How To Stop Giftable From Using Coupons Woocommerce

How to Stop Giftable Products from Using Coupons in WooCommerce (A Beginner’s Guide)

Want to offer a giftable product in your WooCommerce store, like a gift certificate or a custom-made item intended as a surprise? You probably *don’t* want someone buying it and then applying a coupon – it kind of defeats the purpose of a special, often non-discounted, gift! Thankfully, there are several ways to prevent coupons from being applied to specific products, especially when you’re dealing with giftable items. This guide will walk you through the process, step-by-step, with examples and explanations along the way.

Why Prevent Coupons on Giftable Products?

Imagine this: You sell personalized mugs that make perfect gifts. They’re priced slightly higher than regular mugs because of the customization. If someone uses a 10% off coupon on one of these mugs intended as a surprise for a loved one, the value (both emotional and financial) is diminished. Here’s why blocking coupons on giftable items is a good idea:

• Preserves Perceived Value: Giftable items are often purchased for their special nature. A coupon can cheapen that perception.
• Protects Profit Margins: If your giftable item already has a tight profit margin due to customization or special materials, coupons can erode it further.
• Maintains Brand Image: Offering a giftable product at a consistent, non-discounted price reinforces its exclusivity and specialness.
• Avoids Awkward Situations: Imagine the recipient of the gift certificate sees the discount code used to purchase it! A recipe for an awkward conversation!

Method 1: Using the WooCommerce Settings (Product Level)

This is the most straightforward method for disabling coupons on individual giftable products.

1. Edit your Giftable Product: Navigate to Products -> All Products in your WordPress dashboard and find the giftable product you want to modify. Click “Edit.”

2. Go to the “General” Tab: Scroll down to the “Product data” meta box. You should be on the “General” tab by default.

3. Check the “Individual use only” Box: In the “General” tab, locate the “Individual use only” checkbox. This setting, when enabled, disables the ability to use other coupon with this products in the cart. So only the giftable item can be purchased in an order.

4. Update the Product: Click the “Update” button to save your changes.

How it Works:

This built-in WooCommerce feature directly prevents any coupon codes from being applied when this specific product is in the cart. This is ideal if you have just a few giftable items.

Example:

Let’s say you’re selling a “Personalized Star Map” as a unique gift. Using this method ensures that no one can apply a coupon code when purchasing this Star Map.

Method 2: Using Product Category Restrictions in Coupon Settings

This method involves creating a category specifically for “Giftable” products and then restricting coupons from being applied to that category.

1. Create a “Giftable” Product Category (If You Don’t Already Have One):

• Go to Products -> Categories in your WordPress dashboard.
• Enter “Giftable” (or whatever you prefer) as the name and click “Add new category.”

2. Assign Your Giftable Products to the “Giftable” Category:

• Edit each giftable product.
• In the “Product categories” meta box (usually on the right-hand side), check the “Giftable” category.
• Update the product.

3. Edit Your Coupon:

• Go to WooCommerce -> Coupons in your WordPress dashboard. Edit the coupon you want to restrict.

4. Go to the “Usage Restriction” Tab:

• Select the “Usage Restriction” tab.

5. Exclude the “Giftable” Category:

• Look for the “Exclude categories” option.
• Select the “Giftable” category from the dropdown.

6. Update the Coupon: Click the “Update” button to save your changes.

How it Works:

This method links coupon codes to categories, making it easier to manage multiple giftable products at once. All products in the “Giftable” category will be excluded from the coupon’s application.

Example:

You have a range of gift baskets. You categorize them all as “Giftable.” You then restrict your “SUMMER20” coupon from applying to anything in the “Giftable” category.

Method 3: Using a Code Snippet (Advanced but Flexible)

This method involves adding a code snippet to your theme’s `functions.php` file (or using a code snippets plugin). Be cautious when editing `functions.php`. Back up your site first! A code snippets plugin is generally a safer option.

/**
Remove coupon from specific product ID
* @param $bool
@param $coupon_code
@return bool
*/
add_filter( 'woocommerce_coupon_is_valid', 'ts_woocommerce_coupon_is_valid', 10, 2 );
function ts_woocommerce_coupon_is_valid( $bool, $coupon ) {

// Get the current cart items

$cart_items = WC()->cart->get_cart();

// Array of product IDs to exclude

$excluded_product_ids = array( 123, 456, 789 ); // Replace with your actual product IDs

// Check if any of the excluded products are in the cart

foreach ( $cart_items as $cart_item_key => $cart_item ) {

$product_id = $cart_item[‘product_id’];

if ( in_array( $product_id, $excluded_product_ids ) ) {

return false; // Coupon is not valid

}

}

return $bool; // Coupon is valid

}

How it Works:

This code snippet hooks into the `woocommerce_coupon_is_valid` filter. It checks if any of the products in the cart match the product IDs specified in the `$excluded_product_ids` array. If a match is found, the coupon is deemed invalid.

Steps:

1. Install a Code Snippets Plugin: If you don’t want to directly edit your `functions.php` file, install a plugin like “Code Snippets.”

2. Add the Code Snippet: Create a new snippet and paste in the code above.

3. Modify the Product IDs: Crucially, replace the example product IDs (123, 456, 789) with the actual IDs of your giftable products. You can find the product ID on the product edit screen in the URL or in the product listing.

4. Activate the Snippet: Activate the code snippet.

Advantages of This Method:

• More Control: This method is more flexible than category exclusions, allowing you to exclude specific products.
• Programmatic: You can potentially make this more dynamic by getting the IDs from a custom field, for example.

Important Notes:

• Backup Your Site: Always back up your site before editing `functions.php` or adding custom code.
• Product IDs: Ensure you use the correct product IDs.
• Testing: Thoroughly test your changes to ensure coupons are working as expected on other products.

Choosing the Right Method

• For a few individual giftable products: Method 1 (using the “Individual use only” checkbox) is the simplest and quickest.
• For a group of giftable products: Method 2 (using product categories) is more efficient.
• For complex scenarios or when you need more control: Method 3 (using a code snippet) provides the most flexibility.

By following these steps, you can easily prevent coupons from being applied to your giftable products in WooCommerce, preserving their value and ensuring a smooth shopping experience for your customers. Good luck!