Free Item Deals: Complete Setup Guide
Overview
Free item deals allow you to offer products at no cost when customers meet a minimum spend requirement. This powerful feature helps increase average order values while providing clear value to customers.
How It Works
When a customer adds qualifying items to their cart and meets the minimum spend threshold, the system automatically applies a 100% discount to the free item(s). The deal is applied instantly, showing customers the savings in real-time.
Setting Up Free Item Deals
Step 1: Navigate to Deals
- In your Back Office, go to Management > Menu > Promos and Deals
- You'll see the "MANAGE DEALS" page with four deal type options
Step 2: Select Deal Type
For free item deals, click on "Discount on selected items" - this allows you to apply 100% discounts to specific products.
Step 3: Configure the Deal
After selecting "Discount on selected items", you'll be taken to the deal configuration page where you can set:
Basic Deal Settings:
- Deal Name: "Free Large Pizza with £30 Order"
- Auto Apply: ✅ Enabled (recommended)
- Min Cart Value: £30.00
- Pricing Type: Percentage Off
- Pricing Value: 100% (for completely free items)
Step 4: Configure Deal Lines
- In the deal configuration, add deal lines for the products you want to offer free
- Set the deal line parameters:
Deal Line Settings:
- Pricing Type: Percentage Off
- Pricing Value: 100
- Products: Select the item(s) to be given free
Step 5: Set Minimum Spend
Important: When setting up free item deals, calculate the minimum spend to ensure the cart value remains above your desired threshold after the discount is applied.
Formula: Minimum Spend = Desired Final Cart Value + Free Item Price
Example Configurations
Example 1: Free Dessert Deal
Business Goal: Give free dessert (£4) when customers spend at least £20
Configuration:
- Deal Name: "Free Dessert with £20 Order"
- Min Cart Value: £24.00
- Pricing Type: Percentage Off
- Pricing Value: 100%
- Products: All desserts
Result: Customer spends £24, gets £4 dessert free, final cart value = £20
Example 2: Free Side with Pizza
Business Goal: Give free side (£6) when customers spend at least £25
Configuration:
- Deal Name: "Free Side with £25 Order"
- Min Cart Value: £31.00
- Pricing Type: Percentage Off
- Pricing Value: 100%
- Products: All sides and extras
Result: Customer spends £31, gets £6 side free, final cart value = £25
Example 3: Free Drink with Large Order
Business Goal: Give free drink (£3) when customers spend at least £15
Configuration:
- Deal Name: "Free Drink with £15 Order"
- Min Cart Value: £18.00
- Pricing Type: Percentage Off
- Pricing Value: 100%
- Products: All soft drinks
Result: Customer spends £18, gets £3 drink free, final cart value = £15
Example 4: Free Appetizer Deal
Business Goal: Give free appetizer (£8) when customers spend at least £30
Configuration:
- Deal Name: "Free Appetizer with £30 Order"
- Min Cart Value: £38.00
- Pricing Type: Percentage Off
- Pricing Value: 100%
- Products: All appetizers
Result: Customer spends £38, gets £8 appetizer free, final cart value = £30
Advanced Configuration Options
Multiple Free Items
To offer multiple free items, create separate deal lines for each product category:
Example: Free drink AND free side
- Deal Line 1: Drinks (100% off)
- Deal Line 2: Sides (100% off)
- Min Cart Value: £25 + £3 + £6 = £34
Conditional Free Items
Use deal line products to control which items are free:
Example: Free small pizza only
- Deal Line Products: Select only small pizzas
- Result: Large pizzas remain full price
Time-Limited Deals
Set start and end dates for promotional periods:
Example: Weekend Special
- Start Date: Friday 5:00 PM
- End Date: Sunday 11:59 PM
- Deal: Free dessert with £20 order
Best Practices
1. Clear Communication
- Use descriptive deal names that customers understand
- Display minimum spend requirements prominently
- Show savings clearly in the cart
2. Strategic Pricing
- Set minimum spend to encourage larger orders
- Choose free items with good profit margins
- Consider your average order value when setting thresholds
3. Product Selection
- Offer popular items as free products
- Ensure free items complement the main order
- Avoid giving away your highest-margin items
4. Testing
- Always test your deals after setup by placing a test order
- Verify calculations with sample orders to ensure discounts apply correctly
- Check that deals work across all platforms (web, mobile, POS)
- Confirm minimum spend requirements work as expected
Troubleshooting
Deal Not Applying
- Check that "Auto Apply" is enabled
- Verify minimum cart value is met
- Ensure products are included in deal line
- Test with a real order to confirm the deal activates
Incorrect Discounts
- Verify pricing value is set to 100%
- Check that deal line products are correct
- Confirm deal is active and within date range
- Place a test order to verify the discount amount
Cart Value Issues
- Use the formula: Min Cart Value = Desired Final Value + Free Item Price
- Test with sample orders to verify calculations work correctly
- Consider delivery charges in your calculations
- Always verify the final cart total meets your expectations
Platform Support
Free item deals work across all platforms:
- ✅ Website - Automatic application during checkout
- ✅ Mobile App - Real-time deal application
- ✅ POS System - Integrated with order processing
- ✅ Third-party Apps - Via API integration
Support
For additional help with deal configuration or troubleshooting, contact our support team or refer to the complete Deals documentation in your Back Office help section.