Support Thread: My commercial software is not supported on the Zen Cart forum. Please email me questions instead.
Promotional Page Download:
free from my website (you must buy Big Chooser separately)
See it Live: Go to
product 5 in my test cart you will see the upsell message that if you buy this product (BladeRunner) or Beloved, you get $100 off a graphics card
(such as this one.)
The code that created this Big Chooser Discount was:
$this->add_condition('Buy Bladerunner or Beloved, get a graphics card for $100 off', true);
$this->set_choice_constraint(1, PROD, 5, PROD, 20);
$this->set_discount(CAT,4,1,"$",100);
Add-Ons: Discount Preview allows
you to show the discounts from Big Chooser in your cart.
Current Version: 1.2.5. Occasionally,
new features are documented prior to being publicly available;
please check the version history to ensure the
feature you want is available in your version.
My Big Spender
Extension allows you to discount products in various ways under
various conditions provided a certain dollar threshold is exceeded.
Big Chooser takes a similar approach, but rather than setting
a dollar threshold, it becomes activated when a specific set of
items are placed into the cart.
Big Chooser is configured by creating "conditions" and then
parameterizing these conditions, specifying
how the decision is made as to whether the condition is met,
and the discounts
available once the condition is met.
Big Chooser requires you to add these
conditions and parameters to the module itself - they are not configured through the
admin panel.
This sounds complicated, but it's not that bad, and many examples of
common discounting practices are provided. Please note that Big Chooser only provides a discount; it does not automatically
add items to the cart.
The calling conventions for building a condition are as follows:
{ text description, whether to apply the behavior multiple times }
So suppose the discount was stated as, "After items A and B are added to the cart, take some action." This would be
$this->add_condition("Buy items A and B, and get ...", false);
If the discount was, "For every item A and B in the cart, take some action," the
code would be
$this->add_condition("For every A and B you buy, get ...", true);
Now we need to parameterize the condition. Parameter statements
apply to the condition statement they immediately follow.
I have provided a visual cue for this by indenting the parameter statements
on this page by three spaces.
The following types of parameter statements are currently supported:
set_constraint - specifies the items that must be in the cart to meet the condition
set_choice_constraint - specifies a set of items, some of which must be in the cart to meet the condition
set_negative_constraint - specifies the items which are excluded from the promotion; they will neither be counted towards the condition nor considered for discounting
set_discount - discount some product or category by a specific percentage or currency figure
set_choice_discount - discount a specified number of items from some product or category by a specific percentage or currency figure
set_cart_discount - discount the entire cart by a specific percentage or currency figure
set_support - provide additional information on the discount
set_deal_id - giving the discount an identifying number to allow other discounts to be filtered out if this number has been run
set_no_double_dip - specifying which discounts which, if executed, will cause this discount to be skipped
set_group - only apply this discount to members of the listed groups
include_condition_items - allow items which were used in set_discount or set_choice discount to themselves be discounted
set_extra_discount, set_extra_choice_discount - used with include_condition_items to specify additional discounts not included in the condition
set_coupon - permits you to add a coupon condition to a discount
set_constraint_regprice - specifies that items counted towards the constraints must not be on sale or special
One of set_discount(), set_choice_discount() or set_cart_discount() must be done for every
condition for it to have any action. One of set_constraint() or set_choice_constraint() must be used for every condition to make it conditional (otherwise the discount
will be applied universally).
Examples
First, some easy ones:
The discount, "Buy product 1, get a free product 5" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy name-of-product-1, get a free name-of-product-5", false);
$this->set_constraint(PROD, 1, 1);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 5, 1, "%", 100);
The discount, "Buy an item from category 3, get a free product 8" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy an item from name-of-category-3, get a free name-of-product-8", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 3, 1);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 8, 1, "%", 100);
Now let's look at things you can't do with Better Together or
Combination Discounts.
The discount, "Buy 3 items from category 5, get a fourth one free" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy 3 item from name-of-category-5, get a fourth free", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 5, 3);
$this->set_discount(CAT, 5, 1, "%", 100);
The discount, "Buy 3 items from manufacturer ABC, get a fourth one free" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy 3 item from manufacturer ABC, get a fourth free", false);
$this->set_constraint(MANUF, 7, 3);
$this->set_discount(MANUF, 7, 1, "%", 100);
(assuming the manufacturer id of ABC was 7).
Pay close attention to the phrase you use to promote the discount where
the condition and discount refer to the same category or product.
For instance, I do not recommend
using verbiage like "buy three, get one free" because it's ambiguous.
Rather, use "buy three, get a fourth free" or "buy three, get the least
expensive one free" to indicate whether the customer will need to pay full
price for two or three items. For more suggestions on this, see
verbiage.
The discount, "Buy 3 items from category 5, get the least expensive one free" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy 3 items from category-5, get least expensive free", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 5, 2);
$this->set_discount(CAT, 5, 1, "%", 100);
If you really don't like this phrasing, use the set_support command to
emphasize that the discount is applied to the lowest priced item.
$this->add_condition("Pick 3 items from category-5, get one free", false);
$this->set_support("Discount applied to lowest priced item");
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 5, 2);
$this->set_discount(CAT, 5, 1, "%", 100);
The discount, "Mix and match 3 product 1 and product 2, get a free product 5" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Mix and match 3 of products 1 and 2, get a free name-of-product-5", false);
$this->set_choice_constraint(3, PROD, 1, PROD, 2);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 5, 1, "%", 100);
The discount, "Group 3 Members, Buy an item from category 3, get a free product 8" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy an item from name-of-category-3, get a free name-of-product-8", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 3, 1);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 8, 1, "%", 100);
$this->set_group(3);
The discount, "Buy 6 items from two categories (21 and 22), get the least expensive one free" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy 6 items from cat-21-or-22, get the lowest price one free", false);
$this->set_choice_constraint(5, CAT, 21, CAT, 22);
$this->set_choice_discount(1, CAT, 21, "%", 100, CAT, 22, "%", 100);
The discount, "Buy two items from category 3, get your choice of a free product 8, 9 or 10" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy two items from name-of-category-3, get a free name-of-product-8, 9 or 10", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 3, 2);
$this->set_choice_discount(1, PROD, 8, "%", 100, PROD, 9, "%", 100, PROD, 10, "%", 100);
Conversely, the discount, "Buy any of product 8, 9 or 10, get two items from category 3 free" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy any of 8, 9 or 10, get two items from name-of-category-3 free", false);
$this->set_discount(CAT, 3, 2, "%", 100);
$this->set_choice_constraint(1, PROD, 8, PROD, 9, PROD, 10);
What if instead of category 3, you wanted to provide a discount for spending
on certain types of products which were spread across categories.
We'll call this product class "open stock cookware," and assume that
it is made up of product ids 1, 3, 5, 11, 13, 19, 37, and 41.
We'll only allow this discount to be offered once per order.
(The "$" is just used to specify currency; your cart's currency settings
will be respected when computing the discount.)
The discount, "Buy product 12, get 20% off one item priced at $100 or more" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy name-of-product-12, get 20% off one item $100 or more", false);
$this->set_constraint(PROD, 12, 1);
$this->set_discount(MINPRICE, 100, 1, "%", 20);
Sometimes you may wish to tier your discounts
$this->add_condition("Buy 5 category 1, get five free product 20", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 1, 5);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 20, 5, "%", 100);
$this->add_condition("Buy 2 category 1, get one free product 20", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 1, 2);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 20, 1, "%", 100);
Or, you may offer two ways of getting the same discount:
$this->add_condition("Buy 5 category 1, get a free product 20", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 1, 5);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 20, 1, "%", 100);
$this->add_condition("Buy 2 category 7, get a free product 20", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 7, 2);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 20, 1, "%", 100);
If you want these discounts to both be valid on a single order,
that's fine - but if you wish to make them exclusive (only one free
product 20), more steps are required.
Big Chooser does not know that these are related, so this would allow someone
buying 5 category 1 items and 2 category 7 to get 2 product 20 items free.
To indicate that discounts are exclusive, use set_deal_id() and set_no_double_dip().
$this->add_condition("Buy 5 category 1, get a free product 20", false);
$this->set_support("Limit one free product 20 per order");
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 1, 5);
$this->set_deal_id(1);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 20, 1, "%", 100);
$this->add_condition("Buy 2 category 7, get a free product 20", false);
$this->set_support("Limit one free product 20 per order");
$this->set_no_double_dip(1);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 7, 2);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 20, 1, "%", 100);
Note that when this is done, the highest discount should be specified first; otherwise, a lower discount will block a higher discount.
A set_no_double_dip() on the first condition and a set_deal_id() on the last are not required but may be specified; the above block is
identical to this:
$this->add_condition("Buy 5 category 1, get a free product 20", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 1, 5);
$this->set_deal_id(1);
$this->set_no_double_dip(2);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 20, 1, "%", 100);
$this->add_condition("Buy 2 category 7, get a free product 20", false);
$this->set_deal_id(2);
$this->set_no_double_dip(1);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 7, 2);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 20, 1, "%", 100);
If you want to offer a variant of quantity discount, such as
a "buy four, get the least expensive one free" promotion,
this can be done as follows:
$this->add_condition("Buy any four items, get the lowest priced one free", true);
$this->set_constraint(MINPRICE, 0.01, 3);
$this->set_discount(MINPRICE, 0.01, 1, "%", 100);
Another form of tiered quantity discounts involves a full
initial price and then lower prices for subsequent items.
$this->add_condition("Buy 1 product 12, get additional ones for $10 off each", true);
$this->set_constraint(PROD, 12, 1);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 12, '*', "$", 10);
Another type of quantity discount has discounts on all discounted
items when certain
levels are reached. If you do this and have multiple levels, be sure
to put the largest one first.
$this->add_condition("Buy 12 or more product 17, get 20% off", false);
$this->include_condition_items();
$this->set_constraint(PROD, 17, 12);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 17, 12, "%", 20);
$this->set_extra_discount(PROD, 17, '*', "%", 20);
$this->add_condition("Buy 6 or more product 17, get 10% off", false);
$this->include_condition_items();
$this->set_constraint(PROD, 17, 6);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 17, 6, "%", 10);
$this->set_extra_discount(PROD, 17, '*', "%", 10);
In the normal model for running Big Chooser,
a condition specified in add_condition (and
enforced through set_constraint, set_choice_constraint, etc.)
sets aside the items required to meet the condition. They are
not available for discounting. The only items which are discounted
are the additional items specified in set_discount and set_choice_discount.
However, some shops want to use Big Chooser to create offers
where once a condition is met, a discount is applied
to the items meeting the condition (and optionally even more items).
This can also be done with Big Chooser, but requires more statements.
For instance,
the discount, "Mix and match 6 product 10 or 12, get 20% off all 6" would be specified as
$this->add_condition("Buy 6 product 10 or 12, get 20% off all 6", false);
$this->include_condition_items();
$this->set_choice_constraint(6, PROD, 10, PROD, 12);
$this->set_choice_discount(6, PROD, 10, "%", 20, PROD, 12, "%", 20);
When eliminating items from consideration for further discounting, normally
both the items in the set_constraint/set_choice_constraint statements and the items
matching the set_discount/set_choice_discount statements are selected. However,
in a discount using include_condition_items, because the two groups potentially
overlap, only the items matching the constraints are removed. This could
potentially result in double discounting if the items in set_discount and
set_choice_discount are discounted by a subsequent offer. For this reason,
two new statements were added which can be used with include_condition
discounts to extend the discount, yet properly remove all discounted items
from further discounting. They are "set_extra_discount" and "set_extra_choice_discount".
We'll look at the discount, "Buy 6 or more product 10 or 12, get 20% off the group." At first glance, you would think it would be
// DO NOT DO THIS!!
$this->add_condition("Buy 6 or more product 10 or 12, get 20% off the group", false); // WRONG!!
$this->include_condition_items();
$this->set_choice_constraint(6, PROD, 10, PROD, 12);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 10, '*', "%", 20); // WRONG!
$this->set_discount(PROD, 12, '*', "%", 20); // WRONG!
Do this instead; match the constraint with the discount, then
specify additional discounts.
$this->add_condition("Buy 6 or more product 10 or 12, get 20% off the group", false);
$this->include_condition_items();
$this->set_choice_constraint(6, PROD, 10, PROD, 12);
$this->set_choice_discount(6, PROD, 10, "%", 20, PROD, 12, "%", 20);
$this->set_extra_discount(PROD, 10, '*', "%", 20);
$this->set_extra_discount(PROD, 12, '*', "%", 20);
Discounting without conditions
You can offer a discount with no conditions, which can come in
handy if you want to coordinate it with another discount (using set_no_double_dip), or
restrict it to a group (using set_group).
$this->add_condition("Get 20% off all mice for club members", true);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 3, '*', "%", 20);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 26, '*', "%", 20);
$this->set_group(3);
Displaying Big Chooser Discounts
These conditions and parameters are not only
used in discount calculations; they are also used to create
messages which are automatically displayed on the product_info
page.
Details on how to do this are provided in
marketing.
Big Chooser is an order total module, so it appears on the second page
of your checkout as a discount (unless
Discount Preview
is used, which allows the discount to be shown in the cart).
Payment Page displaying Big Chooser Discount
Note that details on how to make the text red are provided in
this tip.
Detailed Description:
Conditions and parameters are specified in the setup()
method at the bottom of the file
includes/modules/order_total/ot_big_chooser.php
There is no admin interface; you must modify the file directly.
Any number of these discounts may be offered; discount computation will
be done in the following order:
conditions are calculated in the order in which they are specified in setup()
For each condition, the set_discount() and set_cart_discount() statements are executed first (in the order they were specified), then the set_choice_discount() statements (in the order they were specified)
Once an item has been discounted, it is not subject to re-discounting, even if rules would permit it
Items in the cart are discounted from least expensive to most expensive.
To make these discounts visible on your product info page, customize the file
as described in marketing below in the installation instructions.
This step will display the message you provided in the add_condition()
command:
For every 3 items from open stock cookware, select 2 free gifts ...
The message is displayed to encourage the customer to meet the
condition. It is displayed on any item which will contribute to meeting
the condition *and* any item which is discounted after meeting the condition.
This step is optional; if you prefer, you can add your own marketing text.
Note that CAT has different semantics in Big Chooser when compared
to Better Together. In Better Together, CAT only includes items
directly below the specified category (i.e. CAT means "parent category"
based on the master_categories_id field in the products table).
In Big Chooser, CAT includes all items below the specified category,
whether they are directly below or in subcategories.
Men's Clothing (category 3)
|
----> Shirts (category 5)
| |
| -------> shirt A
| shirt B
| shirt C
----> Pants (category 6)
| |
| -------> pants A
| pants B
| pants C
----> Shoes (category 7)
|
---------> Dress Shoes (category 12)
| |
| -------> dress shoes A
| dress shoes B
| dress shoes C
---------> Casual Shoes (category 18)
|
-------> casual shoes A
casual shoes B
casual shoes C
Specifying "Men's Clothing" as a category in Big Chooser will
include all items in Shirts, Pants and Shoes.
Specifying "Shoes" (CAT 7) as a category will include both
dress shoes and casual shoes. This cannot be done in Better Together.
Note that "parent category id" is determined using the master_categories_id field
from the products table. So if casual shoes A is also linked
into a category called "Hot Products," the parent category is still
category 18 (Casual Shoes).
For more details on category handling
in Big Chooser, please see
the Category Issues page.
Installation Instructions:
Back up everything! Try this in a test environment prior to installing
it on a live shop.
Copy the contents of the unzipped folder to the root directory of your
shop.
The names of these files reflect a template name of "custom." If you are
using a different template name, please change file paths using "custom" to
use your template name instead.
Login to admin and in Modules->Order Total you will see
'Big Chooser Discount' listed along with all the other modules available.
Click on 'Big Chooser Discount' to highlight the module and click on 'Install'
Decide on the discounts you wish to use. The easiest way to do this
is to open a shopping cart in another window, and just start adding
discounts to the setup() method of
includes/modules/order_total/ot_big_chooser.php.
The discounts are shown on the second step of checkout in
"Your Total" under "Big Chooser Discount."
You may wish to use a less silly name than "Big Chooser Discount."
If so, modify the file includes/languages/english/modules/order_total/ot_big_chooser.php.
If you wish, follow the guidelines in marketing
to advertise your discounts.
Verbiage in add_condition
Pay close attention to the phrase you use to promote the discount where
the condition and discount refer to the same category or product.
For instance, I do not recommend
using verbiage like "buy three, get one free" because it's ambiguous.
Rather, use "buy three, get a fourth free" or "buy three, get the least
expensive one free" to indicate whether the customer will need to pay full
price for two or three items.
Other phrases you can use to indicate that the discounted item is
in addition to the condition items (which are at full price), are
"get another"
"get an additional"
"get an extra"
Also, remember that the "set_support" command is provided to allow
you to further clarify your discounting policies.
Marketing
What good is having cross selling and upselling specials if you don't
advertise them?
Big Chooser Discounts may be automatically displayed in two places:
on the product info page, and on a separate promotional page. We'll
talk about the product info page first.
Customize the tpl_product_info_display.php file to advertise
your discounts. Copy the file
The placement of this code is a matter of personal preference;
try placing it below the product description and adjust to your tastes.
It creates a message on your page that uses the description you
provided in the add_condition():
For every 3 items from open stock cookware, select 2 free gifts ...
Only one div block of text will be produced, with the div id
bigChooserDiscountPolicy.
The file tpl_big_chooser_marketing.php also contains additional print statements which are commented out, but which you may uncomment if desired. These include:
An indication of whether this product contributes towards reach the condition and/or is discounted after the condition is reached
The display of additional "supporting" text for the discount that you have added using $this->set_support(). Such text can include links to PDFs, links to products in your cart, links to external pages, or simply descriptive text.
This text will be automatically displayed on the Big Chooser Discount promotional page.
Styling this block of text (changing
font, color, etc.) is simply a matter of adding to your stylesheet
For every 3 items from open stock cookware, select 2 free gifts ...
Probably a bit more obnoxious than you would truly want, but you
get the idea.
Alternately, you could modify the marketing text template (tpl_big_chooser_marketing.php) and put the text into a fieldset:
The approach to marketing text for Big Chooser is similar to the one used
in Better Together or Combination Discounts.
It is displayed on product info pages for products which meet the
specified conditions,
unless that product is constrained out of the discount. So for
instance, if you have
$this->add_condition("Buy 5 items of Men's clothing (excl. shoes), get a free product 20", false);
$this->set_constraint(CAT, 3, 5);
$this->set_discount(PROD, 20, 1, "%", 100);
then the marketing text will appear on pages for products in category 3 (and subcategories), and the page for product 20,
but not on pages in category 7 (and subcategories).
Note that price based constraints
are not used to filter out marketing text because the final price
of a product may not be known
on the product info page.
The other available marketing vehicle is the Big Chooser Discount promotional page. This page is completely optional; it is not included in the
Big Chooser zip archive,
but it is a free download from my website for people who
have purchased Big Chooser. It creates a page that looks like
this,
displaying all discounts and supporting text.
Conditions and Parameters,
which are specified in the setup() function of ot_big_chooser.php,
are the mechanism for configuring a store's discounts.
Conditions
Discounts always begin by specifying a condition.
All subsequent parameters (until the next condition) apply
to this condition.
$this->add_condition(<description>,<repeatable>);
where:
description
Is a textual description of the discount. This description is not automatically created the way it is in Better Together or Combination Discounts;
it must be added manually. The reason for this is to allow greater flexibility
repeatable
is a boolean flag indicating whether to apply the discount only one time (false) or as many times as possible (true).
Parameters - set_constraint
The set_constraint() command specifies the items
which must be present in the cart for the condition to be passed.
is the number of items from this choice the customer must buy; it must be numeric
required_purchase
is the string PROD, CAT, PRICE, MINPRICE, or MANUF, followed by an identifier (product or category id, or product price)
<PROD | CAT | PRICE | MINPRICE | MANUF> <product or category identifier or price>
Note quantities are not specified per choice; the quantity is
cumulative for all choices in the constraint.
Parameters - set_negative_constraint
The set_negative_constraint() command specifies the items
which are excluded from the promotion; they will neither be counted towards the condition nor considered for discounting.
is the string PROD, CAT, PRICE, MINPRICE or MANUF, followed by an identifier (product or category id, or product price), followed by a quantity, followed by a percent or dollar sign, followed by an amount
<PROD | CAT | PRICE | MINPRICE | MANUF> <product or category identifier or price> <item count> < "$" | "%" > <discount amount>
The item_count may be specified as "*", meaning "the discount may be taken an unlimited number of times."
Parameters - set_choice_discount
The set_choice_discount() command specifies that the customer may
choose between a series of discounts
if the condition has been met.
is the number of discounts the customer will receive; it must be numeric
choice
is the string PROD, CAT, PRICE, MINPRICE or MANUF, followed by an identifier (product or category id, or product price), followed by a percent or dollar sign, followed by an amount
Note quantities are not specified per choice; the quantity is
cumulative for all choices. For set_choice_discount, the
quantity must be numeric (i.e. "*" is not allowed).
Parameters - set_cart_discount
The set_cart_discount() command specifies the reduction in the
total cart price that should be done
if the condition has been met.
is
a percent or dollar sign, followed by an amount
Parameters - set_support
The set_support() command provides additional supporting text to
describe your promotion.
It is completely optional.
$this->set_support(<text>);
where:
text
is a text string, which can be plain text or a link
These strings are displayed on your promotional page, and optionally, on your product info page if you customize the file
includes/templates/custom/templates/tpl_big_chooser_marketing.php
Parameters - set_deal_id
The set_deal_id() command allows you to give a condition and its
associated discount an id, to allow later discounts to be filtered out
if this discount has been run using set_no_double_dip. This parameter is optional and is
only needed for discounts which preclude other discounts.
$this->set_deal_id(<nnnn>);
where:
nnnn
is some number which identifies this condition or group of conditions.
Parameters - set_no_double_dip
The set_no_double_dip() command allows you to give a
specify that if a certain discount has already been run,
the current discount should be skipped.
This parameter is optional and is
only needed for discounts which preclude other discounts.
$this->set_no_double_dip(<nnnn>);
where:
nnnn
is the id which was used in a set_deal_id() command for one or more previous conditions.
Multiple set_no_double_dip commands may be used as required.
Parameters - set_group
The set_group() command specifies that the discount is only available
to members of the listed group(s).
The include_condition_items() command allows you to
include items that allowed you to reach the condition
in the discount calculation. Normally these items would
be excluded.
$this->include_condition_items();
The include_condition_items command was added in version 1.0.2.
Parameters - set_extra_discount
Advanced usage; only required for discounts which use include_condition_items, where the conditions don't match the discounts.
The set_extra_discount command extends the set_discount command
when used with include_condition_items(). Normally, in discounts
which use include_condition_items(), the discounts should match
the conditions (because items are removed from contention for
further discounting based on their presence in the condition).
The set_extra_discount command allows you to add extra discounts
and still have them accounted for properly and not double-discounted.
parameters are as per set_discount.
The set_extra_discount command was added in version 1.0.3.
Parameters - set_extra_choice_discount
Advanced usage; only required for discounts which use include_condition_items, where the conditions don't match the discounts.
The set_extra_choice_discount command extends the set_choice_discount command
when used with include_condition_items(). Normally, in discounts
which use include_condition_items(), the discounts should match
the conditions (because items are removed from contention for
further discounting based on their presence in the condition).
The set_extra_choice_discount command allows you to add extra discounts
and still have them accounted for properly and not double-discounted.
parameters are as per set_choice_discount.
Note quantities are not specified per choice; the quantity is
cumulative for all choices. For set_extra_choice_discount, the
quantity must be numeric (i.e. "*" is not allowed).
The set_extra_choice_discount command was added in version 1.0.3.
Parameters - set_coupon
Require a coupon in order to use the discount.
$this->set_coupon(<coupon-code>);
Note: To prevent interoperability problems with the rest of Zen Cart,
I strongly recommend that coupons created for use with Big Chooser
either use a Coupon Amount of 0.01 or set the Free Shipping checkbox.
If you create a coupon with Coupon Amount 0.00 (and no free shipping),
then the Uses per Coupon and Uses per Customer functionality will not
work properly (as of 1.3.7), and other things may break in the future.
The set_coupon command was added in version 1.0.4.
For a more detailed explanation of how to use Coupons with Big Spender
and Big Chooser, please see my
Zen Cart Coupon Extensions page.
The set_auto_coupon command was added in version 1.2.1.
Parameters - set_constraint_regprice
Require items counted towards the constraint not be
on sale or special.
$this->set_constraint_regprice();
Major Versions
Version 1.2.5 - 12/01/09 - Added set_constraint_regprice
Version 1.2.4 - 03/22/09 - Fixing issues introduced in 1.2.3
Version 1.2.3 - 02/22/09 - Issues with unlimited iterations on set _discount, set_extra_discount
Version 1.2.2 - 12/17/08 - Issues with set_extra_discount
Version 1.2.1 - 10/04/08 - Added set_auto_coupon
Version 1.2.0a - 09/13/08 - Resolved set_constraint/set_choice_constraint issue described in this blog post.
Version 1.2.0 - 08/20/08 - Added MANUF
Version 1.0.4 - 02/10/08 - Added set_coupon
Version 1.0.3 - 01/26/08 - Added set_extra_discount, set_extra_choice_discount
Version 1.0.2 - 01/15/08 - Added include_condition_items
Version 1.0.0 - 01/06/08 - First release
Bugs
Big Chooser versions prior to 1.2.0a had a defect in handling
certain set_constraint and set_choice_constraint parameters which
is described in this blog post.
FAQ
Q: Why is there an Big Chooser in the first place? A: To better facilitate a more powerful model for discounting based
on product choices than can be created by modifying
Better Together.
Q: Why do you have to add PHP code to setup()? Why didn't you put
this in the Admin panel? A: Although it's a bit tedious to have to manually code the associations,
it maximizes the module's flexibility.
If you need help with the
setup logic, I will be happy to do it for you for a small fee,
but first look at the many examples in this page.
Q: Can I start and stop my Big Chooser discounts on certain dates in the future? A: Please see Timing Discounts in Zen Cart for an explanation of how to do this.
Q: How do I find out the manufacturer id so I can use MANUF? A: See Manufacturers in Zen Cart for some techniques.
Q: I would like my discounts to show up in the shopping cart.
Why don't they? A: The way the Order Total modules work is that they show up at
checkout time. However, if you require the discounts to
show up in the shopping cart, you may wish to
purchase the
Discount Preview
module for $30.
Alternately, you may indicate that you have a Big Chooser
discount policy by adding to
TEXT_INFORMATION in includes/languages/english/shopping_cart.php, and inform the user that Big Chooser discounts will be
calculated (and visible) at checkout time.
Additionally, changing SUB_TITLE_SUB_TOTAL in the same file to
something like 'Sub-Total BEFORE Discount' will emphasize the fact that
a discount will be added at checkout time.
Q: How can I present my Big Chooser discounts on the product page? A:Create your custom template
if you haven't already done so.
Then customize the file
Follow the directions in
marketing in the installation instructions
for details on the changes that are required.
Q: I like the message on my product page, but I'd like it to have a link in it. The condition for my discount is "two items from hardware," which corresponds to category 1. A: You can create a link in your message.
$this->add_condition('Buy two items from <a href="index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1">hardware</a>,
get two movies free', false);
This will show up on your product info page as
'Buy two items from hardware, get two movies free'
Be sure to construct your link WITHOUT a zenid. Do not just copy and paste
from your address bar!
Q: What is the difference between MINPRICE and PRICE? A: PRICE means the price must be exactly equal to the specified value. MINPRICE means the price must be greater than or equal to the
specified value. So using MINPRICE in a set_constraint means that
only items of this price or greater count in the condition calculation.
Using MINPRICE in a set_discount() or
set_choice_discount() means that items at the specified price or greater
will match the rule.
Q: If I specify multiple conditions with the same discounts, will Big Chooser double discount my products? A: Each product in the customer's cart will only be discounted once by Big Chooser. Specifying "repeatable" for a condition
or an item count greater than 1 for set_discount will discount multiple
times only if multiple items exist; it will not cause the same item
to be discounted multiple times.
Q: In what order are the discounts evaluated? A: The conditions are evaluated in the order they are entered, with the
set_discount() parameters executed first (in the order they were entered),
followed by the set_choice_discounts (in the order they were entered).
If repeatable is specified, a discount is run as many times as possible
(as long as products are not discounted multiple times).
If a condition uses no_double_dip, and other conditions with the specified ids
have already been passed and discounted, that condition's discounts will not
be run.
All discounts are run unless a discount is precluded because of a
set_no_double_dip() command. Items are discounted in the order least
expensive to most expensive.
Q: OK, I have the Big Chooser information on my product page, but my customers can't figure out that the discount isn't visible until checkout time A: Add some explanatory text to the discountPolicy information you created
above. This way it will show up every time there is Big Chooser
information on a page. Alternately, you may purchase
the Discount Preview
module,
or you may also add text to the shopping cart
page to indicate that Big Chooser discounts will show up at checkout time
as discussed above.
Q: I operate a multilingual shop. How can I avoid putting my descriptions in ot_big_chooser.php? A: If you run a multilingual shop, then instead of putting the string in the add_condition() command directly, create the file includes/languages/english/extra_definitions/ot_conditional_defs.php and put your definitions there as PHP defined strings.
Here's an example:
<?php
define('CONDITIONAL_MOVIE_DISCOUNT', "Buy movies A, B and C, get 10% off your total");
?>
Q: Where's Checkout Candy for Big Chooser? A: The complexity of the specification mechanism for Big Chooser
makes it very difficult to create a workable
Checkout
Candy algorithm.
Instead, I created Big Upsell.
Q: When I use PROD, it works, but I can't seem to get CAT to work. Why? A: This is the most common question of all.
Please see the Category Issues
page for solutions.
Q: Why is there a set_extra_discount and set_extra_choice_discount? A: You only need to worry about these commands if you have a discount which uses
include_condition_items, and you only have to worry about this if you have
a "quantity discount" style offer where the products which helped the customer
meet them condition are themselves discounted. If your discount is two for one, buy 2 get 1 free, etc. you don't need to worry about these commands.
Q: How can I make a Big Chooser offer dependent on a coupon code? A: Please see my
Zen Cart Coupon Extensions page for an explanation of how you might use this feature.
Q: All these rules and parameters and combinations make my head hurt. Will you configure this for me? A: Naturally. Contact me with your requirements for a quote.
I charge a fee of $60 for Big Chooser.
The fee covers software only; installation is extra if you require help.
