This example lets each customer buy up to 3 items in total per month, for products such as limited items that arrive every month. On a cumulative quantity rule, check "Reset totals on a schedule" so totals return to zero on the 1st of each month.
Purchases of any product in the collection are added together. When the month changes, quantities bought in the previous month are not counted. The example below is for a collection that includes Product A and Product B.
Customer status | Cart contents | Result |
|---|---|---|
Has not bought anything this month | Product A × 3 | Allowed |
Already bought 2 of Product A this month | Product B × 1 | Allowed (3 in total this month) |
Already bought 2 of Product A this month | Product B × 2 | Not allowed (4 in total this month) |
Bought 3 items on the last day of last month | Product A × 3 on or after the 1st of this month | Allowed (3 in total this month) |
Not logged in | Product A × 1 | Asked to log in at checkout |
Totals reset at 12:00 a.m. on the 1st of each month in the store's time zone. If you create the rule partway through a month, that month counts only purchases made after you create it.
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 quantity rules
Open the app admin → "Quantity limits" → "Cumulative quantity rules".
(2) Enter the settings and save
Select "Create rule", enter the settings below, and save.
Setting | Value |
|---|---|
Rule name | Any internal name |
Maximum quantity | 3 |
Require customers to log in | Enabled |
Eligible items | Specific collections (the collection to limit) |
Counted per | Whole rule |
Set a date range | Not checked |
Reset totals on a schedule | Checked |
Cycle | Monthly on the 1st |
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: Each customer can buy up to {{limit}} items from this collection each month. You can buy up to {{remaining}} more this month. |
Checkout message (customers who are not logged in) | Text asking the customer to log in |
Cart message | Example: You can choose up to {{limit}} items from this collection in one order. |
(3) Enable the cumulative quantity rule
Select "Enable" on the rule details screen. Saving alone does not apply the limit.
Under "Active dates" in the "Summary" on the rule details screen, check the following.
Date range and reset: "All time" and "Totals reset: Monthly on the 1st" are shown.
Current totals: The period of purchases included in the current totals, and the next reset date and time, are shown.
Tracking started: The date and time you created the rule are shown. Purchases before then are not counted.
Example in November: “Current totals: purchases from Nov 1, 2026 to Nov 30, 2026 (next reset Dec 1, 2026, 12:00 AM EST)”
Active dates, the eligible items, 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. A new rule starts counting from when you create it.
Canceling an order from the previous month does not subtract it from this month's total. If you cancel a whole order placed this month, it is subtracted from this month's total.
Refunds, returns, and order edits are not reflected in the total.
There is no way to manually adjust or reset a customer's total.
With "Require customers to log in" disabled, customers who are not logged in can also buy. Their purchase counts only when the email entered at checkout matches the customer record.