Add Free Item to Order

You can automatically add a free product to an order by attaching the action to a Tag Order Rule. This is useful for promos, free gifts, add-ons, samples, and similar workflows.

This is a beta feature. It is not available in the app UI yet. Contact us and we will attach it to your rule for you.

How it works

1. You create a Tag Order rule with the conditions you want (ex: specific SKU in the order, shipping country, order tag, etc).
2. When Order Automator processes an order and that rule matches, the app adds your free item to the order.
3. The rule's normal tag action still runs as usual, adding the free item is an extra action on the same rule.

You can see what happened in the order's Order Automator log on the order details page in Shopify.

Request this feature

Email support@orderautomator.com or use the in-app contact form.

Create and test your Tag Order rule first (conditions, tag, enabled/disabled, New order vs Order update). Once the rule works the way you want, send us the details below and we will attach the free item action.

What to send us

Required:

• Rule name: the exact name of the Tag Order rule in Order Automator (as shown in your rules list)
• SKU: the SKU of the product variant to add as the free item

Optional (include if relevant):

• Quantity: defaults to 1  if not specified
• Match fulfillment location: if you use multiple locations and want the free item assigned to the same location as the product that triggered the rule, let us know. By default, Shopify chooses the fulfillment location.
• Notes: anything else we should know about your setup (ex: upsell flows, order edits after checkout, specific locations)

Example request:

Please add the free item action to my rule "1st Time Customer".

Add SKU FREE_RECIPE_BOOK_01 with quantity 1.

Please match the fulfillment location of the triggering product.

What happens when the rule triggers

When the rule matches on a qualifying order:

• The free item is added to the order
• A success message appears in the Order Automator log (ex: "Variant added to order")
• If location matching is enabled, the item is assigned to the triggering line item's fulfillment location when possible

The item is not added when:

If location matching is enabled and the item is added but Shopify does not allow a location change afterward, the item may still be on the order at a different location. The log will show a warning.

Important notes

• Rule must match first: the free item is only added when your rule conditions match. Use the Rule Tester on the rule to confirm conditions before requesting the action.
• New order vs Order update: choose the rule event that fits your workflow. If orders are edited after checkout (ex: post-purchase upsells), an Order update rule may be needed.
• Archived orders: free items are not added to archived orders, even if the rule matches.
• Duplicates: if the variant is already on the order, the app will not add it again.
• Inventory: the variant must be available in Shopify. With location matching enabled, stock must be available at the target location.
• Pricing: the item is added as a line item on the order. Make sure the product you select is priced $0 so the gift added is not an actual product that you need to collect payment for again.

Testing

After we attach the action:

1. Open the rule and use the Rule Tester to confirm the rule matches your test order.
2. Process a single test order via Order Automations > Batch Process (see Testing Orders).
3. Check the order in Shopify, confirm the line item was added and review the Order Automator log.

Use a real test order that matches your rule conditions. The Rule Tester confirms matching only; it does not add the item.

Troubleshooting

The tag applied but the free item was not added

• Check the Order Automator log on the order for the reason.
• Confirm the order was not archived when the rule ran.
• Confirm the variant is not already on the order.
• If you use location matching, confirm the free item has stock at the triggering product's location.

The rule didn't trigger at all

• See Troubleshooting Tag Rules.
• If the order is edited after checkout, add a processing delay on the Dashboard or use an Order update rule.

The item was added to the wrong location

• Contact us: we can enable location matching on the rule so the free item follows the triggering product's fulfillment location.

Related articles

• Tag Orders
• Troubleshooting Tag Rules
• Testing Orders
• How Order Automator Works