Overview

The Promotions (Promos) module manages all discount-based offers and campaigns across Expian.

Promotions define how, when, and where discounts apply, whether automatically triggered or manually activated with a promo code.

Configuring promotions correctly ensures that pricing remains consistent across all channels, marketing campaigns run seamlessly, and customers always receive the correct discount during checkout. It also prevents overlapping offers, conflicting rules, and the risk of incorrect pricing being published.

Promos can target:

• Individual cart items (e.g., a per-ticket or per-add-on discount), or
• Whole-cart discounts (e.g., 10% off the entire booking).

Description Tab

The Description Tab defines the main identifiers and descriptive details for each promotion.

Accurate, consistent naming makes it easier for teams to track and manage campaigns across the Admin Portal, reports, and external marketing tools.

Fields include:

• External ID: Unique system identifier used for reporting and API calls.
• Name: Display name of the promotion (e.g., 3 for 2, 10% Off).
• Short Name (optional): Used for internal labels or reporting fields.
• Description: Optional field outlining the promotion’s purpose, audience, or terms.

Promo Settings Tab

The Promo Settings Tab controls how and when a promotion activates.

This configuration determines whether the offer applies automatically or is triggered manually via a promo code, and whether it affects individual products or an entire basket. Getting this right ensures offers behave predictably across all sales channels.

Fields include:

• Promotion Type:
• Individual cart items: applies to selected tickets or add-ons.
• Whole cart: applies to the entire basket (only activated by promo code).
• Promotion Activation:
• Yes, apply automatically: applies as soon as qualifying items are added.
• No, promo code required: activates when the customer enters a code.
• Define Promo Code: Enter the text code customers will use (e.g., 3FOR2, SUMMER10).
  

Linked Products Tab

The Linked Products Tab determines which products are eligible for the promotion and how discounts are applied.

This is where ticket types, thresholds, and percentage or fixed-value discounts are defined. Careful setup ensures discounts are applied exactly as intended, and that marketing offers align with operational and financial rules.

Configuration includes:

• Products Linked to Promotion: Select eligible products from the dropdown.
• Discount Description: Optional text for internal clarity or customer-facing use.
• Discount Options:
• Discount per ticket: applies to each eligible ticket.
• Discount repeats per max limit: resets the discount after the defined threshold.
• Quantity Range:Min / Max Required Ticket Quantity: defines the range of tickets required to activate the promotion.
• Discount Type:Fixed (£) or percentage (%) discount per ticket.

Example:

For a 3 for 2 offer:

• Adult ticket - Minimum 2, full price.
• Child ticket - Minimum 1, 100% discount.
• This setup ensures that when three tickets are added, one is free.
  

Linked Add-ons Tab

The Linked Add-ons Tab allows discounts to be applied to optional extras such as parking, food, or merchandise.

This enables targeted promotions that encourage upsells or bundle-style offers without needing separate ticket-level promos.

Configuration includes:

• Add-on Linked to Promotion: Select eligible add-ons.
• Discount per Add-on Option: Apply the discount to each selected add-on.
• Quantity Range: Set minimum and maximum quantities required to activate the discount.
• Discount Amount: Define the fixed or percentage discount.

Purchase & Channel Limits Tab

The Purchase & Channel Limits Tab defines when and where the promotion is available.

This controls availability periods, usage limits, and which markets or sales channels can access the offer, ensuring that campaigns are consistent, time-bound, and correctly targeted.

Configuration options:

• Early Bird:
• No early bird:promotion available anytime within its active period.
• Set up early bird time period: define a pre-purchase window before the event.
• Promotion Active Dates:
• Start and end dates defining when the promotion is valid.
• Optionally restricted to specific days of the week.
• Booking Date Range:Defines when customers can book using the promotion.
• Promo Usage Limits:
• Unlimited: can be used any number of times.
• Set total purchase quantity: restricts the total number of redemptions.
• Set quantity per day/week: limits frequency of use.
• Markets & Channels:
• Choose applicable channels (Web, POS, Reservations, API, Trade, etc.)
• Select relevant markets (e.g., Historic Royal Palaces, MLA – Chelmsford).
  

Purchase & Channel Limits

Promotion & Combo Stacking Controls

When promotions and combo pricing both apply to a customer's basket, the combined discount can sometimes reduce revenue beyond what's intended. This feature gives you granular control over which combo discounts can be stacked with each promotion.

Note that configuring a specific combo here does not restrict the promotion to that combo alone. The promotion will continue to apply to all products defined within its own settings — the combo selection simply controls which combo discounts it is permitted to stack with.

In Admin → Promotions → Purchase & channel limits, a "Combine Promos with Combos" section offers three options:

• All Combos - The promotion can be applied on top of any eligible combo discount (default behaviour).
• No Combos - The promotion cannot be combined with any combo discount. If a customer's basket qualifies for a combo, the promo code will be rejected.
• Select specific Combos - Choose exactly which combos the promotion is allowed to stack with. Only eligible combos (those sharing linked products with the promotion) are shown for selection.

Key behaviours:

• This setting is available for promo code promotions. For automatically applied promotions, the system already applies whichever discount (combo or auto-promo) gives the greater saving.
• When a customer tries to apply a promo code that's excluded from their basket's combo, they see a standard "Your chosen tickets aren't eligible for this promotion" error.
• New combos are not automatically included in existing promotions set to "Select specific Combos" — they must be explicitly added. This means new combo pricing is protected by default.

History Tab

The History Tab provides a full audit trail for each promotion.

It records all key actions such as creation, edits, publications, and republishing events, along with user details and timestamps.

This ensures transparency and traceability, supporting version control and accountability.

Example 1 – '3 for 2' Offer

• Applies to Hampton Court Admission (HCP) product.
• Adult ticket: Minimum 2, full price.
• Child ticket: Minimum 1, 100% discount (free).
• Applied automatically (no promo code required).
• Valid 7 Aug 2024 – 28 Feb 2025, Monday to Sunday.
• Channels: POS, Web, Reservations.
• Market: Historic Royal Palaces.

Example 2 – '10% Off' Promotion

• Applies to all ticket types under selected products.
• Requires promo code 10OFF.
• Applies to individual cart items.
• Discount: 10% off per ticket.
• Valid for one month.
• Channel: Web only.

Best Practice

• Use clear and descriptive names for all promotions.
• Keep promo codes short, simple, and easy to remember.
• Test all configurations in a staging environment before publishing.
• Avoid overlapping date ranges or similar offers on the same products.
• Review linked products and quantities before publishing.
• Restrict promos to relevant channels and markets.
• Keep an internal record of active and expired promo codes.
• Unpublish expired promotions promptly to keep the dashboard clean.

Summary

The Promotions (Promos) module provides a flexible, centralised way to manage discounts and special offers across Expian.

It supports both simple and complex promotions, including group offers, bundle discounts, and early-bird incentives.

By defining eligibility, activation methods, and limits within a single configuration, Promos ensures consistent pricing, reduces operational errors, and allows marketing teams to deliver effective, trackable campaigns across all channels and markets.