Free Product from Particular Category

I need to create a coupon code that when applied will provide a 100% discount to any product from a particular category. I can't seem to figure out the correct triggers.

It only must be applied to one product, if another product or multiple quantities of a product from that category is added to cart it will be charged as normal.

Thanks

take a look at this thread, especially posts 5 & 6

showthread.php?t=15712

it may help

Hi Craig, thanks for the response. I can't quite wrap my head around how to apply this to a coupon?

I have an dynamic coupon system in place already that is a straight forward % off with expiration date.

Not sure what the correct trigger combinations in the discount tab should be.

well, you will need to add a category column to the cart object to be able to trigger the discount, you will also need to have a discountAmount column. in the add to cart button, you will need to assign the discount amount column to be the same as the price, and assign the category to the category column.

the discount amount column should only be given a value for items the discount should apply to.

lets the category to apply the discount to is 3 for example sakes:

for the trigger, you will use your basic trigger for applying a discount code, based on the session value, but you will need to add a second trigger as well:

AND
Number of Items with a specific column value-
if the total number of items where 'category' has a value of '3' is '=' a value of '1'


for the calculation, use:
based on column subtotal-
subtotal for column 'discountAmount' 'plus' '0'

Thanks, Jason the "discountAmount" column was the missing ingredient.

It works fine when the coupon is applied to one item, but if another item from the same category is added to cart, the free item discount disappears?

Also, if other items from other categories are added to cart it discounts the entire column subtotal...

yes, that is how you said you wanted it to work:

  It only must be applied to one product, if another product or multiple quantities of a product from that category is added to cart it will be charged as normal.  

perhaps I missed something? i read that as meaning that the discount only applies if one item in the category is in the cart, if a second item in the category is in the cart, the discount does not apply, if that is not the case, change the trigger to

AND
Number of Items with a specific column value-
if the total number of items where 'category' has a value of '3' is '>=' a value of '1'

if the discount applies when multiple items are in the cart, then the discountAmount column cannot be used, you will need to hard code the discount amount, it cannot be dynamic.

Sorry, it was poorly worded.

The first item added is free, all other items added after that would be charged as normal.

ok, so the trigger needs to be:
AND
Number of Items with a specific column value-
if the total number of items where 'category' has a value of '3' is '>=' a value of '1'



and the discount will need to be hard coded, you wont be able to do the discount amount dynamically without significant hand coding to loop through the cart and find the price for the first item in that category.