Best Practices

Strategic Planning

1. Choose the Right Trigger Type

Use Spend Threshold When:

• ✅ Goal is to increase average order value (AOV)
• ✅ Running store-wide seasonal promotions
• ✅ Want maximum customer participation
• ✅ Don't have specific inventory to move

Use Product Trigger When:

• ✅ Need to clear specific inventory
• ✅ Launching a new product line
• ✅ Creating logical product bundles
• ✅ Want to drive sales of premium items

2. Set the Right Spend Threshold

Why this works:

• Too low → No revenue impact
• Too high → Nobody qualifies
• Just right → Customers add one more item to reach it

3. Select the Right Gift Product

Good Gift Products:

• ✅ Low cost, high perceived value (tote bags, stickers, samples)
• ✅ Branded items (builds brand awareness)
• ✅ Useful accessories (phone cases, keychains)
• ✅ Trial/sample sizes (encourages future purchase)
• ✅ Lightweight (doesn't add much to shipping costs)

Avoid These as Gifts:

• ❌ High-cost items (erodes profit margins)
• ❌ Heavy products (expensive to ship)
• ❌ Complicated items (creates support burden)
• ❌ Items that expire soon

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Timing & Seasonality

Best Times to Run GWP Promotions

🎄 Holiday Season (Nov-Dec)

• Black Friday/Cyber Monday - Highest traffic
• Gift messaging: "Free gift wrapping service"
• Strategy: Higher thresholds are acceptable

💝 Valentine's Day (Feb)

• Gift messaging: "Free gift box with purchase"
• Strategy: Romance-related gifts work well

🎓 Back to School (Aug-Sep)

• Gift messaging: "Free school supplies bundle"
• Strategy: Practical, useful gifts

🌸 Spring Cleaning (Mar-Apr)

• Gift messaging: "Free eco-friendly tote"
• Strategy: Fresh start, new products

☀️ Summer Sales (Jun-Jul)

• Gift messaging: "Free beach essentials"
• Strategy: Seasonal, fun items

Non-Seasonal Strategies

Monthly Rotation

Change gifts monthly to create urgency:

• January: New Year bundle
• February: Self-care items
• March: Spring cleaning products
• ...and so on

Always-On Baseline

Keep one evergreen promotion running year-round:

• Example: "Spend $100, Get Free Shipping + Branded Tote"
• Provides consistent incentive for all customers

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Marketing Your Promotion

1. Write Compelling Marketing Messages

Good Examples:

• ✅ "Spend $50, get a FREE tote bag! 🎁" (specific, clear)
• ✅ "Buy any jacket, receive FREE matching scarf!" (value-focused)
• ✅ "🎉 FREE gift with orders $75+ - Limited time!" (urgency)

Weak Examples:

• ❌ "Special offer available" (too vague)
• ❌ "Qualify for a gift" (no specifics)
• ❌ "Promotion active" (not customer-focused)

2. Promote Beyond Your Storefront

Don't rely only on CartSprinkle's on-site messaging. Promote everywhere:

📧 Email Marketing

• Send announcement email when promotion launches
• Include in newsletter: "This week only: Free gift with purchase!"
• Reminder email 24 hours before it ends

📱 Social Media

• Instagram: Stories with "Swipe Up" to shop
• Facebook: Pinned post at top of page
• TikTok: Quick video showing the gift

📢 Website Banners

• Add banner at top of homepage
• Include in product page announcements
• Update cart page messaging

💬 SMS Marketing

• "🎁 Today only: Free gift when you spend $50! Shop now: [link]"

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Inventory Management

1. Monitor Gift Inventory

Best practices:

• ✅ Check gift inventory daily during active promotions
• ✅ Set Shopify low-stock alert at 20% of inventory
• ✅ Have backup gift products ready
• ✅ Don't use products with limited stock as gifts

2. Calculate How Many Gifts You Need

3. Have a Backup Plan

If your primary gift goes out of stock:

1. Quick edit: Replace gift product with backup
2. Update marketing message to reflect new gift
3. Announce change on social media (frame as "upgrade")

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Testing & Optimization

1. Always Test Before Launch

Pre-Launch Checklist:

• ✅ Test in incognito browser
• ✅ Verify gift adds automatically
• ✅ Check gift shows as $0.00
• ✅ Test on mobile AND desktop
• ✅ Try edge cases (remove items, add back)
• ✅ Complete a full test order

2. A/B Test Different Variables

Test #1: Threshold Amount

• Week 1: $50 threshold
• Week 2: $75 threshold
• Compare: Which increased revenue more?

Test #2: Gift Product

• Week 1: Tote bag as gift
• Week 2: Sample pack as gift
• Compare: Which converted more customers?

Test #3: Marketing Message

• Version A: "Spend $50, get FREE tote!"
• Version B: "🎁 FREE tote with $50 purchase!"
• Compare: Which had higher cart conversion?

3. Track Key Metrics

Monitor these metrics:

• 📈 Average Order Value (AOV) - Primary goal
• 🛒 Cart Conversion Rate - Are more people buying?
• 🎁 Gift Claim Rate - How many qualify?
• 💰 Revenue vs. Gift Cost - Is it profitable?

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Advanced Strategies

1. Tiered Gift Strategy

Run multiple promotions at different spend levels:

Why it works: Encourages customers to reach the next tier.

2. Complementary Product Bundles

Use product triggers to create logical bundles:

• Buy skincare → Get free travel-size samples
• Buy camera → Get free memory card
• Buy shoes → Get free shoe care kit

3. Seasonal Gift Rotation

Change gifts monthly to maintain excitement:

• Customers return to see "what's the gift this month?"
• Creates urgency: "Get this month's gift before it's gone!"
• Allows you to clear different inventory throughout year

4. VIP / Loyalty Integration

Combine with loyalty programs:

• Regular customers: Spend $75 for gift
• VIP members: Spend $50 for same gift (lower threshold)
• Rewards VIP status and encourages enrollment

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake #1: Gift Costs Too Much

Problem: Gift eats all the profit from increased order value

Fix: Keep gift cost under 10% of threshold amount

❌ Mistake #2: Unclear Criteria

Problem: Customers confused about what they need to do

Fix: Be specific: "$50" not "minimum purchase"

❌ Mistake #3: No Urgency

Problem: Customers procrastinate because promo runs forever

Fix: Set clear end date and promote scarcity

❌ Mistake #4: Poor Gift Choice

Problem: Nobody wants the gift

Fix: Survey customers or test multiple gift options

❌ Mistake #5: Not Promoting

Problem: Customers don't know about the promotion

Fix: Promote via email, social, website banners

❌ Mistake #6: Not Testing

Problem: Promotion doesn't work, customers complain

Fix: Always test before launch in incognito mode

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Success Stories & Examples

Example 1: Apparel Store

Example 2: Beauty Brand

Example 3: Home Goods Store

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Quick Reference Checklist

Before Launch:

• ✅ Gift costs under 10% of threshold
• ✅ Clear, specific marketing message
• ✅ Sufficient gift inventory
• ✅ Tested in incognito mode
• ✅ Promotion announced via email/social

During Promotion:

• ✅ Monitor gift inventory daily
• ✅ Track AOV and conversion metrics
• ✅ Respond to customer questions quickly
• ✅ Send reminder emails before end date

After Promotion:

• ✅ Review performance metrics
• ✅ Gather customer feedback
• ✅ Calculate ROI (revenue increase vs gift costs)
• ✅ Plan next promotion based on learnings

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Need More Help?

• Creating Promotions Guide
• Trigger Rules Guide
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Contact Support - We can help you strategize!