How to test your post-purchase upsell campaign

Testing your post-purchase offers is a critical step to ensure your customers have a seamless experience after they complete their initial purchase. Because post-purchase offers appear after the payment is processed but before the thank-you page, they require a successful transaction to trigger.

This guide covers how to safely place test orders on both live and development stores using three different methods.

Crucial Step: Enable "AppHero: Post Purchase Upsell"

Before you start testing, Shopify requires you to manually select which app is authorized to show post-purchase pages.

  1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Checkout.
  2. Scroll down to the Post-purchase page section.
  3. Select "AppHero: Post Purchase Upsell" from the list of available post-purchase extensions.
  4. Click Save.

Method 1: Shopify Payments Test Mode

Best for: Stores using Shopify Payments (Live or Development).

If you use Shopify Payments, you can enable a "Test Mode" that simulates real transactions without charging your card.

How to set it up:

  1. In your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments.
  2. In the Shopify Payments section, click Manage.
  3. Scroll to the bottom and check Enable test mode.
  4. Click Save.

How to place the order:

  1. Visit your online store and add a product to your cart (ensure the total is at least $0.50 USD, as Shopify has a minimum threshold for post-purchase offers).

    Proceed to checkout and enter a real email address to receive the confirmation.

    In the payment section, use the following test credentials:

    • Card Number: Use 4111 1111 1111 1111     (Visa) or 5555 5555 5555 4444     (MasterCard).
    • Name on Card: Any name (e.g., "Test User").
    • Expiry Date: Any date in the future (e.g., 12/30    ).
    • CVV: Any 3-digit number (e.g., 123    ).
  2. Click Pay now. Your post-purchase offer should appear immediately after the payment processes.

Method 2: The 100% Discount Trick (Alternative for Live Stores)

Best for: Testing on a live store without turning on Test Mode.

If you don't want to disrupt your live store's payment settings, you can create a "Free" order.

  1. Go to Discounts and create a code for 100% off the entire order.
  2. Ensure you also have a Free Shipping discount active if you charge for shipping.
  3. Place an order on your store using these codes.
  4. Since the total is $0, Shopify may skip the post-purchase page. For best results, keep the total above $0.50 even after discounts.

Method 2: Shopify’s Bogus Gateway

Best for: Development stores or stores without Shopify Payments.

The Bogus Gateway is a dummy provider provided by Shopify for testing purposes.

How to set it up:

  1. Go to Settings > Payments.
  2. If you have a provider active, you may need to deactivate it temporarily (Note: This will prevent real customers from checking out while active).
  3. Click See all other providers or Add a payment method.
  4. Search for and select (for testing) Bogus Gateway.
  5. Click Activate.

How to place the order:

  1. In the payment section at checkout, enter the following:
    • Card Number: 1     (for a successful transaction).
    • Name on Card: Bogus Gateway.
    • Expiry Date: Any future date.
    • CVV: Any 3-digit number.
  2. Complete the purchase to see your post-purchase offer.

Important: Cleanup

Once you are finished testing:

  1. Go back to Settings > Payments.
  2. Disable Test Mode for Shopify Payments or Deactivate the Bogus Gateway.
  3. Ensure your real payment provider is active so you can continue receiving orders from customers.

💡 Not seeing your offer?

If you’ve followed the steps above and your post-purchase offer still isn't appearing, it might be due to a Shopify limitation (such as using a digital wallet or testing with a $0 order).

Read our Troubleshooting Guide: Why is my Post-Purchase Offer Not Showing?

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