A/B Test Rank Precedence
Rank is used to control precedence in situations where multiple promotions are configured to apply at the same time.
When determining A/B test promotion rank precedence, choose a number from 10 to 100 (as set by Salesforce B2C Commerce; you can configure these system objects). A promotion without a rank (NONE) is considered the lowest rank and evaluated last. Test promotions are applied in the order of lowest rank value to highest rank value.
The rank for a promotion introduced for an A/B test group (even a rank of NONE) has precedence over the rank of a promotion outside the context of A/B testing. For example, a promotion of the lowest rank (NONE) that is imposed by participation in an A/B test segment outranks a promotion of the highest rank that is generally available in the site (via assignment to a campaign). If two promotions for an A/B test have equal rank, the tie is broken via existing promotion precedence rules. For example, with equally ranked promotions, ties are broken using their schedule and last modified dates.
For example, a merchant is testing two promotions, while there are also two promotions within a campaign, as follows:
| Promotion | Container | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 20% off on all Damon brand products | A/B test | NONE |
| 30% off on all fall blouses | A/B test | 60 |
| Buy one fall blouse, get one 50% off | Campaign | 10 |
| $10 off on all Damon brand products | Campaign | 20 |
A customer buys two Damon fall blouses. All promotions listed previously apply at the same time. Because A/B testing rank has precedence over a rank of the same type of experience outside the context of A/B testing, the customer receives either 30% or 20% off on both blouses, depending on which segment the customer is assigned to.
Sorting Rule Inheritance
B2C Commerce handles sorting rule inheritance the same way for both A/B tests and Campaigns. For example, if you have categories A > B > C and only A has a sorting rule assigned, B and C inherit the sorting rule. If B has a different sorting rule assigned, A has its assigned rule and B and C has the rule assigned to B. If you have only a rule assigned to A, and create an A/B test that overrides the sorting rule assigned to A, all of A, B, and C are assigned that rule. But if B has a rule assigned, then even if you override the sorting rule at A, B don't inherit it.
This is similar to how A/B tests work with promotion exclusivity. A global exclusive promotion that isn't part of an A/B test still has precedence over a class exclusive promotion added as an A/B test experience. A/B tests don't change these rules. The only precedence A/B tests have is that when we get to the point where we are comparing ranks to see which slot configuration to show, for example, an A/B test experience has precedence over normal site behavior.
However, you must configure your A/B tests to take advantage of sorting rule inheritance. In general, when configuring an A/B test with sorting rules, you must only select the top-level categories and rely on inheritance, and not select all subcategories in the category tree (explicitly assigning a sorting rule to each category). With A/B tests, not only can you change the sorting rule that would be inherited, you can also change the sorting rule that was assigned in the catalog.
For example, assume the following sorting rule inheritance for a catalog:
Catalog (rule 1 assigned)
- category A (rule 1 inherited from catalog)
- category B (rule 2 assigned, overrides rule 1 from category A)
- category B1 (rule 1 assigned, overrides rule 2 from category B)
- category C (rule 1 inherited from catalog)
- category D (rule 3 assigned, overrides rule 1 from category C)
We want to A/B test the effect of assigning rule 1 to categories B and D. Half of the customers get the normal sorting rules; while the other half gets rule 1 for categories B and D. You want the second half of customers to get sorting rules as if they were assigned this way:
Catalog (rule 2 assigned)
- category A (rule 2 inherited from catalog)
- category B (rule 1 assigned, overrides rule 2 from category A)
- category B1 (rule 1 inherited from category B)
- category C (rule 2 inherited from catalog)
- category D (rule 1 assigned, overrides rule 2 from category C)
An A/B test doesn't completely replace the normal configuration for a site, it only adds to it. This means you can't assign rule 1 to the catalog in the A/B test and have all the categories inherit it. You must assign sorting rules to categories in the A/B test that change the normal configuration to the one you want for the test. The difference between the two configurations is as follows:
- Instead of assigning rule 2 to category B, assign rule 1 to category B.
- Instead of assigning rule 3 to category D, assign rule 1 to category D.
In Business Manager, this equates to a single sorting rule experience for rule 1 assigned to categories B and D. Because A/B test experiences take precedence over normal site behavior, when a customer is in the test, the customer gets rule 1 for categories B and D, and their descendants.
In another example, assume a different A/B test of the effect of assigning rule 2 to all categories. In this case, the only normal sorting rule assignment that is correct is for category B. Categories A, B1, C, D, and the catalog itself all have rules assigned that must be changed. In Business Manager, this equates again to a single sorting rule experience for rule 2 assigned to categories A, B1, C, and D, and the catalog.