Cart rules are ideal for routing high-value orders to secure locations, bulk orders to warehouses, or orders with special handling requirements to capable locations.
How cart rules work
A cart rule has two parts:- When (condition): Which cart properties trigger the rule
- Then (filter): Which locations to block or allow when triggered
Create a cart rule
Name your rule and set status
Enter a descriptive name (max 75 characters) that explains the rule’s purpose, like “High-value orders - Warehouse only” or “Bulk orders - Distribution center”.Set the Status to:
- Active: Rule applies immediately at checkout
- Draft: Rule is saved but won’t affect checkout
Configure the condition (When)
In the Configuration section under When, set up what triggers the rule:Condition: Choose the cart property to evaluate
The available operators and value fields depend on the condition you select.
| Condition | Description |
|---|---|
| Total cart quantity | Total number of items in the cart |
| Total cart amount | Total value of the cart in your store currency |
| Line item has attribute | Items with specific custom attributes |
Configure the location filter (Then)
Under Then, define which locations are affected when the rule triggers:
Property: Choose how to target locations
| Action | Effect |
|---|---|
| Include | Only the specified locations can fulfill (all others blocked) |
| Exclude | The specified locations are blocked (all others allowed) |
| Property | Value | Use when |
|---|---|---|
| Specific locations | Select individual locations | You need precise control over specific locations |
| Location with tag | Enter tag names | You want to target locations by capability |
| Location with type | Warehouse or Store | You want to target all locations of a type |
Condition types
- Total cart quantity
- Total cart amount
- Line item has attribute
Triggers based on the total number of items in the cart.Operators available:
Value: Enter the quantity thresholdBest for:
| Operator | Description |
|---|---|
| Equal | Cart has exactly this many items |
| Not Equal | Cart does not have exactly this many items |
| Greater Than | Cart has more than this many items |
| Less Than | Cart has fewer than this many items |
| Greater Than Or Equal | Cart has this many or more items |
| Less Than Or Equal | Cart has this many or fewer items |
- Routing bulk orders to warehouses
- Limiting small stores to single-item orders
- Handling large orders with dedicated fulfillment
Location filters
Filter by specific locations
Filter by specific locations
Select individual locations from your list. Use this when you need precise control.Example setup:
- Action: Include
- Property: Specific locations
- Value: Central Warehouse, Secure Facility
Filter by location tag
Filter by location tag
Target locations based on tags you’ve assigned. This is powerful for capability-based routing.Example setup:
- Action: Include
- Property: Location with tag
- Value:
high-value-certified
high-value-certified can fulfill orders matching the condition.Make sure you’ve set up location tags before using this filter.
Filter by location type
Filter by location type
Target all Warehouses or all Stores at once.Example setup:
- Action: Include
- Property: Location with type
- Value: Warehouse
Examples
High-value orders from warehouse only
A jewelry retailer wants to ensure orders over €500 are only fulfilled from their central warehouse where they have insurance verification and secure packaging.
Result: Orders over €500 are fulfilled exclusively from warehouses with proper security handling.
Bulk orders to distribution center
A wholesaler wants orders with more than 20 items to be fulfilled only from their distribution center equipped for bulk packaging.Tag your distribution center
Go to Locations and add the tag
bulk-capable to your distribution center.Gift-wrapped items from flagship stores
A fashion brand offers gift wrapping, but only flagship stores have the premium packaging materials and trained staff.Set condition (When)
- Condition: Line item has attribute
- Operator: Equal
- Attribute key:
gift_wrap - Attribute value:
true
Remember: with Line item has attribute, only the specific items matching the attribute are constrained. Other items in the same cart can be fulfilled from any location.
Exclude small stores from large orders
A retailer has small urban stores with limited inventory and packing space. Orders with more than 5 items should skip these locations.
Result: Orders with more than 5 items skip small stores and are routed to larger locations or warehouses.
Best practices
Use quantity for operational limits
Set quantity thresholds based on what your locations can realistically pack and ship in a timely manner.
Use amount for risk management
Route high-value orders to locations with proper insurance, security, and verification processes.
Use attributes for special handling
Leverage line item attributes for personalization, gift services, or custom requirements that need specific capabilities.
Test with Draft status
Create rules in Draft mode first, verify the logic with test orders, then activate.
Troubleshooting
High-value orders see 'no shipping options'
High-value orders see 'no shipping options'
This means all locations with stock are blocked for orders meeting the amount threshold.Check:
- Does at least one allowed location have all products in stock?
- Is your amount threshold in the correct currency?
- Are there conflicting rules blocking all locations?
Line item attribute rule doesn't apply
Line item attribute rule doesn't apply
Check:
- Is the rule status set to Active?
- Is the attribute key spelled exactly right (case-sensitive)?
- Is the attribute actually being set on the line item? Check the cart/checkout payload.
- If using “Equal”, does the value match exactly?
Rule applies when it shouldn't
Rule applies when it shouldn't
Check:
- Is the operator correct? (“Greater Than” vs “Greater Than Or Equal”)
- For amounts, are you using the right currency value?
- For quantities, remember it’s total items, not unique products