Configuration: Legacy Dynamic Pricing

Setup Checklist

This section is a comprehensive and high level summary of all tasks and prerequisites required for this feature to function properly. This section is purposed for use after an administrator is familiar with configuring this feature as an “audit” checklist. For detailed set-up instructions, jump down to “Prerequisite Tasks” and “Detailed Setup Guide” and then follow up with this checklist to ensure all steps are completed.

Prerequisite Tasks

This section describes all requirements that must be completed before you can begin setting up this feature. Once these tasks are complete continue to the next section.

POS Tasks

1. Follow the standard product setup requirements from Configuration: Product Shell.

   1. If you are selling these products onsite, you’ll want to set up pricing for these products so that you can leverage whatever demand based pricing your POS makes available for on-site sales (i.e. Pricing Seasons in RTP|One)

Commerce Tasks

1. Configure Core Product

Before dynamically pricing a product, ensure the following is true:

• The product is fully set up and prepared for dynamic pricing:

  1. The attribute “Start Date” has been added with “[Date] [Dynamic]” added to the Text Prompt field and the control type is “Date picker”.

  2. If utilizing the large pricing calendar view then all required attributes have the text prompt [Pricing Calendar]

  3. 

     All attributes and values are configured on the product, and the product attribute combination table is built out fully and perfectly. Ensure the attribute combination table has all necessary attribute combinations and there are no unnecessary rows or duplicates before proceeding.

     1. If the attribute is required to book the core product, such as Age and Number of Days, it is a Required attribute. 

     2. If the attribute is an add-on attribute and does not impact the price or SKU (RTP|One product header) of the core product, it should not be Required and should not be present in the attribute combination table. (e.g. An add-on rental to a ticket or lesson should not be required or included in the product attribute combination table.)

  4. The SKUs have been entered in the product attribute combination table.

     1. Only combinations that require dynamic pricing show in the combination table. Add-ons should not be included in the combinations. 

2. Add Product Classification(s)

• Go to Aspenware Commerce > Product Classifications and click Add assignment.

• Select the product you created above.

• Scroll to ‘Dynamic Pricing Days to Arrival’ and click the Assign checkbox.

• Optionally if you’d like to show the large pricing calendar view, scroll to ‘Show pricing calendar view’ and click Assign checkbox.

• Optionally if the product has inventory controls and is a multi-day product, you’ll want to allow consecutive multi-day selections. If this is not necessary for your product, skip to the next step.

  • If you’d like to require consecutive multi-day selection, scroll to ‘Is Consecutive Multi-Day Product’ and click Assign checkbox.

• Optionally if the product has inventory controls and is a single-day only product in your POS, but you want to allow guests to select multiple single-day options on a calendar and check out with multiple date bookings as if it’s a single “cart item” online, you’ll want to allow non-consecutive multi-day selections. If this is not necessary for your product, skip to the next step.

  • If you’d like to require consecutive multi-day selection, scroll to ‘Is Non-Consecutive Multi-Day Product’ and click Assign checkbox.

• Click Add.

3. Optional Product Setup

The following steps are optional but are commonly used for dynamically priced products.

• Set up inventory pools for the product. See Inventory Configuration for instructions.

• Add reloadable media for the product. See Pass Media Reload Configuration for instructions.

• Set up [Cutoff Days] and/or [Cutoff Time] in product attributes if you'd like to limit the availability of products within a certain number of days/hours from purchase.

Settings for this Feature

This feature may require updates to the following settings, language strings and/or HTML Widgets. Learn more about how to update and create Settings, Language Strings, and HTML widgets follow the links to the respective section.

Settings

See Store-wide Settings (All settings) Library for the latest up-to-date settings, examples, and configuration.

Setting	Use	Image example (click to enlarge)
CatalogSettings.DynamicPricingCalendar.PricingCountMessageThreshold	For dynamically priced products utilizing the large calendar view, if the number of products left at the current pricing tier is less than this setting amount, then a message will display notifying guests of how many products are left at the current tier’s price. (note: this setting’s messaging will be replaced with low inventory messaging if the minimum quantity setting “shoppingcartsettings.minimumquantity.quantitymessage” is triggered)
catalogsettings.dynamicpricingcalendar.inventorymessagethreshold	For products utilizing the large calendar view and inventory pools, if the number of available reservations is less than this setting amount, then a message will display notifying guests of low availability.
seasonsettings.startdate	Defines the first day that date-based products are available for reservation. Note: If you operate multiple stores through Aspenware Commerce then this setting is required to be set for “All stores” and each individual store may have a unique setting if desired.	n/a
seasonsettings.enddate	Defines the last day that date-based products are available for reservation. Note: If you operate multiple stores through Aspenware Commerce then this setting is required to be set for “All stores” and each individual store may have a unique setting if desired.	n/a

If you are adding the Dynamic Pricing Savings Display to the PDP, you have the ability to show and hide the amount remaining beneath the savings display. Resorts on 2.16 or later will have the amount remaining automatically enabled. If you care to disable this feature follow the instructions below:

• Go to Configuration > Languages > Edit

• Scroll to the bottom and add the language string Resource Name shown in the table below

Resource Name	Value	Location	Example
unity.dynamicpricing.inventoryremaining	Only {CountRemaining} left on this date	Shopping Cart

• Add the text you would like displayed beneath the price on the PDP in the Value field making sure to keep the {CountRemaining} token which will display the inventory # remaining (in the above example {CountRemaining} = 614

• Select Add new record.

Detailed Setup Guide

1. Create Pricing Season(s) - (Optional)

2. Configure Season Type(s) - (Optional)

3. Assign Season Type to product - (Optional)

4. Configure Products for Dynamic Pricing

5. Price Product Using Pricing Tool

6. Export/Import Excel Pricing Spreadsheet

7. (Optional) Add Dynamic Pricing Savings Display to PDP

1. Create Pricing Seasons - (Optional)

Pricing Seasons are created so that dates can be blocked together when updating pricing for a product in the dynamic pricing tool. These should be set up prior to pricing the product. Pricing seasons are assigned to pricing season types that are assigned to products. 

• Go to Aspenware Commerce Plugins > Dynamic Pricing

  • Click Seasons (button in the upper right corner) and specify:

    • Name: Enter the name for the season (ie: weekends, weekdays, winter season 20/21, etc)

    • Display Order: (optional) used to determine the display order in Admin.

    • Season Type: Leave blank for now, will be added in step 2.

  • Click Add.

    

  • Select Set Dates beside the newly created season (table is organized by display order).
    

    

  • Navigate to the first month and year with dates included in this season. Highlight the appropriate dates in the left column. 

    1. Select multiple dates in a row using the Shift key; select multiple non-consecutive dates using the Command key on a Mac and Control on a PC. When all the desired dates in the month are selected, select the > arrow key in the center of the modal. 

  • Continue for each month within the season you are planning to have sales for and when complete, select Save. 

  • Season names, display orders, season types can be edited and de-activated/activated by selecting Edit. To edit dates, select Set Dates. 
    

    

2. Configure Season Type(s) - (Optional)

“Season Types” group seasons together to assign to products (e.g. a Summer 20/21 Season Type may be assigned to all summer products and include a Summer Weekdays Season and a Summer Weekends Season.)

• Go to Aspenware Commerce > Dynamic Pricing > Seasons

• Click Seasons (button in the upper right corner)

• Click Season Types (button in the upper right corner)

• Specify the Season Type Name and click Add.
  

  

• Once the Season Type is created Click Seasons (button in the upper right corner).

• Find all seasons that correspond with the Season Type, select Edit, and update the Season Type.

3. Assign Season Type to Product - (Optional)

• Go to Aspenware Commerce > Dynamic Pricing > Seasons > Season Types > Assign Products to Season Types

• Select the desired Product

• Select the Season Type

• Click Add

4. Configure Products for Dynamic Pricing

Setup Override Windows

• On the Seasons page, click Dynamic Pricing and search for the desired product.

• Select Edit Override Windows within the desired product’s row.
  

  

  1. Days to arrival windows are defined here (e.g. rules like unique pricing for day-of purchasers, within 48-hour purchasers, outside of 48 hours, etc.)

• Override Window setup depends on pricing window rules. Specify the following for all of the days to arrival windows for the product:

  1. Window Title: Enter a descriptive name for the window (ie: “Day of Pricing”)

  2. Display order: Set to 101 for the window that is closest to the start date, 102 for the next furthest window out, and so on. For example, 101 for Day of Pricing, then 102 for the 7 days out until the day before pricing, 103 for the 14 days to 8 days before pricing, etc. 100 or any lesser number should not be set as “Base” will appear automatically and is reserved for 100. The order of the windows matters greatly, so follow these instructions exactly.

  3. Days out start: This is the number of days from the arrival date when the pricing will apply. For example, if setting up an ‘outside of 48 hours’ window, set this to 2 and it will apply two days out from the arrival date if there isn’t a more specific (closer to arrival date) level set that applies to the reservation date. 

  4. Days out end: Set to 100000. Do not set this to a value higher than 100000.

  5. Track Quantity: Check this for all override windows. Checking this will cause the Type drop-down to appear.

  6. Type: select ‘Price’, do not select 'Percent.' 

  7. Click Add.

• Once all Override Windows are added, and if you are not using tiered pricing, the product can be priced. (If you are using Tiers scroll down to the “Setup Pricing Tiers (Optional)” section.)

Setup Pricing Tiers (Optional)

Tiers can be used to set limited quantities at discounted pricing.

Go to Aspenware Commerce > Dynamic Pricing > Search for your product > and click Edit Tiers.

• Tier Title: enter “Tier 1” for the initial tier customers will buy from

• Description: enter “Tier 1” for the initial tier customers will buy from

• Display Order: enter “1” for the initial tier customers will buy from

• Then click Add.

Repeat this process by adding “+1” for each required tier. In the example below products will sell through tier 1 then through tier 2.

5. Price Product Using Pricing Tool

• Go to Aspenware Commerce > Dynamic Pricing in Admin.

• Search for the product using the Product name field (e.g. type “ticket” to find lift tickets).

• Find the desired product’s row and click Edit Pricing. 
  

  

Set Base Pricing

Base pricing is used to show the %savings the customer is receiving by buying online. Configuring base pricing is required.

1. Select the attributes listed under “Select Product Variant(s)”

• Select multiple attribute values in a selection using the Shift key; select multiple non-consecutive values using the Command key on a Mac and Control on a PC.

• If your product has conditional attributes, they will be able to be priced, but you have to make a selection in each attribute selection (even if it is not valid for the combination you are pricing) in order to price attributes.

• Reminder, if you use a checkbox as a control type on your core product for any required attribute, it will not work. These must be set as Radio button control type.

2. Ensure “Base” is Selected

3. Click Show Schedule

4. Choose your Season under “Select Season”

5. Check off the attributes to price in the calendar

6. Click the button that matches the name of your Season Type

In the pop-up enter the price that will be used as the base price aka ‘window rate’ and click Update.

Repeat this process if you have additional Seasons that need to be priced for. You can also “dummy” price the entire season and use an Excel spreadsheet to change pricing which is covered in step 6 below.

Optionally, individual date(s) can also be modified by selecting the date(s) on the calendar then clicking Edit Date Range. There is also a “Month View” toggle on the calendar that can be used to see a wider set of date ranges.

Set Override Pricing

Override pricing is the price that guests will purchase the product at. This is where pricing window prices are set, tier pricing is set, and each tier's quantities to be sold are set.

1. Select the attributes listed under “Select Product Variant(s)”.

• Select multiple attribute values in a selection using the Shift key; select multiple non-consecutive values using the Command key on a Mac and Control on a PC.

• If your product has conditional attributes, they will be able to be priced, but you have to make a selection in each attribute selection (even if it is not valid for the combination you are pricing) in order to price attributes.

• Reminder, if you use a checkbox as a control type on your core product for any required attribute, it will not work. These must be set as Radio button control type.

2. Ensure “Override” is Selected

3. Select the Pricing Windows

4. Click Show Schedule

5. Choose the Season under “Select Season”

6. Check off the attributes to price in the calendar

7. Click the button that has the name of the Season Type

In the pop-up window complete the following:

Price: this is the price that customers will pay based on the override window

Quantity: enter 10,000. If sales surpass this number then products will be sold for $0. (see BLUE highlighted area in screenshot below).

If you are using tiers complete the following for each tier:

$: enter the price for this tier

#: enter the quantity to be sold at this tier (see GREEN and BLACK highlighted areas in the screenshot below)

Once all fields are completed click Update

Repeat this process if you have additional Seasons that need to be priced for. You can also “dummy” price the entire season and use an Excel spreadsheet to change pricing which is covered in step 6 below.

Optionally, individual date(s) can also be modified by selecting the date(s) on the calendar then clicking Edit Date Range. There is also a “Month View” toggle on the calendar that can be used to see a wider set of date ranges.

6. Export/Import Excel Pricing Spreadsheet

If using multiple tiers and override windows it is recommended to use Aspenware’s Import Pricing upload to manage pricing. Importing pricing works for all variations of dynamically priced products, including products with tiers restricting the quantity of certain prices, override windows, and more.

Once a product is “dummy priced,” or priced with real values, the pricing export can be download and re-imported.

• Go to Aspenware Commerce > Import Pricing search for the desired product using the product name, category, or both. 

• If the product is set up with tiered pricing, there will be two buttons under Import Pricing. Products that have tiers require downloading and uploading two separate spreadsheets.

Import Pricing (button): This will be used whether the product has tiers or not. If tiers are not set up on a product, this is the only option you will see. Use this link to import pricing for Base pricing, and all Override pricing.

Import Tiered Pricing (button): Only visible if the product has tiered pricing setup. Use this button to price tiers and input available quantities for each tier.

1. Click Import Pricing button > then under the “Download” header complete the following:

2. Start Date: enter earliest date you want to update

3. End Date: enter the last date you want to update

4. Click Prepare Import Spreadsheet

When the export is done, the spreadsheet will look similar to the image below. Find the variant(s),  override window combination(s), and date(s) you wish to update. Then update the price, setting the inventory using rules outlined below.

Once the pricing spreadsheet updates are completed and saved in a CSV format, it can now be uploaded.

Go to Aspenware Commerce > Import Pricing search for the desired product using the product name, category or both. 

1. Click Import Pricing button > then under the “Download” header complete the following:

2. Start Date: enter earliest date you want to update

3. End Date: enter the last date you want to update

4. Click Import Pricing Spreadsheet

5. Click Ok

• If the product being priced doesn’t have tiers, the import is complete. Be sure to check the product in the Dynamic Pricing plugin to ensure prices were properly updated as expected. 

Tier Import Pricing

• To prepare the Import Tiered Pricing (WITH tiers), follow the same steps as above, however, define the “available inventory” quantity to have the inventory that is available at that price before the price bumps to the next tier. 

7. (Optional) Add a Pricing Savings Display to the PDP

Detailed Setup Guide

To show an old price on a product that is dynamically priced follow the instructions below:

• Go to Catalog > Products > Select your product.

• Select the Advanced tab at the top of the product admin page.

• Scroll to the Price widget.

• Type the price that you would like your product to be compared to in the Old Price field.