Counting explained
Counting decides what a quantity threshold like "buy 3" actually means. It applies to Volume and Buy X Get Y only, and the four modes can produce very different results.
Counting only appears on the two quantity-based types, Volume and Buy X Get Y. It decides what "buy 3" means. The spend-based types (Cart Goal, Free Shipping, Free Gift) skip counting entirely, because they are measured by spend.
The four modes
| Mode | A "3" means |
|---|---|
| Per variant | Three of the exact same variant (same size and colour) |
| Per product | Three of one product, across any of its variants (the default) |
| Across matching products | Any three eligible items combined |
| Whole cart | Any three items anywhere in the cart |
How "Across matching products" pools items
"Across matching products" pools every item your campaign targets into one bucket and counts them together. This is where collections and tags come in: a collection or a tag defines the group by defining what is targeted. The mode itself does not sub-group by collection or tag; every targeted line goes into the single pool.
How "whole cart" differs
Whole cart counts everything in the cart toward the threshold, including items your campaign does not target, but it still only discounts your targeted items. It is useful when you want any purchase to unlock a deal on a specific set of products.
Set price plus Whole cart is blocked
A Volume campaign cannot combine a Set price reward with the Whole cart counting mode. Choose "Across matching products" or a narrower mode instead.
Side-by-side counting outcomes for the same cart will be generated from the tested golden fixtures.
Which mode to pick
- Per variant: strict deals on a single SKU, for example "buy 3 of this exact size".
- Per product: the default, good for "buy 3 of this product in any size".
- Across matching products: mix-and-match deals across a collection or tag.
- Whole cart: any purchase unlocks a deal on your chosen items.