Getting Started

Installation (3 Steps)

Step 1: Download Plugin

1. Log in to your account at ParetoEdge.com
2. Go to My Account → Downloads
3. Click Download Cart Guard (ZIP file)

Step 2: Upload to WordPress

1. Log in to your WordPress admin panel
2. Navigate to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
3. Click Choose File and select the downloaded ZIP
4. Click Install Now
5. Click Activate Plugin

✅ Cart Guard is now installed!

Step 3: Enter License Key

1. Go to Cart Guard → Settings in your WordPress admin menu
2. Paste your license key in the License Key field
3. Click Save Settings
4. You’ll see “✅ License verified successfully!”

No license key yet? Free tier available! Click “Request FREE License” in the settings page to get started instantly.

Quick Start (5 Minutes)

Goal: Create a simple BOGO (Buy One Get One) rule to see Cart Guard in action.

The Scenario:

“When a customer adds Coffee (SKU 101) to their cart, require them to also add a Mug (SKU 102) to checkout. Apply 20% discount to the bundle.”

The Steps:

1. Navigate to Rules

• Go to Cart Guard → Rules in WordPress admin
• Click Create Rule button

1. Choose Template

• Select “BOGO (Buy One Get One)” template
• Click Next

1. Configure Rule

• Rule Name: “Coffee + Mug Bundle”
• Trigger Product: Search and select “Coffee” (SKU 101)
• Required Product: Search and select “Mug” (SKU 102)
• Discount Type: Percentage
• Discount Value: 20
• Customer Message: “Add both Coffee and Mug to get 20% off!”
• Click Next

1. Review & Save

• Review the rule summary
• Click Save Rule

✅ Done! Your first rule is now active.

Testing Your Rule:

1. Open your store in a new browser window (as a customer)
2. Add Coffee to cart
3. Try to proceed to checkout
4. You’ll see: “Add Mug to complete your bundle” (blocks checkout)
5. Add Mug to cart
6. Proceed to checkout ✅
7. See 20% discount applied! 🎉

System Requirements

WordPress

• Version: 5.8 or higher
• PHP: 7.4 or higher
• WooCommerce: 6.0 or higher

WooCommerce Features

• ✅ HPOS Compatible (High-Performance Order Storage)
• ✅ Works with both Classic and HPOS modes
• ✅ No configuration needed (auto-detects)

Server Requirements

• Memory: 128MB minimum (256MB recommended)
• Outbound HTTPS: Enabled (for API communication)
• SSL Certificate: Recommended for checkout pages

Browser Compatibility

• Admin UI: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge (latest versions)
• Customer-facing: All modern browsers including mobile

How Cart Guard Works

Cart Guard uses a server-first architecture to validate shopping carts against your custom rules:

Customer adds item to cart
↓
WordPress detects cart change
↓
Sends cart data to Cart Guard API
↓
API evaluates all active rules
↓
Returns validation result (pass/fail)
↓
WordPress displays message or blocks checkout
↓
Violation logged to database (for analytics)

Key Concept: Server-Side Validation

All rule logic happens on our secure API server, not in your WordPress files. This means:
– ✅ Rules are verified at all steps of checkout
– ✅ Malicous Users can’t edit browser to beat your rules
– ✅ If an order does slip through you are notified on the orders page
– ✅ Multi-platform support (Shopify coming soon)

When Rules Are Checked

Cart validation runs at 4 key points:

1. Cart Page Load

When: Customer visits /cart page
Purpose: Show warnings before checkout attempt
User sees: Error notices at top of cart, disabled checkout button if blocked

2. Checkout Page Access

When: Customer clicks “Proceed to Checkout”
Purpose: Block invalid carts from reaching payment
User sees: Redirect back to cart with error message

3. Cart Updates (Real-Time)

When: Customer changes quantities or removes items
Purpose: Instant validation without page reload
User sees: Toast notifications (dismissible popups)

4. AJAX Cart Changes

When: Quantity updated via cart drawer/mini-cart
Purpose: Works with AJAX cart plugins
User sees: Dynamic messages in cart widget

NOT Checked:

• ❌ Product page “Add to Cart” button (by design – prevents bundle deadlocks)
• ❌ Backend admin order creation (manual orders bypass validation)

Soft-Fail vs Hard-Fail

Cart Guard has two validation modes:

🟢 Hard-Fail Mode (Default)

Behavior: If cart violates rules, checkout is blocked
Use Case: Critical compliance rules (safety, legal requirements)
Customer Experience: Must fix cart to complete purchase

Example:

❌ Cannot proceed to checkout
Bundle incomplete: Add Hat (SKU 200) to purchase T-Shirt
[View Bundle Products]

🟡 Soft-Fail Mode (Optional)

Behavior: If cart violates rules, checkout is allowed but violation logged
Use Case: Non-critical rules, avoid losing sales during API downtime
Manager Experience: Review orders later, approve/reject with notes

Example:

⚠️ Order #12345 requires review
Rule: "Coffee + Mug Bundle" triggered
Customer checked out without Mug
[Add Review Note]

Enable Soft-Fail Mode:

1. Go to Cart Guard → Settings
2. Check “Enable Soft-Fail Mode”
3. Click Save Settings

When Soft-Fail Activates Automatically:

• API server unreachable (network issue)
• Rate limit exceeded (monthly API calls depleted)
• Rule evaluation error (technical failure)

💡 Pro Tip: Enable soft-fail mode during high-traffic periods (Black Friday, holidays) to avoid losing sales if API experiences latency.

Understanding Tiers

Cart Guard offers 3 license tiers with different limits:

What are API calls?

Every cart validation = 1 API call. Average store uses 50-200 calls/day (1,500-6,000/month).

View Your Usage:

Go to Cart Guard → Settings to see: “87,234 / 100,000 API calls used this month”

What happens if I exceed my limit?

Soft-fail mode activates automatically. Cart validations pass (no sales lost), but violations aren’t logged until next month. If you have a large store requiring more API calls, please reach out!

License Activation

How to Activate Your License

1. Get Your License Key

• Purchase Cart Guard at ParetoEdge.com/cart-guard/pricing
• Check your email for license key
• Or find it in My Account → Licenses

1. Enter License Key

• Go to Cart Guard → Settings
• Paste license key in the field
• Click Save Settings

1. Verify Activation

• You’ll see “✅ License verified successfully!”
• Your tier limits are now active
• API calls reset on the 1st of each month

Troubleshooting License Activation

Issue: “Invalid license key” error

Solutions:
– ✅ Double-check for typos (copy/paste recommended)
– ✅ Verify key is for correct product (Cart Guard, not other products)
– ✅ Check if key is expired (view expiration date in My Account)
– ✅ Contact [email protected] if issue persists

Issue: “License already in use” error

Solutions:
– ✅ Deactivate license on old site first (Settings → Deactivate License)
– ✅ Or purchase additional license for multi-site (AGENCY tier includes 10 sites)

Next Steps

Now that Cart Guard is installed and activated, you’re ready to create rules!

Recommended Learning Path:

1. ✅ You are here: Getting Started
2. 📝 Next: Creating Your First Rule – Learn the 3-step wizard
3. ⚡ Then: Advanced Features – Stock validation, sync, discounts
4. 📊 Finally: Analytics Dashboard – Track rule performance

Common First Rules:

• BOGO Bundle: “Buy Coffee, add Mug for 20% off”
• Minimum Order: “$50 minimum for free shipping”
• Wholesale Quantity: “Wholesale items require 10+ units”
• Category Restriction: “Can’t ship Fragile + Heavy together”
• Accessory Enforcement: “Laptop requires charger”

Start Creating Rules →

Need Help?

📧 Email Support

[email protected]
Response time: Within 24 hours (PRO/AGENCY: Within 4 hours)

💬 Community Forum

community.paretoedge.com
Ask questions, share tips, and connect with other Cart Guard users.

🎥 Video Tutorials

youtube.com/@paretoedge
Watch step-by-step video guides for common tasks.

📚 Documentation

Browse other sections of this documentation for detailed guides.

Last Updated: November 14, 2025
Plugin Version: 1.0

← Back to Docs Home | Next: Creating Rules →