Use Case: Apply Different Discounts for Category and Non-Category products using Auto-Apply coupons

Overview

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Sometimes, store owners want to create dynamic promotions where different categories receive different discounts in a single campaign. With Smart Coupons, you can configure multiple Auto-Apply coupons that work together to automatically apply distinct discounts based on whether a product belongs to a certain category or not.

This makes promotions more flexible, allowing you to reward customers differently depending on what they add to their cart without requiring them to enter any coupon codes manually.

Business scenario

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A store owner wants to run a storewide promotion with varying discounts for different product categories.

Example campaign:

• 20% off on all products in Category A
• 30% off on all other products (not in Category A)

And the store owner prefers that both discounts apply automatically when customers add eligible products to their carts.

How it works with Smart Coupons

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The Smart Coupons Auto Apply feature allows you to set up separate coupons for different product categories.

• Each coupon can be configured to automatically apply when the customer’s cart contains products meeting its criteria.
• By creating one coupon for Category A and another for all other products, you simulate a single promotion offering multiple discounts.

Steps to set up

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Step 1: Create the first coupon (for Category A)

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1. From your store’s WP Admin dashboard, navigate to Marketing > Coupons > Add New.
2. Enter a coupon name, for example: CategoryA20.
3. Under the General tab:
   • Set Discount type > Percentage discount.
   • Set Coupon amount > 20.
   • Enable Auto Apply. For more details, review our documentation.
4. Under the Usage restrictions tab:
   • In product categories, include Category A.
   • Optionally, exclude other categories if needed.
5. Click Publish to save the coupon.

Step 2: Create the second coupon (for Other Products)

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1. From your store’s WP Admin dashboard, navigate to Marketing > Coupons > Add New again.
2. Enter a coupon name, for example: OtherProducts30.
3. Under the General tab:
   • Set Discount type > Percentage discount.
   • Set Coupon amount > 30.
   • Enable Auto Apply.
4. Under the Usage restrictions tab:
   • Enable Individual use only (optional, to prevent stacking with other coupons).
   • Optionally, exclude Category A to ensure it applies only to other products.
5. Click Publish to save the coupon.

Customer experience

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When a customer adds products from both Category A and other categories to their cart:

• A 20% discount will automatically apply to products from Category A.
• A 30% discount will automatically apply to all other products.

There’s no need for the customer to enter any coupon code, everything happens automatically at checkout.

Conclusion

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With Smart Coupons, creating flexible and automated multi-category discounts is simple. By using Auto Apply for two different coupons, you can offer unique discounts for category and non-category products, making your promotions smarter, more engaging, and effortless for customers.