Shopware 6 Rule Builder: restricting a rule to checkout-time evaluation without affecting catalog visibility

To restrict a rule to checkout-time evaluation without affecting catalog visibility, you must ensure the rule is assigned only to checkout-specific entities (Shipping Methods, Payment Methods, or Promotions) and is not linked to any Dynamic Product Groups used in categories or visibility settings.

Evaluation Boundaries in Shopware 6

In Shopware 6 (assuming v6.5+), the Rule Builder does not have a global "scope" toggle. Instead, the scope is determined by the entity that references the rule. Rules are evaluated against the SalesChannelContext, but the trigger for that evaluation depends on the assignment:

• Catalog Level: If a rule is used in a Dynamic Product Group assigned to a Category, it is evaluated during the product listing process. This can hide products from visitors.
• Checkout Level: If a rule is assigned to a Shipping Method or Payment Method, it is only evaluated when the system determines which methods to display in the checkout.
• Cart Level: If a rule is used in a Promotion, it is evaluated during the cart calculation process.

Because your goal is to control shipping and payment availability, assigning the rule exclusively to those two entities will naturally isolate it from the catalog rendering process.

Implementation Steps

1. Create the Rule: Define your conditions (e.g., Cart amount > X AND Customer group = Y).
2. Assign to Shipping: Navigate to Settings > Shop > Shipping, select your method, and add the rule to the "Availability Rule" field.
3. Assign to Payment: Navigate to Settings > Shop > Payment methods, select your method, and add the rule to the "Availability Rule" field.
4. Verify Isolation: Ensure the rule is not selected in any Dynamic Product Group (found under Catalogues > Dynamic Product Groups) that is linked to a storefront category.

Handling Advanced Visibility

If you need to hide prices or products based on complex logic that the Rule Builder cannot handle without affecting the catalog, you must move beyond the administration panel. The recommended integration point is decorating the ProductListingRoute or implementing a ProductListingCollectFilterEvent listener. This allows you to inject custom filtering logic into the search and listing queries before they are executed.

Auditing Rule References

Shopware's administration does not provide a native "Where Used" list for rules. To reliably list every entity referencing a specific rule, you must query the database. Replace {rule_id} with the UUID of your rule:

SELECT 'shipping_method' as entity, id FROM shipping_method WHERE availability_rule_id = '{rule_id}';
SELECT 'payment_method' as entity, id FROM payment_method WHERE availability_rule_id = '{rule_id}';
SELECT 'promotion' as entity, id FROM promotion WHERE rule_id = '{rule_id}';
SELECT 'dynamic_product_group' as entity, id FROM dynamic_product_group WHERE rule_id = '{rule_id}';

Diagnostic Detail: Are you using any third-party plugins that extend the Rule Builder to modify product prices (Advanced Pricing) based on these rules? If so, those plugins may trigger evaluation during catalog rendering regardless of the entity assignment.