Scheduled Offers (Special offers)

Overview

The Scheduled Offers feature in AppCharge allows publishers to set specific time intervals during which special offers will be available. This enables publishers to plan and schedule special offers in advance, with the system automatically managing the availability of the offers based on the schedule defined. The availability for each offer resets after every scheduled appearance, adding a layer of exclusivity and urgency for the players. Additionally, during each scheduled appearance, the player will see a countdown timer on the relevant offer, indicating how long the offer will remain available before the reset occurs.

In addition to configuring scheduled special offers through the Appcharge dashboard, publishers have the option to set up and manage their offers using the Offers API

Benefits:

Plan in Advance: There’s no need to manually enable or disable the offer. The publisher can set offer schedules based on internal plans and align the offer appearance with the game calendar.
Flexibility in Timing: Publishers can target players in different time zones with scheduled offers at times when they are most active, without needing to manually activate the special offer.
Automated Availability Reset: The availability for each offer is set once, and it applies to every scheduled appearance. At the start of each new appearance, the availability count resets, ensuring that the offer can be claimed a set number of times during each appearance.
Increased Player Engagement: By displaying a countdown timer, players are more likely to engage with the limited-time offer before it expires.

High-Level Flow:

Publisher Configures the Scheduled Offer

Go to the Schedule Tab: Once in the Schedule Tab, choose between a Permanent special offer or a scheduled special offer with specific appearance(s). By default, special offers are set as Permanent, meaning they will be active without any specific time window unless changed.
Availability Configuration: Define how many times an offer can be claimed during each scheduled appearance. This ensures that the number of claims is limited per appearance, providing a sense of scarcity to players.
Note: Availability resets with each new appearance. For example, if you set an availability of 2, players will see "Available 2/2" at the beginning of each appearance.

Player Views the Scheduled Offer in Webstore

Countdown Timer: When the offer is live, players will see a countdown indicating the time remaining before the special offer ends.
Availability Display: Players will also see the availability counter (e.g., "Available 2/2"), which will show how many times the offer can be claimed during the current appearance.

Publisher Journey:

1. Define Special Offer Details

Configure the special offer in Settings Tab: In the Settings Tab, set up the special offer details such as the name, external ID, offer design, and price.
- Availability: Set the number of times the offer can be claimed by players during each appearance.
  Note: Availability resets with each new appearance, ensuring that the offer can be claimed multiple times across different scheduled windows.

Navigate to the Schedule Tab: In the schedule tab you will configure whether your special offer will appear permanently or in scheduled appearances, and whether or not it is active once saved.
- Switch from ‘Permanent’ to ‘Scheduled’ to enable time-based appearances.
- Choose to activate the offer immediately by keeping the ‘Is Active’ option enabled (default) or deactivate it until a later time.

2. Add Appearance(s)

Set the start and end times in UTC format.
Note: A "Duration" field will appear if the offer was set to start before it is saved, displaying the remaining time in hours until the end date based on the current UTC time.

Save the appearance.
Note: Each appearance will remain in a pending state until the entire special offer configuration is saved.
Add Multiple Appearances (Optional)
Note: Ensure that no time intervals overlap for any of the appearances.
Save Special Offer
- Once all appearances have been configured, save the special offer.
- The special offer will now be visible in the main ‘Promotions’ screen, alongside other configured special offers.
Edit/Delete Appearances
1. Use the three-dot menu next to any special offer appearance to manage all scheduled appearances.
2. Use the three-dot menu next to any appearance to edit or delete it.

Best Practices:

Plan Based on Time Zones: Schedule offers at times when players in different time zones are most active. This ensures that your special offers are visible at optimal engagement times.
Monitor Availability: Regularly check the availability and player engagement during scheduled appearances to make necessary adjustments.
Create Urgency with Short Timers: Short timers give players a sense of urgency. The less time left to make a purchase, the higher the incentive for players to buy, as they don’t want to miss out on good deals.
Leverage Last-Minute Promotions: Adding a promotion in the final hours of a live operation (liveop) can incentivize users to make a purchase to boost their progress before the liveop ends.

Example: Scheduling an Offer

Scenario:
You want to set up a limited-time special offer that will be live from 02/10/2024 13:05 UTC to 04/10/2024 13:05 UTC and then again from 07/10/2024 13:05 UTC to 09/10/2024 13:05 UTC.

Steps:

Create a new special offer and configure its details in the ‘Settings’ Tab.
Go to the ‘Schedule’ Tab and switch the special offer from ‘Permanent’ to ‘Scheduled’.
Set the start and end times for the first appearance (02/10/2024 13:05 UTC to 04/10/2024 13:05 UTC).
Add a second appearance for 07/10/2024 13:05 UTC to 09/10/2024 13:05 UTC.
Set the availability as ‘2’ for both appearances, meaning that players can claim the offer up to two times during each scheduled window.
Save the special offer. It will now be visible in the main ‘Promotions’ screen.

Player Side:

1. Countdown Timer

Players will see a countdown timer once the offer becomes live, indicating the remaining time for the current special offer.

2. Availability

At the start of each new scheduled appearance, the availability counter (e.g., "Available 2/2") will reset, allowing players to claim the offer again if they missed it during the previous appearance.

3. Permanent Special Offers:

If the special offer is switched from ‘Scheduled’ to ‘Permanent’, the countdown timer will no longer appear, but the availability counter can still appear, allowing players to see how many times the offer can be claimed.