Free shipping per product with coupon code?

[Mark]

We wanted to offer free shipping to a specific customer, for a specific item, for a limited time. We created a promotion, but, "free shipping" cannot be configured on a "pre item" or "per category" basis, and applies across ALL products. And, we didn't want to offer free shipping in the product page of the specific item, because then that would apply to all customers.
Ideas anyone?

Thanks!

[cbsteven]

I'm still a newbie, but what if you made that customer into his own group? Can you apply per-item free shipping discounts on a per-group basis?

[3dCartRobb]

Here are a couple of work arounds:

Say you have a customer, Stacy, who you want to offer 1 product as free shipping. You don't want to offer this product to anyone else and you want them to be able to order other things, and be charged shipping.

Here is the most secure option:

1. Create a customer group called "Stacy"
2. Put Stacy in the customer group.
3. Create a category called "Selected for Stacy" and set it so that the only customer group that can view it is "Stacy"
4. Duplicate the product you want to offer stacy. Make the weight 0, Set inventory to 1, and check off free shipping.
5. you can now send this to Stacy, have her login and she will be able to select the product for free shipping, and purchase anything else she would like. Because you made the inventory 1, and weight 0, it will not calculate the weight in the shipment and only allow the purchase of 1.

The other quicker, yet less secure option is:
1. Duplicate the product
2. do not assign it to a category,
3. put 1 in inventory
4. do not allow it to be searchable
5. check off free shipping
6. Email the buy it now link to Stacy.

I would opt for the first option because its more secure, and it would give your customer some warm and fuzzies by seeing that you have personalized the promo just for her.

-Robb