Java: Generate Random Discounts for Subscription Plans

1. Introduction

In today's competitive market, businesses are always looking for ways to attract and retain customers. One popular strategy is to offer discounts on subscription plans, incentivizing customers to stay engaged and continue using the service.

In this article, we'll explore how to generate random discounts for subscription plans using Java. We'll begin with a simple example that demonstrates the core concept of generating random discounts based on the duration of a subscription. Then, we'll dive into a real-world use case, incorporating object-oriented design principles and user input to make the code more versatile and applicable to various business scenarios.

By the end of this article, you'll have a solid understanding of how to create and customize a Java program that generates random discounts for subscription plans. You'll also learn how to take user input and make your code more modular and adaptable to different subscription plan structures. Let's get started!

2. Generating Random Discounts: A Simple Example

In this section, we'll start with a simple Java program that generates random discounts for subscription plans based on the duration of the subscription. We'll explain the code, provide the complete Java code, and then walk through it step by step to help you understand how it works.

2.1 Explanation of the simple Java code provided

The provided Java code is a basic example of how to generate random discounts for different subscription plans. The program calculates the initial amount for a subscription based on the number of months and a fixed base cost. Then, it determines which subscription plan the customer is eligible for based on the number of months, and generates a random discount percentage within a specific range for that plan. Finally, the program calculates the final amount to be paid after applying the discount.

2.2 Complete simple Java code

Here's the complete simple Java code:

package subscriptionDiscount;
import java.util.Random;

public class SubscriptionPlan {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        int numberOfMonths = new Random().nextInt(30) + 1;
        double baseCost = 10.0;
        double initialAmount = numberOfMonths * baseCost;
        double discount = 0.0;
        double finalAmount = 0.0;
        String plan = "";

        if (numberOfMonths >= 1 && numberOfMonths < 6) {
            plan = "Basic";
            discount = 0.0;
        } else if (numberOfMonths >= 6 && numberOfMonths < 12) {
            plan = "Basic";
            discount = new Random().nextDouble() * 4.99 + 10.0;
        } else if (numberOfMonths >= 12 && numberOfMonths < 24) {
            plan = "Standard";
            discount = new Random().nextDouble() * 4.99 + 15.0;
        } else {
            plan = "Premium";
            discount = new Random().nextDouble() * 4.99 + 20.0;
        }

        finalAmount = initialAmount - (initialAmount * discount / 100.0);

        System.out.printf("Plan: %s%n", plan);
        System.out.printf("Months: %d%n", numberOfMonths);
        System.out.printf("Initial Amount: $%.2f%n", initialAmount);
        System.out.printf("Discount: %.2f%%%n", discount);
        System.out.printf("Final Amount: $%.2f%n", finalAmount);
    }
}

Output:

Plan: Standard
Months: 18
Initial Amount: $180.00
Discount: 19.41%
Final Amount: $145.06

Note: The output will vary as it depends on random() method from java.util.Random class.

2.3 Code walkthrough and explanation, step by step

Let's go through the code step by step:

1. We import the java.util.Random class, which we'll use to generate random numbers for the number of months and the discount percentage. (If you're interested in alternative methods for generating random numbers, check out our article on Generating random numbers in Java.)
2. We define the SubscriptionPlan class with a main method as our entry point.
3. Inside the main method, we generate a random number of months between 1 and 30 using new Random().nextInt(30) + 1.
4. We set a base cost of $10.0 for each month.
5. We calculate the initial amount by multiplying the number of months by the base cost: double initialAmount = numberOfMonths * baseCost.
6. We initialize variables for the discount, final amount, and the subscription plan name: double discount = 0.0;, double finalAmount = 0.0;, and String plan = "";.
7. We use an if-else structure to determine which subscription plan the customer is eligible for based on the number of months and generate a random discount within a specific range for each plan.
8. We calculate the final amount by applying the discount to the initial amount: finalAmount = initialAmount - (initialAmount * discount / 100.0);.
9. We use System.out.printf() to display the subscription plan details, including the plan name, the number of months, the initial amount, the discount percentage, and the final amount after applying the discount.

Here is a table summarizing the subscription plans, their corresponding number of months, and discount ranges:

Now that we've walked through the simple Java code step by step, you should have a better understanding of how the program generates random discounts for subscription plans based on the duration of the subscription.

In the next section, we'll build upon this example and create a more complex, real-world use case that incorporates object-oriented design principles and user input.

3. A Real-World Use Case: Object-Oriented Design and User Input

In this section, we'll explore an updated version of the Java code that demonstrates a more realistic scenario. We'll incorporate object-oriented design principles by using classes and methods to represent subscription plans. Additionally, we'll implement user input to create a more interactive experience. This will make the code more versatile and applicable to various business scenarios.

3.1 Brief overview of the updated Java code

The updated Java code consists of two files: Plan.java and SubscriptionPlan.java. The Plan class represents a subscription plan with properties like the plan name, minimum and maximum months, and minimum and maximum discount percentages. The SubscriptionPlan class contains the main method and handles user input, as well as the logic for determining the appropriate plan and generating the random discount.

3.2 File structure and organization

The two files are organized as follows:

• Plan.java: Contains the Plan class that represents a subscription plan.
• SubscriptionPlan.java: Contains the SubscriptionPlan class with the main method, user input handling, and plan determination logic.

3.3 Complete updated Java code (both files)

package subscriptionDiscount;

import java.util.Random;

class Plan {
    String name;
    int minMonths;
    int maxMonths;
    double minDiscount;
    double maxDiscount;

    Plan(String name, int minMonths, int maxMonths, double minDiscount, double maxDiscount) {
        this.name = name;
        this.minMonths = minMonths;
        this.maxMonths = maxMonths;
        this.minDiscount = minDiscount;
        this.maxDiscount = maxDiscount;
    }

    boolean isApplicable(int months) {
        return months >= minMonths && months <= maxMonths;
    }

    double getRandomDiscount() {
        return new Random().nextDouble() * (maxDiscount - minDiscount) + minDiscount;
    }
}

package subscriptionDiscount;

import java.util.InputMismatchException;
import java.util.Scanner;

public class SubscriptionPlan {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
        Plan[] plans = {
            new Plan("Basic", 1, 5, 0, 0),
            new Plan("Basic", 6, 11, 10, 14.99),
            new Plan("Standard", 12, 23, 15, 19.99),
            new Plan("Premium", 24, Integer.MAX_VALUE, 20, 24.99),
        };

        System.out.println("Welcome to our subscription plan service!");
        int numberOfMonths = 0;

        while (true) {
            System.out.print("Please enter the number of months you would like to subscribe (1-31): ");
            try {
                numberOfMonths = scanner.nextInt();
                if (numberOfMonths >= 1 && numberOfMonths <= 31) {
                    break;
                } else {
                    System.out.println("Invalid number of months. Please choose a value between 1 and 31.");
                }
            } catch (InputMismatchException e) {
                System.out.println("Invalid input. Please enter an integer value.");
                scanner.next(); // Clear invalid input from the scanner
            }
        }

        double baseCost = 10.0;
        double initialAmount = numberOfMonths * baseCost;
        double discount = 0.0;
        double finalAmount = 0.0;
        String plan = "";

        for (Plan p : plans) {
            if (p.isApplicable(numberOfMonths)) {
                plan = p.name;
                discount = p.getRandomDiscount();
                break;
            }
        }

        finalAmount = initialAmount - (initialAmount * discount / 100.0);

        System.out.printf("%nPlan: %s%n", plan);
        System.out.printf("Months: %d%n", numberOfMonths);
        System.out.printf("Initial Amount: $%.2f%n", initialAmount);
        System.out.printf("Discount: %.2f%%%n", discount);
        System.out.printf("Final Amount: $%.2f%n", finalAmount);

        scanner.close();
    }
}

Output:

Welcome to our subscription plan service!
Please enter the number of months you would like to subscribe (1-31): 5.5
Invalid input. Please enter an integer value.
Please enter the number of months you would like to subscribe (1-31): 15

Plan: Standard
Months: 15
Initial Amount: $150.00
Discount: 17.02%
Final Amount: $124.46

3.4 Code walkthrough and explanation, step by step

3.4.1 Plan class

1. The Plan class has properties such as name, minMonths, maxMonths, minDiscount, and maxDiscount, which define the characteristics of a subscription plan.
2. The constructor initializes these properties with the given values.
3. The isApplicable() method checks if the subscription plan is applicable to a given number of months.
4. The getRandomDiscount() method generates a random discount percentage between the minimum and maximum discounts for the plan.

3.4.2 SubscriptionPlan class

1. We create an array of Plan objects, defining the different subscription plans available.
2. We display a welcome message to the user and initialize a Scanner object to handle user input.
3. We use a while loop to request the user to enter the number of months they would like to subscribe. If the user provides an invalid input, we display an appropriate error message and continue to request a valid input.
4. We calculate the initial amount based on the base cost and the number of months chosen by the user.
5. We loop through the available plans and check if the plan is applicable to the chosen number of months. If the plan is applicable, we store the plan name and generate a random discount percentage.
6. We calculate the final amount by applying the discount to the initial amount.
7. Finally, we display the subscription plan details to the user, including the plan name, number of months, initial amount, discount percentage, and final amount.

3.4.3 Implementing user input

1. We use a Scanner object to read the user's input.
2. We handle invalid input using a try-catch block with InputMismatchException and display an appropriate error message.
3. We clear the invalid input from the scanner using scanner.next() to ensure the user can enter a new value.

This updated Java code demonstrates a more realistic and complex example of generating random discounts for subscription plans. The object-oriented design and user input make the code more versatile and applicable to various business scenarios.

To explain the discount calculation process better, we have included a table that demonstrates a sample calculation with a given number of months, initial amount, and discount percentage:

4. Customizing Discount Ranges and Subscription Plans

In this section, we'll discuss how to modify the code to change the discount ranges or add new subscription plans. This will help you tailor the code to better suit your specific business requirements.

4.1 How to modify the code to change the discount ranges or add new plans

To customize the discount ranges and subscription plans, you can make changes to the Plan objects created in the SubscriptionPlan class.

Changing the discount ranges

To change the discount range for an existing subscription plan, update the minDiscount and maxDiscount values when creating the Plan object. For example, to change the discount range for the "Basic" plan with 6 to 11 months, you can modify the following line:

new Plan("Basic", 6, 11, 10, 14.99),

to

new Plan("Basic", 6, 11, 12, 18.99),

This will change the minimum discount to 12% and the maximum discount to 18.99% for the "Basic" plan with 6 to 11 months.

Adding a new subscription plan

To add a new subscription plan, create a new Plan object and add it to the plans array. For example, to add a new "Super Premium" plan for 32 to 40 months with a discount range of 25% to 30%, you can add the following line to the plans array:

new Plan("Super Premium", 32, 40, 25, 30),

So the updated plans array would look like this:

Plan[] plans = {
    new Plan("Basic", 1, 5, 0, 0),
    new Plan("Basic", 6, 11, 10, 14.99),
    new Plan("Standard", 12, 23, 15, 19.99),
    new Plan("Premium", 24, 31, 20, 24.99),
    new Plan("Super Premium", 32, 40, 25, 30),
};

By following these steps, you can easily customize the discount ranges and subscription plans to better suit your specific business requirements. This flexibility allows you to experiment with various pricing strategies and adapt the code to different scenarios.

5. Conclusion

In this article, we explored the concept of generating random discounts for subscription plans using Java. We started with a simple example and then delved into a more complex, real-world use case that demonstrated object-oriented design and user input. Additionally, we discussed how to customize the discount ranges and subscription plans to better suit your specific business requirements.

Recap of the main points and final thoughts

1. Simple Java code: We started with a basic Java code that generated random discounts for subscription plans. The code determined the applicable plan and discount based on a randomly generated number of months.
2. Real-world use case: We enhanced the simple Java code to create a more realistic example that took user input and used classes and methods to represent the subscription plans in a more object-oriented way. The updated code consisted of two files: Plan.java and SubscriptionPlan.java.
3. Code walkthrough and explanation: We provided a step-by-step explanation of the code, discussing the logic behind the program and how it generated random discounts for different subscription plans.
4. Customizing discount ranges and subscription plans: We explained how to modify the code to change the discount ranges for existing plans or add new plans. This flexibility allows you to tailor the code to better suit your specific business requirements and experiment with various pricing strategies.

In conclusion, generating random discounts for subscription plans can be a powerful tool to attract and retain customers. By understanding the concepts demonstrated in this article and adapting the code to your needs, you can create a dynamic and engaging pricing strategy for your business.

We hope this article has been a valuable resource for you.

Keep coding!

About the Author

This article was authored by Rawnak.