Setting a WooCommerce PriceValidUntil: Limited-Time Offers that Convert!
Introduction:
In the competitive world of e-commerce, attracting customers often hinges on enticing deals and limited-time offers. WooCommerce, being a powerful platform, allows you to create these promotions. However, sometimes you need more than just a simple sale; you need to set an expiration date for that offer. This is where `pricevaliduntil` comes in. While not a built-in feature of WooCommerce, several methods can be employed to achieve this, driving urgency and boosting sales. This article explores different ways to implement a `pricevaliduntil` feature in your WooCommerce store, allowing you to create compelling, time-sensitive promotions.
Why Use a `pricevaliduntil` Feature?
Before we dive into the “how,” let’s understand the “why.” Setting an expiration date on your discounted prices offers several benefits:
- Creates a Sense of Urgency: Customers are more likely to purchase when they know the deal is only available for a limited time. This fear of missing out (FOMO) can significantly increase conversions.
- Drives Immediate Sales: By placing a deadline on your offer, you encourage customers to make a purchase now rather than delaying.
- Controls Your Sales Schedule: Allows you to easily plan and execute timed promotions for specific events or holidays.
- Improved Marketing: Expiring offers can be used to create targeted email campaigns and promotional material, maximizing the impact of your marketing efforts.
- Avoids Confusion: It prevents outdated promotional prices from appearing on your website, ensuring a consistent and accurate customer experience.
- “Price Based on Country for WooCommerce” (Often Includes Advanced Price Scheduling): While primarily focused on country-based pricing, some features can allow you to schedule sales start and end dates effectively mimicking `pricevaliduntil`.
- Plugins That Specifically Add “Sale Price Date From/To” fields: Search the WooCommerce plugin repository using keywords like “sale price scheduler,” “sale price date,” or “price valid until.” Read reviews and check for compatibility with your WooCommerce version before installing.
Main Part:
While WooCommerce doesn’t have a built-in `pricevaliduntil` field, there are several workarounds:
1. Using a WooCommerce Plugin: The Easiest Route
The simplest method involves utilizing a dedicated plugin. Several plugins offer `pricevaliduntil` functionality, allowing you to easily set an expiration date for your sale prices within the product editing screen. Some popular options include:
These plugins typically add “Sale Price Date From” and “Sale Check out this post: How To Display Product Gallery Images In Woocommerce Price Date To” fields to your product editing screen.
Here’s a general idea of how using such a plugin would look:
1. Install and activate the plugin.
2. Go to the product editing screen (Products -> Edit Product).
3. Look for the “Sale Price” field within the “General” tab of the “Product Data” section.
4. You should now see “Sale Price Date From” and “Sale Price Date To” fields.
5. Set the start and end dates for your sale price.
6. Update the product.
2. Custom Code Implementation (For Developers)
For those comfortable with coding, you can implement the `pricevaliduntil` functionality using custom code. This approach offers greater control but requires a solid understanding of PHP and WooCommerce hooks.
Here’s a basic example using custom fields and WooCommerce Read more about How To Add Quick View In Woocommerce hooks:
<?php /**
/
* Save the custom field value.
*/
add_action( ‘woocommerce_process_product_meta’, ‘save_custom_price_validuntil_field’ );
function save_custom_price_validuntil_field( $post_id ) {
$sale_price_valid_until = $_POST[‘_sale_price_valid_until’];
update_post_meta( $post_id, ‘_sale_price_valid_until’, sanitize_text_field( $sale_price_valid_until ) );
}
/
* Filter the sale price based on the expiry date.
*/
add_filter( ‘woocommerce_get_price’, ‘filter_sale_price_by_expiry’, 10, 2 );
function filter_sale_price_by_expiry( $price, $product ) {
$sale_price_valid_until = get_post_meta( $product->get_id(), ‘_sale_price_valid_until’, true );
if ( $sale_price_valid_until ) {
$current_date = date( ‘Y-m-d’ );
if ( $current_date > $sale_price_valid_until ) {
// Sale price has expired, return the regular price (or empty string if no regular price).
$regular_price = $product->get_regular_price();
if( !empty($regular_price) ) {
return $regular_price;
} else {
return ”; // Or handle the case where there’s no regular price.
}
}
}
return $price; // Return the sale price if it’s valid.
}
?>
Explanation of the Code:
- `add_custom_price_validuntil_field()`: This function adds a text input field to the product editing screen where you can enter the expiry date (YYYY-MM-DD format).
- `save_custom_price_validuntil_field()`: This function saves the value of the `_sale_price_valid_until` field to the post meta.
- `filter_sale_price_by_expiry()`: This is the core logic. It hooks into `woocommerce_get_price` and checks if the sale price expiry date is set. If it is, it compares the current date with the expiry date. If the expiry date has passed, it returns the regular price instead of the sale price (or an empty string if no regular price exists).
Important Considerations for Custom Code:
- Date Format: Ensure you consistently use the correct date format (YYYY-MM-DD in this example).
- Timezones: Be mindful of timezones if your store operates internationally.
- Error Handling: Add error handling to your code to prevent unexpected behavior.
- Template Overrides: You might need to adjust your theme’s template files to reflect the updated pricing.
- Testing: Thoroughly test your custom code before deploying it to a live environment.
3. Using Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) Plugin
The Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin is another popular option. ACF provides a user-friendly interface for adding custom fields to your WooCommerce products. You can create a date picker field for the `pricevaliduntil` date and then use custom code (similar to the example above) to filter the price based on this date. ACF simplifies the process of creating and managing custom fields compared to directly coding them.
Choosing the Right Method
- For Beginners: Using a plugin is generally the easiest and most recommended option.
- For Developers: Custom code provides the most flexibility and control.
- For Users Familiar with ACF: ACF offers a balance between user-friendliness and customizability.
Conclusion:
Implementing a `pricevaliduntil` feature in your WooCommerce store can significantly enhance your marketing strategy and boost sales. By creating a sense of urgency and limiting the availability of your offers, you can motivate customers to make immediate purchases. Whether you choose to utilize a pre-built plugin, write custom code, or leverage the power of ACF, ensure you thoroughly test your implementation to guarantee a seamless and effective customer experience. Remember, creating a sense of urgency can be the key to unlocking higher conversion rates for your WooCommerce store!
