Scheduling Multiple Ranking Rules for the Same Query or Category

Feature Summary

This feature enables the Discovery dashboard user to schedule multiple ranking rules for the same query or category in advance. For example, for the same category, you can boost Black Friday related products during the Black Friday weekend, and also boost Cyber Monday related products for the Cyber Monday period. These changes can be made in advance and scheduled for a particular time. 

What this feature solves

This feature helps save time by scheduling multiple settings for a ranking rule beforehand. If you are running back-to-back campaigns, you need to get all the rules changed in a small time window between campaigns. This feature allows you to plan for a whole season of campaign schedule well in advance, providing the ability to create long-term plans.  

Feature Demo Video

Feature Details

Ranking Rule Table

1. The same category with different time scheduling rules: 

   • The user can set up multiple ranking rules for the same query. Each time schedule cannot overlap with each other, the only exception is the user can set up a ranking rule for the same query with the schedule set to All Time and treat it as a base rule. If the ranking rule with a specific time schedule had expired, the base rule with no specific time duration will apply. 
   • The Enable ON/OFF toggle controls the activation of the rule but not the effectiveness. For example, a rule can be enabled (ON), but if the time schedule is already past the end time, this rule will not be effective.
   • On the ranking table, it only shows the date of the schedule setting but not the time. You can see the date and time on opening the product grid editor.

2. The rule action options:

• Edit: Click this action to edit the rule using Product Grid Editor. If the rule has multiple test variants, by default it will edit the currently active test variant of the rule. 

By clicking on the ▼ symbol, you can view the following options:

• View test variants: Click here to bring up the test variant modal to see which variants to include in the AB test.

• View all rules associated with the current rule: This option displays a list that includes all rules associated with the current rule.

Currently, the associated rules are not necessarily grouped together in the Ranking rule table. The default sort for rules is set to the last edit. By giving you a collective overview of associated scheduled rules, this function helps you avoid overlapping schedules.

• Delete: Now we have a more clear delete action, instead of hovering the rule name to show the trash icon beside.

3. Rule Scope definition: The rule scope includes 3 aspects: 
   • Query/Category ID
   • Audience 
   • Schedule

Product Grid Editor

1. Duration field: The user can define the start/end date and time as desired. The start date and time are recommended to be in the future of the current date and time. The Time zone will be the local zone of the dashboard user's location.

2. Action options: 

   • Save as New Rule: This function enables a more efficient workflow. It supports the user to base on an existing rule to create a new rule with a different audience or scheduling setup. If the user opens an existing rule and updates either the audience or schedule setting, the "Save as New Rule" action will be triggered. Prior to this update (March 13, 2019), the user has to start a new rule from scratch and add in the same query and new audience or schedule set up to achieve the same goal, which is more cumbersome.  
   • Save New Test Variant action is disabled when having an audience or schedule setup: This is in place to ensure a clean AB test result.

3. Schedule Overlap Error Messaging:
   If the user plans to save a new rule that overlaps with an existing rule (with the same query), this error message will appear if you click on Save or Save as New Rule.

Rules that can and can not apply this scheduling ability

Supported:

1. Category Ranking Rule (single category, multiple categories (combo), All Category)
2. Search Ranking Rule (single search query, multiple search queries (combo), All Search)
3. Global Ranking Rule
4. The multisite instance of the above rules
5. Widget rules

Not supported (yet):

1. Facet management rules
2. Banner rules (Campaign & Assets)
3. Redirect Rules