> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://help.dollarlabs.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://help.dollarlabs.io/dollarback-store-credit/spending-store-credit-and-rewards/cart-groups-and-redemption-rules.md).

# Cart groups, redemption rules & rejection messages

Every discount card on a [marketplace reward](/dollarback-store-credit/spending-store-credit-and-rewards/set-up-the-reward-marketplace.md) carries its own eligibility engine: **cart groups** name the parts of the cart you care about, **redemption rules** decide when the code can be used, and **rejection messages** are what the customer reads at checkout when it can't. This page covers all three.

## Cart groups: name the parts of the cart

A cart group is a named selection of cart lines. Groups do two jobs: they scope *conditions* ("the customer must have $50 of serums in the cart") and, for product discounts, they scope the *target* ("the discount applies to the serums").

* Click **Add cart group** on a discount card.
* **Name** the group (e.g. "Premium products"). Customers see this name in reward descriptions and checkout messages, so write it for shoppers, not for yourself.
* **Select by**: **Products**, **Collections**, or **Variants**, then pick the items. Switching the kind clears the previous selection. A group with nothing selected matches every line.

The list always starts with **All (default)**, the built-in group that matches the entire cart. With no groups of your own, discounts and conditions simply work cart-wide.

## Discount applies to (product discounts)

A product discount with no cart groups applies to all products. Once you've created groups, the **Discount applies to** selector chooses which group's lines actually receive the discount: **All products** or one named group.

Groups and targets are independent: a condition can test one group while the discount targets another. "Spend $50 on Cleanse & Prep, get 20% off Treat & Restore" is two groups, one condition, one target.

## Redemption rules: when the code can be used

With no rules, a code can always be redeemed. Rules gate it. Each **rule** is a small card holding one or more **conditions**; click **Add rule** to create one, **Add condition** to grow it.

Each condition has four parts:

| Part         | Options                                                                                              |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Scope**    | **Whole cart**, or any cart group you've created                                                     |
| **Property** | **Subtotal**, **Quantity**, or **Distinct products**                                                 |
| **Operator** | **is at least (≥)**, **is more than (>)**, **is at most (≤)**, **is fewer than (<)**, **equals (=)** |
| **Value**    | The threshold. Subtotals are measured in your store currency.                                        |

Two AND/OR switches control how things combine:

* **Within a rule**: AND means every condition in the rule must pass; OR means at least one must.
* **Between rules**: when you have several rules, a second AND/OR pill decides whether all rules must pass or any one of them is enough.

That two-level structure covers most real gating. A minimum order value is one rule with one condition (Whole cart · Subtotal · is at least · 50). "Either $100 in the cart OR 3 serums" is two rules joined by OR.

### Worked example

To require $50 of skincare before a "20% off serums" code works:

1. Create cart group "Skincare" (a collection) and cart group "Serums" (selected products).
2. Set **Discount applies to** → Serums.
3. Add a rule with one condition: Scope **Skincare** · **Subtotal** · **is at least (≥)** · **50**.

The customer preview's "Redeem terms" section restates your rules in plain language, so you can sanity-check what shoppers will be told.

## Rejection messages: what customers see when a code doesn't apply

When a code fails its rules at checkout, Shopify shows the shopper a message you control. The **Rejection messages** panel (right column of the Reward marketplace page) holds one template per failure case. These are global: every reward shares them.

| Case                                | Default message                                           | When it shows                                                                 |
| ----------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Minimum spend not met**           | Spend {short} more from {group} to use {reward}.          | A subtotal condition failed                                                   |
| **Minimum quantity not met**        | Add {short} more item(s) from {group} to use {reward}.    | An item-count condition failed                                                |
| **Minimum unique products not met** | Add {short} more product(s) from {group} to use {reward}. | A distinct-products condition failed                                          |
| **Expired code**                    | This code expired on {expiry}.                            | The code's baked-in expiry has passed                                         |
| **No eligible items**               | Your cart has no items eligible for {reward}.             | The cart has no products the reward applies to                                |
| **Other requirement not met**       | {reward} can't be applied to your cart yet.               | Fallback for conditions without a "needs more" amount (e.g. "at most" limits) |

Variables fill in automatically: `{code}` `{reward}` `{expiry}` `{required}` `{have}` `{short}` `{group}`. The most useful are `{short}` (how much is still needed), `{group}` (the cart group's customer-facing name), and `{reward}` (the reward's title). This is why group names matter: "Add 2 more product(s) from Skincare" reads well; "(unnamed group)" doesn't.

## Tips

* **Name every group.** Group names surface in reward descriptions and rejection messages.
* **Prefer "at least" conditions.** They produce helpful "add {short} more" messages; "at most" and "equals" fall back to the generic message.
* **Keep rules per class in mind.** Cart groups and rules live on each discount card, so a reward granting a product and an order discount can gate each differently.
* **Test the unhappy path.** Claim a reward with a cart that fails the rules and read the checkout message a customer would see.

## Related articles

* [Set up the reward marketplace](/dollarback-store-credit/spending-store-credit-and-rewards/set-up-the-reward-marketplace.md)
* [Discount combination rules](/dollarback-store-credit/spending-store-credit-and-rewards/discount-combination-rules.md)
* [A reward discount code isn't working](/dollarback-store-credit/troubleshooting-and-faq/reward-discount-code-isnt-working.md)
* [Reward discount codes instead of store credit](/dollarback-store-credit/earning-cashback-programs/reward-discount-codes-instead-of-store-credit.md)