Add the first purchase date to your ecommerce contacts using the Automation Path Builder

Pull the first purchase date on file from Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, or WooCommerce and automatically add it to your contacts as a custom field when they reach a specific step in your automation path

If you're using Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, or WooCommerce, you can automatically add the first purchase date that the ecommerce platform has on file as a custom field by adding a shopping action step to your automation path.

• Add an 'Add date of purchase' action step to a path
• Select the custom field you want to use as the first purchase date
• Learn more about contact details and custom fields

Add an 'Add date of purchase' action step to a path

Important: Is the 'Add date of first purchase' action greyed-out? Shopping actions are only available in custom paths with an ecommerce trigger or after a conditional split rule with shopping activity is added to your path.

An 'Add date of first purchase' shopping action can be added anywhere in your path after the trigger step, and you can have multiple first purchase steps in your path.

1. From the Shopping actions section of the Path builder, drag an Add date of first purchase step into your path.
2. Drop the Add date of first purchase action anywhere in the path where there is a plus sign.
   
   
    

It's that easy! Repeat the steps for each shopping action step you want to add to your path.

Select custom field you want to use as a first purchase date

All it takes is a quick edit to select the custom field you want to associate with the step. You have a choice of selecting an existing custom field or creating new fields as needed.

1. Click the three dots on the Add date of first purchase step in your path, and select "Edit."
   
   
    
2. Choose how to store the information in your contact record:

• Choose an existing  field - This lets you select an existing custom field.
• Create a custom field - This lets you name a new custom field.

3. Click Save to return to the path builder.
   
   
    

Once your automation path is activated, the first purchase date is automatically added or removed from the contacts that reach the step in your path.

Did you know? Your automation path can be edited at any time after it's been activated, but if you make changes to the 'Add date of first purchase' step, the changes only apply to contacts who reach the step going forward, and don't apply to contacts who already completed the step.

Learn more about custom fields

Here are some tools you can use within your Constant Contact account that are compatible with custom fields:

• Create and manage custom contact fields
• Create a segment of contacts by choosing specific criteria
• Create more personalized emails to improve engagement
• Add your contacts' details to an email

Questions?