Advently documentation
An advent calendar that sells, with a coupon made for one shopper behind every door.
Before you start
- WordPress 6.6 or newer, WooCommerce 8.0 or newer, PHP 7.4 or newer
- Working email from WordPress (an SMTP plugin is wise) if you want coupons emailed to shoppers
- A few products in your shop: the setup builds the gift ideas and the free-gift door from your own catalogue
What it does not do
- It does not send a daily reminder email. A shopper gets an email when they open a door, with that door’s coupon; coming back tomorrow is up to the calendar, the corner button and your own newsletter.
- Results cover the calendar that is running now. When you start next year’s calendar, the CSV you downloaded is your record of this one.
- In “Anyone” mode there is no sign-up, so each door has one shared code. Per-shopper coupons need the email or account mode.
- It does not send your newsletter. It collects the addresses, records who agreed to offers, and exports them as CSV for the tool you already use.
What is in the download
The plugin as an installable ZIP, the full documentation as HTML, and the source of the admin app beside its build. GPL code, HPOS-compatible.
Nothing calls home. Coupons are WooCommerce coupons in your own database and emails go out through your own WordPress.
Installing and setting up
Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin, then activate. WooCommerce must already be active.
The setup opens on first visit to WooCommerce → Advently. It asks for the dates, how doors unlock and a design, then fills the doors from your catalogue. You can run it again later from Settings.
Place the calendar with the Advent Calendar block or the [advently] shortcode, or let the setup create the page.
Before the first door opens
Preview a few days as a store manager, including a free-gift door, so you see what shoppers will see.
Send yourself the test email from Settings. If it does not arrive, fix WordPress email before December, not during it.
Licence, updates and support
- One licence covers 1 WordPress site.
- 1 year of updates, from the date of purchase.
- 1 year of email support.
- Instant download + licence key by email
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Questions this page does not answer go to support@webkoding.com. If you bought from us and cannot find your licence key, look it up here.
Common questions
Is every coupon really unique?
In email and account mode, yes. The coupon is a real WooCommerce coupon created when that shopper opens the door, limited to one use and to their email address. Opening the same door again shows the same coupon instead of making a new one.
Can someone read tomorrow’s door in the page source?
No. The page carries door numbers and dates only. What is behind a door comes from your server after it checks the date in your store’s time zone, so changing the computer clock does nothing.
Does it work with page caching?
Yes. The calendar asks the server for today’s state when it loads, so a cached page still shows the right doors.
Can I test it before the calendar starts?
Yes. Logged in as a store manager you can show the calendar as on any day. Coupons in that preview are samples: nothing is created, recorded or emailed.
Is it only for Christmas?
No. Any start date and 1 to 31 doors, so it works for the 12 days of Christmas, a Black Friday week or a New Year countdown as well as Advent.
What about GDPR?
Agreeing to offers is a separate, optional tick, so nobody has to accept marketing to get a coupon. Personal data shows up in WordPress’s own export and erase tools, and the plugin suggests text for your privacy policy.