Use Case
When a product’s stock runs low, you want to automatically adjust its price. This can mean discounting to clear remaining inventory or increasing price to maximize profit on scarce items.
Common scenarios:
- Clearance pricing for last items
- Scarcity premium on popular products
- End-of-season markdowns
- Automatic sale pricing
- Liquidation automation
Step-by-Step Setup
1. Create a New Workflow
Navigate to Sequensy → Workflows in your WordPress admin and click Add New Workflow.
Name your workflow “Low Stock Clearance Pricing” or “Scarcity Price Adjustment”.
2. Configure the Trigger
Select Low Stock as your trigger.
Available filters:
- Stock Quantity: Specific threshold for pricing
- Category: Only certain product categories
- Product Type: Simple or variable
- Regular Price: Above/below certain price points
3. Set Up the Update Product Price Action
Configure the price change:
| Setting | Example Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Product | {product_id} | The low stock product |
| Price Type | Sale Price | Don’t change regular |
| New Price | {regular_price * 0.7} | 30% off |
| Expiry | None | Until sold out |
4. Notify Customers (Optional)
Chain a notification or update:
- Update product to show “SALE” badge
- Add to “Clearance” category
- Send email to wishlist customers
- Update meta for dynamic display
5. Test Your Workflow
- Enable the workflow
- Set a product’s stock to low threshold
- Verify price was updated
- Check product displays correctly
- Test price reversion logic if needed
Pro Tips
Sale price vs regular price: Always use sale price for temporary discounts. This preserves the original price.
Graduated discounts: Create multiple workflows for different stock levels (10 units = 10% off, 5 units = 20% off).
Notify interested customers: Combine with wishlist notifications to drive sales.
Consider margins: Ensure discounted price still covers costs.
Pricing Strategies
Clearance Ladder
| Stock Level | Discount | Message |
|---|---|---|
| 20 units | 10% off | ”Limited stock” |
| 10 units | 20% off | ”Selling fast” |
| 5 units | 30% off | ”Almost gone” |
| 2 units | 40% off | ”Last chance” |
Scarcity Premium
Condition: Stock < 10 AND product is "Limited Edition"
Action: Increase price by 10%
Display: "Only {stock} remaining at this price"
Category-Based Clearance
| Category | Low Stock Threshold | Discount |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal | 15 units | 30% off |
| Electronics | 5 units | 15% off |
| Clothing | 10 units | 25% off |
| Accessories | 8 units | 20% off |
Implementation Example
Workflow: Progressive Clearance
Trigger: Low Stock (threshold: 10)
Condition: Category is "Clearance-Eligible"
Action 1: Set sale price to 80% of regular
Action 2: Add "SALE" badge meta
Action 3: Add to "Clearance" category
Action 4: Send wishlist notification
Workflow: Last Items Premium
Trigger: Low Stock (threshold: 3)
Condition: Product has "Limited Edition" tag
Action: Increase price by 15%
Display: Update urgency messaging
Note: Scarcity drives value for collectors
Price Calculation Options
| Method | Formula | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage off | regular_price * 0.8 | Standard discount |
| Fixed reduction | regular_price - 10 | Dollar-off sale |
| Fixed price | 19.99 | Clearance price point |
| Cost plus margin | cost * 1.1 | Minimum margin |
Complementary Workflows
Restore Price on Restock
Trigger: Stock Changed
Condition: New stock > low threshold
Action: Remove sale price
Action: Remove from "Clearance" category
Final Markdown
Trigger: Low Stock (threshold: 2)
Condition: Already on sale
Action: Apply additional 20% off sale price
Display: "Final markdown"
Troubleshooting
Price not updating?
- Verify workflow is enabled
- Check product ID is correct
- Review price calculation formula
Wrong price calculated?
- Check decimal handling
- Verify regular price exists
- Review calculation logic
Price not displaying correctly?
- Clear WooCommerce cache
- Check theme price display
- Verify sale price meta saved