Introduction
A dynamic message is a marketing tool to encourage the consumer to spend "a little more" money in order to receive some benefit. This benefit can be a discount of the order price, free shipping, or some present.
For example:
- "If you spend $ <calculated money value placeholder> more, you'll receive a discount of 50%."
- "If you add <calculated number placeholder> more item(s), you'll receive free shipping."
The word "dynamic" in dynamic message refers to the fact that the numeric value which replaces the placeholder of the dynamic message is calculated "on the fly" before showing the shopping cart. However, the message is only dynamic for the following two order conditions:
- Minimum Order Value
- Minimum Number of Items
Accordingly, there are two ways to trigger a dynamic message:
- Order value threshold: If the order value is equal or greater than threshold, but still lower than the order value condition, the dynamic message may appear on the shopping cart page.
- Number of items threshold: If the number is equal or greater than threshold, but still lower than the order item condition, the dynamic message may appear on the shopping cart page.
However, it is also possible to promote a message for other conditions, but without any variable part.
Back Office - Configuring a Dynamic Message
The form used to configure a dynamic message is invisible after a promotion has been created initially. It will become visible on the Discount Rules tab of a promotion, as soon as one rule condition has been defined. The form shows both triggers, the table of placeholders, and an HTML field for any kind of text.
As mentioned before, the placeholders are only available for Minimum Order Value and Minimum Number of Items conditions. In order to reference the condition, the condition's UUID is used in the placeholder string.
The format is: ${uuid}. Before saving the text, it will be scanned for unknown placeholders. If there exists one, an error message is shown.
Storefront - Determining a Dynamic Message
The dynamic message of the highest ranked promotion which does not apply to the basket is shown on the shopping cart page. It is determined as follows.
- All applicable promotions for the current user are evaluated. The result contains a list of promotions in a descending order by rank. In other words, the promotion with the highest rank always comes first. If two or more promotions are of the same rank, they are dealt with in an ascending order by start date. In case of identical start dates, the promotions are handled according to an order by ID. (The promotion ID is a domainwise unique string which can be set while creating a new promotion.)
- Each promotion tries to apply. If it fails, but has got a dynamic message, and no other restrictions exist, it is added to a map holding all potential promotions, still keeping the defined ordering.
- All dynamic message placeholders of the potential promotions are replaced by the calculated value.
However, due to the current implementation in the template, only one - the one of the promotion with highest priority, which does not apply - will be shown in the shopping cart.
Staggered Promotion
Consider a simple discount rule like "Grant a discount of 10% if the order value is more than $100."
However, the promotion framework allows to create more complex promotions coming with a set of rules like, e.g., if step 1 is fullfilled, discount 1 will be granted and if step 2 is fullfilled, discount 2 will be granted, and so on. Accordingly, more than one dynamic message can be defined for a promotion.
For example, we create a promotion Promotion1 with three rules.
Rule | Dynamic Message Trigger | Dynamic Message |
|---|---|---|
1) Grant 30% off the order value if order is > $300. | $250 | Spend more ... to receive 30% off your order. |
2) Grant 20% off the order value if order is > $200. | $150 | Spend more ... to receive 20% off your order. |
3) Grant 10% off the order value if order is > $100. | $50 | Spend more ... to receive 10% off your order. |
The algorithm to apply a promotion always takes the first rule that matches. Therefore, the order of rules is important to grant different discounts depending on different price ranges. If you change the order and put rule 3 at top of the list, it will always apply as soon as the order total is greater than $100. Even if the order total is greater than $300 rule 1 will still apply, because it matches.
The first rule that matches will be applied even if there is another rule that matches.
The following screenshot shows the shopping cart page, where the first rule of Promotion1 has been applied. It grants 10% off the order. Furthermore, the order total is enough to trigger the dynamic message of the second rule.
Restrictions That Suppress a Dynamic Message
In combination with other promotions no promotion message will be shown even if the trigger condition is met.
Assume you have configured two promotions: Promotion_A and Promotion_B.
- Promotion_A is not combinable and it actually applies in the shopping cart.
In that case, neither will the dynamic message of Promotion_B be visible nor will Promotion_B ever apply if all conditions are met. - Promotion_A is restricted, i.e., it is combinable, but only with special kinds of promotions. Promotion_B does not belong to the group of promotions that are combinable with Promotion_A.
In that case, neither will the dynamic message of Promotion_B be visible nor will Promotion_B ever apply if all conditions are met. - Promotion_A has already reduced a value to 0, e.g., the shipping cost to offer free shipping. Promotion_B also discounts the shipping costs.
As there is nothing to be reduced for Promotion_B, neither will its dynamic message be visible nor will Promotion_B apply.