How To Make A Bogo Coupon In Woocommerce

How to Create a Buy One Get One (BOGO) Coupon in WooCommerce: A Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction

In the competitive world of e-commerce, attracting and retaining customers is paramount. Offering enticing deals and promotions is a proven strategy to boost sales and increase customer loyalty. One of the most popular and effective promotions is the Buy One Get One (BOGO) offer. This article will guide you through the process of creating a BOGO coupon in WooCommerce, helping you to implement this powerful marketing tool on your online store. We’ll cover everything from the basic setup to more advanced options, ensuring you understand how to leverage BOGO coupons to maximize their impact. Let’s dive in!

Why Use BOGO Coupons?

BOGO coupons offer several significant advantages for your WooCommerce store:

• Increased Sales Volume: Customers are more likely to purchase more items when they know they are getting Read more about How To Setup Woocommerce Wholesale Pro Suite a free product.
• Inventory Clearance: BOGO deals are excellent for clearing out slow-moving inventory.
• Customer Acquisition: BOGO offers are attractive and can draw in new customers who might not otherwise have considered your store.
• Increased Average Order Value (AOV): Since customers are buying more, your AOV naturally increases.
• Improved Customer Loyalty: BOGO promotions create a sense of value and encourage repeat purchases.

Main Part: Creating Your BOGO Coupon in WooCommerce

Unfortunately, WooCommerce doesn’t offer native BOGO coupon functionality “out of the box.” You’ll need to use a plugin to achieve the desired results. We’ll outline two primary approaches: using a dedicated BOGO plugin or leveraging a more flexible coupon plugin with advanced options.

Method 1: Using a Dedicated BOGO Plugin

This is the simplest approach for most users. Several excellent WooCommerce BOGO plugins are available, both free and premium.

Example: Using the “Buy One Get One Free” Plugin (Note: Availability and features may vary)

While a specific plugin might evolve, the general process is similar:

1. Installation and Activation:

• Navigate to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard.
• Search for “WooCommerce BOGO” or “Buy One Get One Free.”
• Choose a plugin based on ratings, reviews, and features. Prioritize plugins from reputable developers with active support.
• Click “Install Now” and then “Activate.”

2. Configuration:

• Locate the plugin’s settings page (usually under WooCommerce or a separate menu item).
• Configure the rules for your BOGO offer. This often involves specifying:
• The product(s) that must be purchased (the “Buy” product).
• The product(s) that will be given for free (the “Get” product).
• Quantity rules: For example, “Buy 1 get 1 free,” “Buy 2 get 1 free,” or “Buy 3 get 2 free.”
• Restrictions: You may want to limit the BOGO offer to specific user roles, date ranges, or minimum order values.
• Coupon Code Generation: Most BOGO plugins generate a coupon code automatically.

3. Testing:

• Thoroughly test the coupon to ensure it functions correctly. Add the required products to your cart and apply the coupon. Verify that the correct product is discounted or added for free.

Method 2: Using an Advanced Coupon Plugin

Some WooCommerce coupon plugins offer more flexible options that can be used to create BOGO-like promotions, although the setup may be slightly more complex.

Example: Using the “Smart Coupons” Plugin (This is a paid plugin with advanced features)

1. Installation and Activation:

• Purchase and install the “Smart Coupons” plugin (or a similar advanced coupon plugin).
• Activate the plugin.

2. Create the Coupon:

• Go to Marketing > Coupons > Add Coupon in your WordPress dashboard.
• Create a unique coupon code (e.g., `BOGO2024`).

3. Configure Coupon Settings:

• General Tab:
• Discount Type: This will depend on how you want to implement the BOGO. Common choices include:
• Fixed Product Discount: Provide a fixed discount amount on the “Get” product.
• Percentage Product Discount: Provide a percentage discount on the “Get” product.
• Coupon Amount: The discount amount you want to apply to the “Get” product. For a true BOGO, this would often be the full price of the “Get” product (either as a fixed amount or as 100% if using percentage).
• Usage Restriction Tab:
• Minimum spend: You might require a minimum order value.
• Individual use only: Check this box if you don’t want this coupon to be combined with other coupons.
• Exclude sale items: Decide if sale items are eligible for the BOGO.
• Products: Crucially, specify the “Buy” product(s) here. This tells WooCommerce that the coupon only applies when these specific products are in the cart.
• Exclude products: (Optional) Exclude specific products from being the “Buy” product.
• Product categories: (Optional) You can also specify product categories for the “Buy” product.
• Usage Limits Tab:
• Usage limit per coupon: The total number of times the coupon can be used.
• Limit usage to X items: This limits the number of “Get” products a customer can receive per order. For example, if you’re offering “Buy 1 Get 1 Free,” and a customer buys three “Buy” products, you might limit them to two free “Get” products.
• Usage limit per user: The number of times a single user can use the coupon.
• Smart Coupons Tab (If applicable – plugin dependent): Some advanced coupon plugins offer features like:
• Product as Gift: This is a feature that will automatically add the “Get” product to the cart when the “Buy” product is purchased and the coupon is applied. This greatly simplifies the BOGO process.

4. Adding the “Get” Product (If “Product as Gift” isn’t available):

If the plugin doesn’t automatically add the “Get” product, you will rely on Read more about How To Change Woocommerce Checkout Button Text the customer to add both the “Buy” and “Get” products to their cart. The discount will then apply to the “Get” product when the coupon code is entered and the “Buy” product is present. This is less ideal than the “Product as Gift” option.

• In this case, it’s crucial to clearly communicate this process to customers on the product page and during checkout. Explain that they must add *both* the qualifying product and the free product to their cart to receive the discount.

5. Publish the Coupon:

• Click “Publish” to make the coupon active.

6. Testing: Absolutely critical! Add the “Buy” product and the “Get” product to your cart. Apply the coupon. Verify that the correct product is discounted and the correct discount amount is applied.

Example Code Snippet (For Advanced Users – Potential Customization)

In some specific scenarios, you might need to use code to achieve more complex BOGO logic, such as BOGO offers based on product attributes or quantity combinations. This is an advanced approach requiring PHP knowledge and careful testing.

 <?php /** 
WooCommerce: Custom BOGO Logic (Advanced - Requires Careful Testing)
 
This example shows how to add a free product to the cart when a specific product is purchased.
 
* **Important:** This is a simplified example. It needs adaptation to your specific requirements.
 */ 

add_action( ‘woocommerce_before_calculate_totals’, ‘custom_bogo_offer’ );

function custom_bogo_offer( $cart ) {

if ( is_admin() && ! defined( ‘DOING_AJAX’ ) )

return;

if ( did_action( ‘woocommerce_before_calculate_totals’ ) >= 2 )

return;

$buy_product_id = 123; // Replace with the ID of the product you want to trigger the BOGO

$get_product_id = 456; // Replace with the ID of the product you want to give away for free

$buy_quantity = 0;

foreach ( $cart->get_cart() as $cart_item_key => $cart_item ) {

if ( $cart_item[‘product_id’] == $buy_product_id ) {

$buy_quantity += $cart_item[‘quantity’];

}

}

if ( $buy_quantity > 0 ) {

// Add the free product if it’s not already in the cart

$found = false;

foreach ( $cart->get_cart() as $cart_item_key => $cart_item ) {

if ( $cart_item[‘product_id’] == $get_product_id ) {

$found = true;

break;

}

}

if ( ! $found ) {

$cart->add_to_cart( $get_product_id, 1 ); // Adds one free product to the cart

}

// Optional: You might want to remove or discount the “Get” product based on your needs.

// … add your custom discount logic here …

}

}

Important Notes for Custom Code:

• Product IDs: Replace `123` and `456` with the actual product IDs of your “Buy” and “Get” products.
• Cart Handling: Carefully handle adding and removing items from the cart to avoid infinite loops or unexpected behavior.
• Compatibility: Test thoroughly with your theme and other plugins.
• WooCommerce Updates: Be aware that WooCommerce updates may require you to adjust your custom code.
• Professional Help: If you’re not comfortable with PHP, consider hiring a WooCommerce developer to implement custom BOGO logic.

Conclusion

Implementing BOGO coupons in WooCommerce can be a powerful strategy for driving sales and engaging your customers. Whether you choose a dedicated BOGO plugin or leverage the advanced features of a coupon plugin, careful planning and testing are essential. Remember to clearly communicate the terms of your BOGO offer to your customers to avoid confusion and ensure a positive shopping experience. Regularly review your BOGO promotions to assess their effectiveness and make adjustments as needed to optimize their performance. Good luck boosting your sales with BOGO!