This article explains in detail how to restrict specific products in Shopify so that they cannot be purchased individually. This setting encourages customers to purchase a specific product together with other products, helping to prevent unintended purchases.
Specifically, we'll introduce the steps for setting up bundle restrictions using the RuffRuff Order Limits app, and show you how to efficiently implement flexible sales methods tailored to your business needs.
What Does "No Individual Purchases" Mean?
In this article, we define "no individual purchases" as restricting a specific product so that it cannot be purchased on its own, and can only be purchased together with other products.
For example, if Apparel Product A and Apparel Product B both exist, Product A alone cannot be purchased, but if Product A and Product B are both in the cart together, the purchase is possible.
This "no individual purchases" setting is useful when you have products—such as sample items or free gifts—that you don't want customers to be able to purchase on their own.
Recommended Shopify App for Preventing Individual Purchases
RuffRuff Order Limits
RuffRuff Order Limits is a Shopify app that lets you implement quantity limits, amount limits, weight limits, bundle limits, customer limits, payment limits, delivery limits, and access limits — all within a single app.
By using this app, you can implement the following types of bundle restrictions:
✔ Cannot be bundled with other products
✔ Can only be bundled with variations within the same product
✔ Can only be bundled with products from the same vendor
✔ Can only be bundled with products in the same collection
✔ Can only be bundled with products within the same rule, though novelty items are allowed
✔ Cannot be purchased individually
The blog article below introduces how to implement various bundle restrictions using RuffRuff Order Limits. Please use it as a reference.
How to Set Up "No Individual Purchases" with RuffRuff Order Limits
This section walks through the steps from installing the app to implementing a restriction where "a specific product can only be purchased together with other products."
The page below is a demo product configured with the same settings described in this article. Please check out the actual behavior.
Preparation: Install the App and Enable the App Embed
(1) Install RuffRuff Order Limits from the Shopify App Store
You can find "RuffRuff Order Limits" by searching for "ruffruff" in the Shopify App Store.
(2) Open the app and select "Pricing Plans" from the left menu
Using the app may require a paid plan. Subscribe to an appropriate app plan based on your business scale and required features.
(3) Click "Change Plan" for the plan you want to subscribe to
(4) Review the plan details and click "Approve"
(5) Go to "Online Store" from the Shopify admin
(6) Select "Themes" and click "Customize"
(7) Select "App embeds" on the left side of the screen
(8) Enable the app embed named "RuffRuff Order Limits"
(9) Click "Save"
Step 1: Create a Bundle Rule
Once you've upgraded your plan, set up a bundle rule. Use the bundle rule to define "what kind of bundle restriction to apply to a specific product."
(1) Select "Bundle rules" in the app
(2) Click "Create rule"
(3) Enter any rule name you like in Title
(4) Select "Complementary" for Bundle limit level
(5) Select the products (or collections) you want to restrict in Eligible items
(6) Add any desired content to the product message and alert message
(7) Click "Save"
Step 2: Check the Behavior
Access the product you configured and verify that it behaves as set in the bundle rule.
Verify That the Product Message Is Displayed
Access the target product and check whether the product message content set in the bundle rule is displayed. If it is displayed, everything is working correctly.
Try to Purchase the Target Product Alone
Next, let's add only the target product to the cart and proceed to the checkout page.
Since the setting prevents individual purchases, verify that an alert message is displayed and the purchase is blocked. If the alert message is displayed, everything is working correctly.
Try to Purchase with Another Product Included
Finally, let's add another product besides the target product to the cart and proceed to the checkout page. If no alert message is displayed, everything is working correctly.
In Conclusion
By following the steps above, you have completed the setup to prevent a specific product from being purchased on its own. With this setting, customers must purchase it together with other products, effectively preventing unintended purchases.
You can verify that the setting is working correctly by actually adding only the target product to the cart and proceeding to the checkout page. If the alert message is displayed, that is proof the setting was configured successfully. If not, you will need to review the setting again.
By making use of RuffRuff Order Limits, let's build a more effective sales strategy.
