# Commerce settings

The Settings tab: money, tax, stock, proofs, invoices, reviews, discount codes, saved carts, referrals and sales channels.

Source: https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/settings/

**Add-on**
Commerce is an add-on, so not every website has it. If it is not in
your menu, see [Add-ons](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/billing/add-ons/) to add it.

Go to **Plugins**, then **Commerce**. Click the **Settings** tab.

A row of smaller tabs sits under it:

| Tab | What it holds |
| --- | --- |
| **Store** | Money, tax, how the shop looks, stock, proofs, invoices, customer emails and reviews. |
| **Shipping** | Where you ship, what it costs, pickup and labels. See [Shipping](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/shipping/#shipping-settings). |
| **Tags** | The words that group your products. See [Products and Plans](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/products-and-plans/#tags). |
| **Discounts** | Your discount codes. See [Discounts](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/settings/#discounts). |
| **Abandoned carts** | Reminder emails for carts left at checkout. See [Abandoned carts](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/settings/#abandoned-carts). |
| **Referrals & affiliates** | Referral rewards, and the people you pay to send you buyers. See [Referrals and affiliates](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/settings/#referrals-and-affiliates). |
| **Sales channels** | Your products on Google, Facebook, Instagram and ChatGPT. See [Sales channels](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/settings/#sales-channels). |
| **Display** | Which figures and columns the panel shows. See [Reports and the dashboard](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/reports/#the-display-tab). |
| **Email templates** | The words in your customer emails. See [Customer emails](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/customer-emails/). |

## Saving

Each tab has its own **Save** and **Cancel** buttons. "Unsaved changes" shows
beside them until you save.

Click **Save** when you are done. A message reads "Settings saved." The change
reaches your live shop right away. There is nothing to publish. **Cancel** puts
back what was there before.

## Store

The **Store** tab is split into boxes, top to bottom: the Stripe box,
**Store**, **Shop display**, **Stock**, **Proofs**, **Invoices**,
**Customer emails** and **Product reviews**.

### The Stripe box

Your Stripe keys are not on this tab. The **Stripe keys →** button at the top
opens the form that holds them. See [Connect Stripe](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/connect-stripe/).

Under the button is a folded line, **View Stripe connection information**.
Click it to see how your webhook, your key and your sales tax are doing.

When something is wrong, the line ends in **needs attention**, in bold. Open it
and read the box inside.
[Connect Stripe](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/connect-stripe/#if-the-settings-tab-shows-a-different-warning)
says what each box means.

### Store

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Currency** | The money your prices are in. Three lower case letters, such as `usd`. |
| **Checkout countries** | The countries you take orders from, by the buyer's billing address. |
| **Terms of service URL** | The page buyers agree to at checkout. |
| **External product disclosure** | A line under the button on a product sold on another site. |
| **Calculate tax with Stripe Tax** | Adds sales tax to US orders, in the states you are registered in. |
| **Shop filter bar** | Filters above your shop. See [The Shop page](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/shop-page/#the-filter-bar). |
| **Rating in the shop filter bar** | Lets shoppers filter by star rating. Shows only when reviews are on. |

#### Currency

Type three lower case letters. `usd` for dollars. It starts as `usd`.

**Warning**
Change this after you have sold something and Stripe builds a fresh set of
prices. People who already pay you every month keep paying in the old money.

You would then have two sets of prices side by side. Pick your money before
your first sale, and leave it alone.

A few kinds of money are not supported. Japanese yen, Korean won and Kuwaiti
dinar all fall back to `usd`. If you need one of those, contact us.

#### Checkout countries

Two letters for each country, split by commas, like `US,CA`. Blank means the
United States only.

Checkout turns away a billing address from any other country. Add a country
here before you sell to it.

This is not the same as where you ship. That is set on the
[Shipping](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/shipping/#where-you-ship) tab.

#### Terms of service URL

Every checkout has a box the buyer must check to agree to your terms. It links
to this page. You cannot switch the box off.

It starts as `/terms-of-service`, a page that comes with your website. Type a
different address if your terms live somewhere else. Your website records when
each buyer checked the box.

#### External product disclosure

A line shown under the button on a product you list here but sell on another
site. It starts as "We may earn a commission when you buy through this link."
Blank shows no line. See
[Products and Plans](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/products-and-plans/#sold-on-another-site).

#### Calculate tax with Stripe Tax

This box is off to start with.

**Warning**
Checking this box is not enough on its own. You also need Stripe Tax switched
on in Stripe, and a live tax registration in there.

With no registration, Stripe collects no tax. The Stripe box at the top of
this tab warns you. Sales still go through, with no tax on them.

Talk to your accountant before you touch this.

[Stripe key and sales tax](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/stripe-key-and-tax/#sales-tax-us-only)
walks through both.

### Shop display

How your product cards and product pages look: columns, photo shape, products
per page, the New badge and the trust row. Each one is covered on
[The Shop page](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/shop-page/#how-the-shop-looks).

### Stock

These matter only if you count stock. See
[Products and Plans](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/products-and-plans/#stock-and-availability).

| Setting | What it does | Starts at |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Stock hold (minutes)** | How long checkout keeps items aside while the buyer pays. 30 to 1440 minutes. | `30` |
| **Most units per checkout** | The most items one buyer can hold at checkout at once. Raise it for bulk orders. | `250` |
| **Show stock counts** | Shows "261 in stock" under the price. Off, a count shows only at 10 or fewer, as "Only 3 left". | Off |
| **Show counts up to** | Above this, the page says "500+" instead of the exact count. | `500` |

A product can follow these settings, or set its own.

### Proofs

A proof is a picture of the job that the customer must OK before you make it.
It is for custom work, such as printing. Turn it on here, then check
**Requires proof approval** on each product that needs one.

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Enable digital proofs** | Turns proofs on. Off hides the **Awaiting Proof** stage. |
| **Proof step** | **Before printing** or **After printing**. Sets where **Awaiting Proof** sits among your stages. |
| **Approve automatically after** | A number, and **Hours** or **Business days**. If the customer does not answer by then, the proof is approved. Blank means never. |
| **Reminders (hours)** | Up to three, split by commas, such as `24, 2`. It starts at `24`. |

With **Approve automatically after** blank, a reminder goes that many hours
after the proof is sent. With it set, a reminder goes that many hours before
the deadline. Business days skip Saturday and Sunday.

Sending a proof and reading the answer happen on the order. See
[Orders](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/orders/#proofs).

### Invoices

These boxes set what is printed on your invoices and packing slips.

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Invoice number prefix** | Letters in front of your invoice numbers, such as `INV-`. |
| **First invoice number** | The number your invoices start counting from. |
| **Subscription number prefix** | Letters in front of your plan numbers. It starts as `SUB-`. |
| **First subscription number** | The number your plan numbers start from. |
| **Business name** | The name at the top. Blank uses your site title. |
| **Phone** | Printed under the address. Blank prints nothing. |
| **Email** | Printed under the address. It is also where replies to your customer emails go. |
| **Tax / VAT id** | Printed as "Tax ID:" and the number. Blank prints nothing. |
| **Invoice document title** | The heading on an invoice. Blank reads "Invoice". |
| **Packing slip title** | The heading on a packing slip. Blank reads "Packing slip". |
| **Address** | One line of the address per line. Blank uses the business address on your SEO page. |
| **Payment terms** | A short note under the totals, such as "Net 30". |
| **Footer** | A line at the foot of every page. |

**Invoice number prefix** is letters in front of the number. Type `INV-` and
invoice 1001 reads `INV-1001`. It is for looks only. The stored number does not
change.

**First invoice number** is where the count starts. It starts at `1001`. Set it
higher to carry on from an older system. Raising it later never renames an
invoice you have already sent.

Every plan a customer signs up for gets a number of its own, like `SUB-1001`.
It is the **Sub #** on the **Subscriptions** tab. It is a separate count from
your invoices. See [Subscriptions](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/subscriptions/).

### Customer emails

This box sets the look of the emails your customers get, and which optional
ones go out. It has its own page. See
[Customer emails](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/customer-emails/).

### Product reviews

Buyers can rate and review what they bought. Reviews are off to start with.

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Ask buyers for reviews and show them on product pages** | Turns reviews on. |
| **Ask for a review this many days after delivery** | When the email asking for a review goes out. It starts at `14`. |
| **Reminders (days after the request)** | Up to three, split by commas. It starts at `7`. Blank sends no reminder. |

The days count from the day the carrier says it arrived. With no delivery
scan, they count from the day it shipped. An order with nothing to ship counts
from the order date.

Orders that reached the customer before you turned reviews on are never asked.
So switching it on does not email all your past customers.

Only real buyers can leave a review. Each one waits for you to publish it. See
[Orders](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/orders/#product-reviews).

## Discounts

Discount codes are made here, in the panel. A buyer types one at checkout.
Codes made in Stripe do not work in your shop.

One code fits each order. A customer's referral code goes in the same box.

### Making a code

1. Click the **Discounts** tab, then **New discount code**.
2. Type the **Code**, such as `SUMMER10`. 3 to 24 letters and numbers. Buyers
   can type it in any case.
3. Pick **What it does**: **Percent off**, **Amount off** or
   **Free shipping**.
4. Type the **Percent off** or **Amount off**.
5. Fill in any limits you want. See the table below.
6. Pick what it **Applies to**: **Everything in the order**,
   **Chosen products** or **Chosen categories**.
7. Click **Save**.

A message says the code is saved. It works at checkout right away.

| Box | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Minimum order** | The least the items must cost before the code works. Blank means no minimum. |
| **Starts** | When the code starts working. Blank means right away. |
| **Ends** | When it stops. Blank means never. |
| **Most uses** | How many orders can use it, all buyers added up. Blank means no limit. |
| **Once per customer** | Each customer can use it once. Guests are matched by email. |
| **Active** | Off stops the code. |
| **Only used to generate codes** | Makes the code a pattern for saved-cart reminders. Buyers cannot type it. See [Abandoned carts](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/settings/#abandoned-carts). |

Once saved, a code's name cannot change. Orders name it.

### Leaving things out

Under **Exclusions** you can keep the code off some items, even when it would
match:

- **Don't apply to items already on sale**
- **Products**, picked from a list
- **Categories**, picked from a list

A pre-order deposit is never discounted.

### The list

The **Discounts** tab lists every code, with what it does, what it applies to,
how many times it was used, its dates and its **Status**: **Active**,
**Inactive**, **Ended**, **Scheduled** or **Used up**.

Click a row to open a code and change it. A change counts for new orders only.

There is no delete. **Deactivate** stops checkout taking the code. Orders that
used it keep their discount. You can turn it back on from its form.

### Promo links

A saved code has a **Promo link**. Pick a page, such as **Shop** or one
product, and click **Copy link**. Anyone who opens that link gets the code
filled in at checkout. Use it in an email or a post.

## Abandoned carts

A shopper types their email at checkout, then leaves without paying. Your
website can email them a link back to their cart. Up to three reminders go
out. They stop once the shopper buys or says stop.

Click the **Abandoned carts** tab.

**Important**
Every reminder must carry your business's postal address. If your website has
none, a box reads **Reminders won't send yet**. Add the address under
**Invoices** on the **Store** tab, or the business address on your SEO page.

1. Turn on **Email shoppers who leave a cart at checkout**.
2. Read **Note under the checkout email field**. It tells shoppers about the
   reminders. Change it if you like.
3. Under **Reminders**, set **Hours after the cart was left** for each one. They
   start at 1, 24 and 72 hours.
4. To give a code with a reminder, pick one in **Include a single-use code**.
   Then set **Code works for (days)**.
5. Click **Save**.

**Add a reminder** adds one, up to three. **Remove reminder** takes one away.

An address gets one set of reminders a week, at most.

### Single-use codes

A reminder can carry its own code that works once, and only for that shopper's
email.

To offer one, make a code on the [Discounts](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/settings/#discounts) tab first, with
**Only used to generate codes** turned on. Each reminder then copies it into a
fresh code, such as `CART-` and six letters.

The words in each reminder are on the **Email templates** tab, as
**Cart reminder 1** to **Cart reminder 3**. See
[Customer emails](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/customer-emails/).

The carts themselves are listed under **Orders**. See
[Saved carts](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/orders/#saved-carts).

## Referrals and affiliates

Click the **Referrals & affiliates** tab. The settings sit in a box at the
top, headed **Referrals and affiliates**.

| Setting | What it does |
| --- | --- |
| **Referral discount code** | The discount a friend gets with a customer's referral code. You pick one of your discount codes. |
| **Referrer reward (cents)** | Money off the next bill, for the customer who shared the code. In cents, so `500` is five dollars. |
| **Referrer reward (plan credits)** | Plan credits for the customer who shared the code. |
| **Monthly plans: reward after (payments)** | How many paid bills a friend's monthly plan needs before the reward. It starts at `1`. |
| **Yearly plans and one-time orders: reward after (days)** | How many days after the friend first pays. It starts at `30`. |
| **Affiliate commissions: hold (days)** | How long a commission waits before you owe it. It starts at `30`. |

**Referral discount code** starts at
**None (record the referral, no discount)**. The referral still counts, and the
sharer can still earn a reward. Make the code on the [Discounts](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/settings/#discounts)
tab first, then pick it here.

Both rewards start at `0`, which is fine. Referrals are still counted, and
nobody is paid for sharing.

How referrals work is on
[Customers, credits and referrals](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/customers/#referrals).

Under the box is your list of affiliates. See [Affiliates](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/affiliates/).

## Sales channels

A sales channel is another place your products show up for sale: Google,
Facebook and Instagram, or ChatGPT. Each one reads a feed. A feed is a list of
your products at a fixed address on your website.

Click the **Sales channels** tab. Each channel has a box: **Google**,
**Meta (Facebook and Instagram)** and **ChatGPT**. All three are off to start
with.

1. Turn on the channel's switch, such as **Google feed**.
2. Click **Save**.
3. Click **Copy** beside the feed address.
4. Open **What to do on Google's side** and follow its steps. You paste the
   address into the channel's own account.

Feeds update within an hour of a change to your products.

Each box says how many products are in the feed. **Left out** lists the ones
that are not, and why. A plan, a product with no photo or no price, or a
product sold on another site, for example. Fix the reason on the product, and
it joins the feed.

### Feed details

**Default brand** is the brand used for a product that has none. Use your
store name only if you make the products yourself. Blank leaves those products
out.

Check **My products have no barcodes** only if that is true. Google turns down
products wrongly marked this way.

Barcodes, condition and a Google product category are set on each product. See
[Products and Plans](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/commerce/products-and-plans/#search-engines-and-shopping-feeds).

### Site verification

Google and Meta check that your website is yours. The codes they give you go
on your SEO page. This tab shows whether each one is set, with a link to
**Edit the codes on the SEO page**. See [SEO](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/plugins/seo/).

**Contact support**
Contact us before you change **Currency** or **Calculate tax with Stripe Tax** on a
shop that has already sold something.

Both are hard to undo, and both go wrong quietly.

Email [support@lookoutridgeit.com](mailto:support@lookoutridgeit.com).
[Getting support](https://docs.lookoutridgeit.com/help/getting-support/) says what to put in the message.