Do you want to run a sale in your WooCommerce store but feel nervous about giving a discount on everything? What if you only want to clear out last season’s inventory or offer a special deal on your newest, flagship product? Blanket discounts can eat into your profits, but targeted coupons are a smart, strategic way to boost sales.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to move beyond basic store-wide coupons and master WooCommerce’s powerful coupon rules. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to create coupons that apply only to specific products or require a minimum spend, giving you complete control over your promotions.
Why Use Targeted WooCommerce Coupon Rules?
Before we dive into the “how,” let’s understand the “why.” A store-wide “10% OFF EVERYTHING” coupon is simple, but it’s not always smart. Here’s why targeted rules are better:
- Increase Average Order Value (AOV): By setting a minimum spend requirement, you encourage customers to add more items to their cart to unlock the discount.
- Clear Specific Inventory: Have a bunch of summer t-shirts you need to sell before fall? Create a coupon that only works on those specific products.
- Promote New Products: Launch a new product line and give it a boost with an exclusive launch discount that doesn’t affect your other items.
- Protect Your Profits: You avoid giving unnecessary discounts on products that are already selling well at full price.
How to Create a Coupon for a Single Product
Let’s start with the most common scenario: creating a discount for one specific product.
- Navigate to the Coupon Screen: From your WordPress dashboard, go to
Marketing > Couponsand clickAdd New. - Set the Basic Coupon Details:
- Coupon code: Enter a unique code, like
10P_VIRTUAL. - Description: Write a brief note for yourself, e.g., “10% off on Virtual Product.”
- Discount type: Choose
Percentage discount. - Coupon amount: Enter
10.
- Coupon code: Enter a unique code, like
- Apply the Product Restriction: This is the key step. In the
Usage restrictionssection, find the field labeledProducts. Here, you can start typing the name of the specific product you want to discount. Select it from the dropdown list.[Screenshot placeholder: The WooCommerce coupon editor, with the "Products" field in the "Usage restrictions" meta box highlighted, showing a product selected.] - Publish Your Coupon: Click the
Publishbutton. That’s it!
Now, this coupon will only apply a 10% discount if that specific product is in the cart. If a customer tries to use it on any other product, they will see an error message: “Sorry, this coupon is not applicable to selected products.”
How to Create a Coupon with a Minimum Spend Rule
Another powerful strategy is to create a coupon that only works once a customer reaches a certain cart total. This is perfect for encouraging larger purchases.
- Create or Edit a Coupon: Go to
Marketing > Couponsand either create a new coupon or edit an existing one (like a general “HAPPYNEWYEAR” code). - Set the Minimum Spend: In the
Usage restrictionssection, find theMinimum spendfield. Enter the amount a customer must spend before the coupon becomes valid. For example, if you want to offer 10% off only on orders over ₹500, you would enter500here.[Screenshot placeholder: The "Usage restrictions" section of the coupon editor, with the "Minimum spend" field highlighted and a value of 500 entered.] - (Optional) Set a Maximum Spend: You can also set a
Maximum spendlimit. This means the coupon will not work on cart totals above this amount. This is useful for limiting discount liability on very large orders. - Update the Coupon: Click
Update.
Now, if a customer’s cart total is below ₹500, the coupon will not apply, and they will see a clear message: “The minimum spend for this coupon is ₹500.00.” This subtly prompts them to add more items to their cart to qualify for the savings.
Putting It All Together: A Real-World Test
The best way to see this in action is to test it yourself. Imagine your cart contains:
- A Physical Product for ₹236.
- A Virtual Product for ₹531.
If you apply the 10P_VIRTUAL coupon (restricted to the virtual product), you’ll see a discount of only ₹53.10 (10% of ₹531). The physical product remains at full price.
If you apply a HAPPYNEWYEAR coupon with a ₹500 minimum spend to the same cart (total ₹767), the discount will apply. But if you remove the virtual product, dropping the cart total to ₹236, the coupon will be automatically removed, and the error message will appear.
This robust system ensures your WooCommerce coupon rules are always followed precisely.
Want to Put This Lesson into Practice?
Reading about a setting is one thing, but the best way to learn WooCommerce is by doing. If you’re nervous about breaking your live store, or don’t have a safe place to experiment, a ‘sandbox’ is the perfect solution.
We offer a WooScribe Practice Account that gives you a pre-built WooCommerce store to test, tweak, and practice on, completely risk-free.
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Ready to Go from Practice to Pro?
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, you might wonder, “What’s next?” A practice account is great for testing, but a structured course gives you the complete roadmap from beginner to confident store owner.
Our comprehensive course guides you through every aspect of WooCommerce, from setup and product creation to advanced shipping, payments, and marketing, all with expert guidance.
If you’re serious about mastering WooCommerce, check out our WooCommerce 101 – Recorded Video Course.
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Conclusion
Mastering WooCommerce coupon rules is a game-changer for any store owner. You’re no longer limited to simple, store-wide sales. By learning to restrict coupons to specific products or set minimum spend requirements, you gain powerful tools to drive targeted sales, manage inventory, and increase your store’s profitability without sacrificing control. Keep practicing these techniques to become a true WooCommerce promotion expert!
Common Questions About WooCommerce Coupons
Can I create a coupon for multiple specific products?
Yes, absolutely! In the Products field within the Usage restrictions section, you can simply search for and select multiple products. The coupon will then be valid for any of the selected items in the cart.
What happens if a coupon has both product and minimum spend rules?
The coupon will only apply if all the conditions are met. For example, if a coupon is for “Product A” with a ₹1000 minimum spend, the customer must have “Product A” in their cart and the cart total must be over ₹1000 for the discount to activate.
Can I exclude certain products or categories from a coupon?
You can! Right below the Products field, you’ll find an Exclude products field. You can also restrict or exclude entire product categories using the Product categories and Exclude categories fields, giving you even more granular control.
