Rule priority and how conflicts are resolved
How Liva 7 decides which rules take precedence when multiple rules apply
Overview
Rules in Liva 7 are global. They apply across the entire storefront and influence every system that generates product recommendations. When two or more rules affect the same product or category, the engine uses a strict hierarchy to determine which rule wins.
The priority system ensures:
- exclusions always override visibility
- pinned items are respected when eligible
- algorithms only operate within the allowed boundaries
- fallback behaviour activates only when necessary
Rule priority ensures consistent behaviour even when rules overlap.
Exclusion is the highest priority
Exclusion removes products or collections from the eligible pool entirely. No other rule can override an exclusion. If a product is excluded, it cannot appear in any widget, Smart Content block or bundle, regardless of shopper behaviour or other rules.
Exclusion always wins because it represents a strict merchandising boundary.
If a product is excluded, it is never eligible for recommendations.
Pinning is the second highest priority
Pinned products are elevated within the eligible pool. They do not override exclusions, but they do override algorithmic ranking. If a pinned product is eligible for a widget or block, it will appear before algorithmically selected items.
Pinning ensures consistent visibility without removing the engine’s ability to adapt.
Pinned items appear whenever they are eligible and space is available.
Algorithmic ranking applies after rules
Once exclusions and pinning have been applied, the engine ranks the remaining eligible products using behavioural signals, product relationships and page context.
Algorithms determine relevance, but only within the boundaries set by rules.
Algorithms optimise relevance but cannot override rule constraints.
Fallback behaviour is the final step
Fallback activates only when the eligible pool is too small to fill a recommendation block. It cannot override exclusions or force pinned items to appear. It simply fills gaps using broader product relationships and general popularity signals.
Fallback ensures the storefront never displays empty or broken layouts.
Fallback fills gaps but never breaks rule boundaries.
How Liva 7 resolves direct conflicts
When two rules appear to contradict each other, the engine resolves the conflict using the priority hierarchy.
Examples:
- A product is pinned but also excluded - Exclusion wins
- A product is pinned but the shopper has stronger behavioural signals for another item - Pinning wins
- A product is excluded but needed for a bundle - Exclusion wins
- A widget requires more items than the eligible pool contains - Fallback fills the remaining slots
Conflicts are resolved by strict priority, not by context.
How rule priority affects different page types
Rule priority behaves consistently across all page types, but the impact varies depending on context.
Examples:
- On the homepage, pinned items often appear early because signals are weaker
- On product pages, algorithmic relevance is stronger but still cannot override exclusions
- On collection pages, exclusions help maintain category boundaries
- On cart pages, fallback may activate more often due to narrow product relationships
Priority is consistent, but its impact varies by page context.
How rule priority affects different shopper types
Different shoppers experience rule priority differently because their signals vary.
- New shoppers rely more on pinned items and fallback
- Returning shoppers rely more on algorithmic ranking
- High intent shoppers see stronger relevance but still within rule boundaries
- Anonymous shoppers follow the same priority system as identified shoppers
Shopper behaviour changes relevance, not rule priority.
How merchants typically use rule priority
Merchants use rule priority to create predictable, controlled personalisation without micromanaging every scenario.
Common uses include:
- ensuring sensitive or restricted items never appear
- promoting hero products consistently
- maintaining clean category boundaries
- stabilising recommendations during campaigns
- guiding new shoppers toward curated items
Rule priority helps maintain control without reducing adaptability.
How rule priority supports long term personalisation
The priority system ensures that personalisation remains stable, predictable and aligned with your merchandising strategy over time. It prevents unexpected behaviour, protects brand guidelines and ensures the engine adapts without breaking your rules.
Rule priority supports long term personalisation by:
- enforcing strict boundaries
- maintaining consistent visibility
- balancing manual control with adaptive intelligence
- ensuring predictable behaviour across all systems
Priority keeps personalisation reliable as your store evolves.
