“Why didn’t this code work?”
Every reason Checkout X-Ray gives for a discount that didn’t apply, with the sentence it writes for each. The 13 underlined ones have a worked example from the lab store.
Get notified: Coming soonThe code itself
The discount has expired, or hasn’t started
Discount isn’t active (expired on date).
The code doesn’t exist
Code code doesn’t exist or can’t be used.
The code has reached its usage limit
Code has reached its usage limit (used/limit).
What’s in the cart
The cart is under the minimum
Discount needs minimum; this cart is amount, so it’s gap short.
The cart has too few items
Discount needs n items; the cart has m.
None of the items qualify
Discount only applies to collections or products; none of these items qualify.
Who’s buying, and where
Only for some customers
Discount is only for some customers or segments; this test cart is a guest.
Only for another market
Discount is only for the market market; this cart ships to country, which isn’t in it.
Discounts that block each other
Two discounts that can’t be used together
A and B can’t be used together: blocker is set not to combine with kind discounts. Shopify kept winner (bigger saving).
Only one product discount per item
Lost wasn’t applied to item: the item already has won (amount vs amount). Only one product discount applies per item.
Shopify chose the cheaper total
With x alone the total would be total; with y alone total. Shopify chose the cheaper total for the customer.
An app’s own discount logic
Discount comes from the app app. Its own logic decided this; check the app’s settings.
Shipping
Free shipping didn’t apply
Free shipping needs minimum after discounts; this cart is amount, so it’s gap short.
No shipping rate for the country
No shipping rate exists for country: check shipping zones in profile profile.
How the app picks a reason
For every discount that could have mattered and wasn’t applied, the app tries these reasons in a fixed order and gives the first that fits, filled in with the cart’s own names and amounts. The words above are the parts it fills in.
When no setting explains it, the cart is priced again with each discount alone, and the totals say which one Shopify chose.
Answer the next one with an X-ray.
Install on Shopify
Add Checkout X-Ray from the Shopify App Store. It opens in your Shopify admin, on the Free plan.
Build the customer’s cart
Open the Simulator. Pick the products, type the code they used and the country it ships to, then calculate the price.
Read the answer
The price X-ray shows each layer, and every code that wasn't applied gets a sentence saying why. Save it as a test cart to have it checked again.
