows you to create discount campaigns, coupon codes, and targeted offers for your customers. These promotional tools help drive sales, reward customer loyalty, and implement strategic pricing initiatives.
Accessing Promotions
To manage promotions, navigate to: Administration → Store → Configuration → Promotions
From this section, you can create new promotions, edit existing ones, and monitor their usage and effectiveness.
Creating a New Promotion
Click Create Promotion to set up a new discount campaign. Each promotion consists of several configuration areas that determine when and how the discount applies.
Basic Information
Name
- Internal reference name for the promotion
- Use descriptive names like "Holiday Sale 2024" or "New Customer Discount"
- Helps with organization when managing multiple promotions
Coupon Code
- Optional customer-facing code that customers enter at checkout
- Leave blank for automatic promotions that apply without codes
- Use memorable codes like "SAVE20" or "FREESHIP"
- Case-sensitive, so communicate clearly to customers
Active Status
- Toggle to enable or disable the promotion
- Inactive promotions are not applied to orders
- Useful for scheduling promotions or temporarily disabling them
Promotion Requirements
Control when and for whom the promotion applies by setting specific requirements.
Order Requirements
Minimum Order Total
- Set a dollar threshold that must be met for the promotion to apply
- Encourages larger purchase amounts
- Leave blank for no minimum requirement
Customer Type
- All customers: Promotion available to everyone
- Tax exempt customers only: Restrict to wholesale or business accounts
- Useful for creating targeted B2B promotions
Max Times Used Per Customer
- Limit how many times each customer can use the promotion
- Leave blank for unlimited usage per customer
- Helps control promotion costs and prevents abuse
Category Requirements
Configure how the promotion interacts with product categories:
No Requirement
- Promotion applies to all items in the cart
- Simplest option for store-wide sales
- Item discounts affect every product
Apply to All Items if Category Present
- Promotion applies to entire cart if at least one item is from required categories
- Customer gets discount on all items when they purchase from specific categories
- Useful for cross-selling promotions
Apply Only to Required Category Items
- Promotion only applies to items in the specified categories
- Other items in the cart are not discounted
- Best for targeted category sales
Required Categories List
- Select which product categories trigger or receive the promotion
- Multiple categories can be selected
- Works in conjunction with the requirement type above
Discount Configuration
Set up the actual discount amounts and types for your promotion.
Item Discounts
Percentage Off Items
- Enter a percentage (e.g., "20" for 20% off)
- Applies to item subtotals based on category requirements
- Cannot be combined with dollar-off item discounts
Dollars Off Items
- Enter a fixed dollar amount (e.g., "5.00" for $5 off)
- Flat reduction from item costs
- Cannot be combined with percentage item discounts
Shipping Discounts
Percentage Off Shipping
- Reduce shipping costs by a percentage
- Enter "100" for free shipping promotions
- Useful for encouraging online orders
Dollars Off Shipping
- Fixed dollar reduction from shipping costs
- Cannot reduce shipping below zero
- Good for flat-rate shipping discounts
Other Discounts
Percentage Off Sales Tax
- Reduce tax charges by percentage
- Use carefully as tax implications vary by jurisdiction
- May require accounting consultation
Percentage Off Handling
- Discount handling fees if applicable
- Useful when handling fees are separate from shipping
- Commonly used for promotional periods
Promotion Types and Strategies
Coupon Code Promotions
- Require customers to enter a specific code
- Good for targeted marketing campaigns
- Easy to track effectiveness
- Can be shared through email, social media, or advertising
Automatic Promotions
- Apply automatically when requirements are met
- No coupon code needed
- Create seamless customer experience
- Good for store-wide sales or minimum order promotions
Category-Specific Promotions
- Target specific product lines
- Useful for clearing inventory
- Can drive traffic to underperforming categories
- Flexible application rules
Customer Type Promotions
- Reward loyalty or target specific segments
- Wholesale customer discounts
- New customer incentives
- VIP customer rewards
Promotion Examples
Free Shipping Over $50
- Minimum Order Total: 50.00
- Percentage Off Shipping: 100
- No coupon code required
20% Off Electronics
- Required Categories: Electronics
- Category Requirement: Apply only to required category items
- Percentage Off Items: 20
New Customer $10 Off
- Coupon Code: WELCOME10
- Dollars Off Items: 10.00
- Max Times Used Per Customer: 1
Holiday Sale
- Coupon Code: HOLIDAY25
- Percentage Off Items: 25
- Minimum Order Total: 25.00
Best Practices
Planning Promotions
- Set clear goals: Increase sales, clear inventory, attract new customers
- Calculate margins: Ensure promotions maintain profitability
- Plan timing: Consider seasonality and shopping patterns
- Test thoroughly: Verify promotions work as intended before launch
Coupon Code Management
- Use memorable codes: Easy for customers to remember and type
- Avoid confusion: Don't use similar codes simultaneously
- Communicate clearly: Specify any restrictions or expiration dates
- Track performance: Monitor which codes are most effective
Customer Experience
- Make requirements clear: Customers should understand what's needed for the discount
- Provide good error messages: Help customers understand why a code didn't work
- Consider stacking: Decide if multiple promotions can combine
- Test checkout process: Ensure smooth customer experience
Financial Management
- Monitor costs: Track total discount amounts and impact on margins
- Set usage limits: Prevent promotions from exceeding budget
- Review regularly: Analyze which promotions drive the best ROI
- Plan for taxes: Understand tax implications of different discount types
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Promotion Not Applying
- Check active status: Ensure promotion is enabled
- Verify requirements: Confirm minimum order totals are met
- Review categories: Check that required categories are correctly selected
- Test customer type: Verify the customer meets type requirements
Incorrect Discount Amounts
- Review discount values: Check percentage vs. dollar amount entries
- Verify combination rules: Ensure discount types aren't conflicting
- Check category settings: Confirm discount applies to intended items
- Test with sample orders: Use known scenarios to verify calculations
Customer Issues
- Coupon code problems: Verify code spelling and case sensitivity
- Usage limit reached: Check if customer has exceeded usage limits
- Requirements not met: Ensure order meets minimum thresholds
- Category conflicts: Verify items are in required categories
System Performance
- Monitor during high traffic: Ensure promotions don't slow checkout
- Review complex rules: Simplify overly complicated promotion logic
- Database optimization: Large numbers of promotions may need optimization
- Error logging: Monitor system logs for promotion-related errors
Reporting and Analysis
Track Promotion Performance
- Monitor usage frequency and customer adoption
- Analyze impact on average order values
- Review conversion rates during promotional periods
- Calculate ROI and profit impact
Customer Behavior Insights
- Identify which promotions drive repeat purchases
- Track customer acquisition through promotional campaigns
- Analyze category performance during targeted promotions
- Monitor seasonal promotion effectiveness
For additional assistance with promotion setup or advanced promotional strategies, contact our support team through your admin panel.