This example lets each customer spend up to $100 across the whole store during a campaign, such as a sale. On a cumulative price rule, check "Set a date range" to limit and track only purchases from the start date and time through the end date and time.
The examples below assume a start of November 1 at 12:00 a.m. and an end of December 1 at 12:00 a.m. The amount type is "Item total (after product discounts)".
Time of purchase | Customer status | Result |
|---|---|---|
Before November 1, 12:00 a.m. | Any amount | Allowed (not limited or tracked) |
During the period | Has spent $40 so far, and the cart is $60 | Allowed ($100 in total) |
During the period | Has spent $40 so far, and the cart is $70 | Not allowed ($110 in total) |
December 1, 12:00 a.m. or later | Already spent $100 during the period | Allowed (not limited or tracked) |
During the period | Not logged in | Asked to log in at checkout |
Dates and times use the store's time zone. An order placed at the exact end date and time is not included in the period. Outside the period, the product page message is not shown either.
Complete the initial setup for cumulative purchase limits (enabling them on the Full plan) first. For the steps, see “Cumulative Purchase Limits: Shared Specifications”.
(1) Open Cumulative price rules
Open the app admin → "Price limits" → "Cumulative price rules".
(2) Enter the settings and save
Select "Create rule", enter the settings below, and save.
Setting | Value |
|---|---|
Rule name | Any internal name |
Maximum amount | 100 |
Amount type | Item total (after product discounts) |
Require customers to log in | Enabled |
Eligible items | All products |
Counted per | Whole rule |
Set a date range | Checked |
Start date and Start time | The campaign start (example: November 1, 12:00 a.m.) |
Set end date | Checked |
End date and End time | 12:00 a.m. on the day after the campaign's last day (example: December 1, 12:00 a.m.) |
Reset totals on a schedule | Not checked |
Message (logged-in customers) | Enter if needed |
Message (customers who are not logged in) | Text asking the customer to log in |
Checkout message (logged-in customers) | Example: During the campaign, each customer can buy up to $100 in total. |
Checkout message (customers who are not logged in) | Example: You need to log in to make this purchase. |
Cart message | Example: Each order is limited to $100 in total. |
To limit purchases through the end of November 30, set the end to December 1 at 12:00 a.m. Set the end date and time after the start date and time, and after the time you create the rule.
(3) Enable the cumulative price rule
Select "Enable" on the rule details screen. Saving alone does not apply the limit. If you enable it before the start date and time, the limit starts at the start date and time.
Under "Active dates" in the "Summary" on the rule details screen, check the following.
Date range: The start and end date and time you set are shown. Before the start, the badge is "Not started". After the end, the badge is "Ended".
Tracking started: The date and time you created the rule are shown. Even if the start date and time are in the past, purchases before that are not counted.
Because no reset is selected, "Current totals" is not shown.
Orders placed outside the period are never counted later. They are not tracked even if you recreate the rule with different dates.
Active dates, the eligible items, the amount type, and what the total is counted per cannot be changed once tracking has started. To change them, stop the rule and create a new one.
Order discounts, shipping, and tax are not included in the total.
Only canceling the whole order subtracts from the total. Refunds, returns, and order edits are not reflected in the total.
Gift wrapping and shipping-fee products are also counted. If there are products you do not want counted, specify the eligible items by collection or product tag.
Until you stop it, an ended rule still counts toward the rules tracking at a time (up to 20) and keeps using one of Shopify's checkout rules.
Note: The rule does not stop automatically after the end date and time. When the campaign is over, disable the limit, then stop the rule and delete it.