By using Shopify Flow, you can easily build a system that automatically grants a free gift product to orders that meet certain conditions. This article explains in detail how to automatically add a free gift product when an order contains 3 or more items in total (whether the same product or different products). This lets you improve the customer experience while also streamlining your operations.
The blog article below explains Shopify Flow, which we'll be using here, in detail. Please use it as a reference.
How to automatically grant a free gift with Shopify Flow
Output
(An order that automatically had a free gift product added)
In this article, we'll show you how to automatically add a free gift product when an order contains 3 or more items in total (whether they're 1 type or multiple types in the cart).
Step 1: Prepare the free gift product
First, prepare the free gift product. If you already have a free gift product, skip ahead to Step 2.
(1) Open Products from the Shopify admin
(2) Create a new free gift product in Products
ℹ️ If you don't want the free gift product to be displayed on your online store, set the product status to "Draft."
Step 2: Create a workflow with Shopify Flow
Next, create a workflow.
(1) Open the Shopify Flow app
(2) Click "Create workflow"
(3) For the trigger, select "Order created"
ℹ️ With this setting, the workflow runs whenever a new order comes in.
(4) For the condition, select "Current subtotal line items quantity (order > currentSubtotalLineItemsQuantity)"
(5) From the input form displayed on the right of the screen, select "is greater than or equal to"
(6) In the input field right below that, enter "3"
ℹ️ With this setting, if the order contains 3 or more items in total, it returns True and proceeds to the next action.
(7) For the action, select "Add order line item"
(8) For Product variant, select the "free gift product"
(9) For Quantity, enter "1"
ℹ️ With this setting, one unit of the free gift product is automatically added to the order in question.
(10) Turn the workflow on
(11) Change the workflow name to any name you like
Step 3: Confirm the free gift is granted automatically with a test order
Finally, test to confirm that the free gift product is only added automatically when 3 or more items are ordered.
(1) Place a test order where the cart contains 3 or more units of the same product in total
(2) Place a test order where the cart contains a combination of different products totaling 3 or more units
(3) Place a test order where the cart contains 2 or fewer units of the same product in total
(4) Place a test order where the cart contains a combination of different products totaling 2 or fewer units
(5) Confirm that the free gift product was automatically added only for test orders (1) and (2)
The setup is complete.
Points to note about this method
The free gift product is not displayed on the thank-you page
(The thank-you page shown right after completing an order)
Since the free gift product is added automatically after the order is placed, it will not appear on the thank-you page shown right after the order is completed.
(Order status page)
However, if you check the order status page a little while after the order was placed, you'll be able to see the free gift product.
The free gift product is not shown in the order confirmation email
(The order confirmation email sent right after the order)
Since the free gift product is added automatically after the order is placed, it will not appear in the order confirmation email sent right after the order.
(Example of an update notification setting in Shopify Flow)
However, by checking "Email order updates to customer" in the "Add order line item" action in Shopify Flow, you can automatically send the customer an email notifying them of the order update once the free gift product is added.
(The order update notification email sent after the free gift product is added)
The image above is an example of the order update notification email that is actually sent.
Recommended apps for giving out free gifts (adding the gift before the order)
RuffRuff Order Bonus
RuffRuff Order Bonus is a Shopify app that lets you implement various perk campaigns, such as discounts and gift distribution, under flexible conditions.
With the Shopify Flow method for gift distribution introduced in the previous section, the free gift product is added after the order is placed, which creates the challenge that customers may not easily notice the addition.
With RuffRuff Order Bonus, the free gift can be added to the cart before the order is placed as soon as the conditions are met, so customers can check whether they qualify for the perk in real time. As a result, the free gift can function as a purchase motivator, and since it's also displayed on the thank-you page and in the order confirmation email, it leads to improved satisfaction and encourages repeat purchases.
You can also implement measures such as the following:
- Free shipping for VIP members only
- Discounts by membership rank
- Volume discounts
- Discounts when a specific product is included
- Discounts for customers with 10 or more past purchases
- First-come-first-served discounts (20% off for the first 10 customers)
- Gift distribution for members only
- Sample distribution upon purchase of a specific product
- Distributing summer samples during a limited spring campaign
- Free gift distribution for orders over 10,000 yen
and more
Since it's an app developed by a Japanese company, it comes with thorough Japanese-language support, so those who aren't comfortable with English can use it with peace of mind.
The blog article below introduces how to distribute free gifts using RuffRuff Order Bonus. Please use it as a reference.
In closing
By following the steps above, you can implement automatic free gift granting using Shopify Flow. Introducing this system lets you automatically add a free gift product to orders that meet specific conditions, leading to improved customer satisfaction and encouraging repeat purchases. After setting it up, we also recommend placing a test order to confirm it's working correctly. Use Shopify Flow to aim for efficient operations and an improved customer experience.
The blog article below introduces recommended free gift apps. By using a free gift app, you can also automatically add a free gift product before the order is placed, as long as the customer meets the conditions. Please use it as a reference when choosing a free gift app.
Also, the blog article below introduces how to use the discount feature to add a free gift product at no extra cost. Please use it as a reference.
