How does GWP work with Shopify’s native discounts?

Introduction

When you create a Gift With Purchase (GWP) promotion in Roadmap, the app automatically generates a Shopify discount code in the background. This ensures Shopify’s checkout system can process the free gift correctly.

👉 You don’t need to create or manage these codes yourself — Roadmap handles all the logic, parameters, and automatic product addition for you.

How It Works

1. Rule Setup in Roadmap
   • You define the conditions for your GWP (spend threshold, Buy X Get Y, etc.).
2. Automatic Shopify Discount Creation
   • Roadmap generates a matching discount code in Shopify’s native Discounts area.
   • This code ensures Shopify recognizes the free gift as a $0 product in checkout.
   • Merchants don’t need to share or expose this code to customers.
3. Gift Automatically Added to Cart
   • When conditions are met, Roadmap adds the gift product directly into the cart.
   • Customers never have to apply a code — it all happens automatically.
4. Checkout & Order Processing
   • The hidden discount code is applied to the order behind the scenes.
   • Customers see the free gift as a line item with a $0 price.

Key Points to Know

• ✅ Codes are created automatically
  • Roadmap manages discount codes in Shopify’s backend.
  • You’ll see them listed in the Discounts section, but they don’t require merchant or customer interaction.
• ✅ No customer friction
  • Customers don’t need to enter codes — gifts just appear in the cart.
• ✅ Safe to run alongside other promotions
  • Since Roadmap manages its own codes, you can still use Shopify discount codes (e.g., WELCOME10) on top of GWPs.
• ⚠️ Shopify automatic discount limits still apply
  • Shopify only allows one native automatic discount at a time.
  • Roadmap bypasses this by managing GWP discounts directly, but stacking Shopify discounts should be planned carefully.

Example

• You create a GWP rule: Spend $100 → Get a free tote bag.
• Roadmap:
  • Creates a hidden Shopify discount for the tote bag.
  • Automatically adds the tote bag to the customer’s cart when they hit $100.
• Customer:
  • Sees the tote bag in the cart at $0.
  • Doesn’t need to enter or even know about the discount code.

Common Questions

• Do I need to create my own Shopify discount codes?
  • No — Roadmap handles this automatically whenever you create a GWP.
• Will customers see the code?
  • No — codes are applied in the background. Customers just see the free gift at $0.
• Can I delete the Roadmap-created discounts from Shopify?
  • No — these are required for GWPs to work. Roadmap manages them automatically.
• Can customers use a Shopify discount code alongside a GWP?
  • Yes — normal discount codes (like “WELCOME10”) can still be applied at checkout.

Cross-Feature Links

• What types of GWPs and discounts can I create?
• How do I create a Gift With Purchase promotion?
• How do GWPs and discounts appear in Analytics?

Summary

Roadmap’s GWPs integrate with Shopify’s native discounts by automatically creating hidden discount codes in the background. These codes ensure Shopify processes free gifts correctly at checkout, but customers never need to see or enter them. Roadmap handles the entire process — from creating the discount to adding the product to the cart — giving customers a seamless experience.