Troubleshooting

Viewing the Error Logs

The plugin outputs errors into the regular WooCommerce log directory. It is accessible by clicking on the View Logs link in the plugin's settings window and choosing the most recent log with the slug sgadwc. It will show all errors that it encountered. If you don't find a log with the slug sgadwc it means that no errors have been encountered.

The website still shows cached prices, even if a valid discount has been successfully received

It is likely your caching rules are too aggressive.

Make sure to exclude caching if the URL query parameter pv2 is present in the URL.

Example: https://example.com/socks/?pv2=1234

You also must ensure that caching is disabled as soon as a WooCommerce session is active. (Typically a WooCommerce session is created when a visitor adds a product to the cart.)

Make sure that the cache is disabled if at least one of the following server-side WooCommerce cookies has been set:

• woocommerce_cart_hash
• woocommerce_items_in_cart
• wp_woocommerce_session_ (This cookie always attaches a session ID at the end. Make sure that the match is not set to exact but will match any cookie which contains that cookie string.)

Caching

In general 99% of all incompatibilities are caused by caching.

There are two conditions that need to be met for Automated Discounts to work correctly:

• When the URL query parameter pv2 is present in the URL, caching must be disabled.

• WooCommerce sessions must be properly handled by the caching system. Neither page cache, nor server object cache, or any other caching layer should cache pages when a WooCommerce session is active.

Known Incompatibilities

We have come across an install that uses Object Cache Pro (by Rhubarb Group), FlyingPress (by FlyingWeb) and the Astra Pro theme (by Brainstorm Force). Any one of these plugins or themes, or a combination of them, causes Automated Discounts to not work correctly because parts of the output get cached, including Ajax requests.

While FlyingPress may be configured to exclude caching, the other two plugins don't offer a way to exclude caching for specific URLs or WooCommerce sessions.

How to Configure Kinsta Cache

Some Kinsta hosted sites need a specific cache setup to ensure Google Automated Discounts work reliably. Kinsta’s default caching rules do not fully cover the requirements, especially when sessions start or when tracking parameters are involved. This guide explains what Kinsta support must configure and what you, as the site owner, should double check.

Required Cache Exclusions

Ask Kinsta support to add the following Nginx rules to ensure discounts display correctly for all eligible visitors:

if ($http_cookie ~* "s|_sce|sgadwc_session_active") {
  set $skip_cache 1;
}

if ($query_string ~ "^pv2=") {
  set $skip_cache 1;
}

Why these rules matter

• sgadwc_session_active cookie
  This cookie signals that a Google Automated Discounts session is active. If it is present, the visitor must bypass all caching layers.
• pv2 URL parameter
  This parameter is important on the first visit and triggers the Automated Discounts logic. Kinsta normally bypasses caching when a URL contains parameters, but we have confirmed that this does not work reliably on Kinsta when UTM parameters are present. Some stores accidentally upload product URLs with UTM tags to Google Merchant Center, which leads to URLs like: ?utm_source=xxx&pv2=... In these cases, Kinsta cache may still activate unless this explicit rule exists. Adding the pv2 rule is therefore a required safety net.

Clear All Kinsta Cache After Setup

Once Kinsta adds the exclusions, they must clear all cache layers completely:

• Edge cache
• Server cache
• CDN cache
• Any additional Kinsta layer

If the cache is not fully cleared, old cached versions can override the new rules and cause inconsistent behavior.

Important for Store Owners

Remove UTM parameters from Google Merchant Center feeds

• UTM parameters in Shopping product URLs can interfere with the pv2 cache exclusion on Kinsta.
• They are also unnecessary. When Google Ads and Google Merchant Center are linked, Google automatically handles all tracking.
• Recommendation: Remove all UTM parameters from your feed URLs.

Summary

• Make sure Kinsta support adds the two explicit exclusions above.
• Removing UTM parameters in your Shopping feed improves reliability and prevents Kinsta from ignoring your pv2 exclusion.
• With both steps in place, Google Automated Discounts will work smoothly on Kinsta hosted sites.