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Discount Codes

Enabling Discount Codes

Discount codes (also called promo codes, coupons or vouchers) let customers reduce the price at checkout. They're a versatile tool for marketing, customer recovery, and partner programmes.

Site Settings eCommerce panel with 'Enable discount codes' toggle on, additional sub-toggles for 'Show code box at checkout', 'Allow code stacking', 'Validate codes via API'

Turning the Feature On

  1. Open Site Settings → eCommerce → Discount Codes.
  2. Toggle Enable discount codes on.
  3. Pick where the input appears: cart, checkout, or both.
  4. Decide whether codes can stack (use multiple at once) or are mutually exclusive.
  5. Save.

Where Codes Apply

  • Cart-level discounts: reduce the subtotal.
  • Item-level discounts: reduce specific products or categories.
  • Shipping discounts: waive or reduce shipping costs.
  • Subscription discounts: apply to recurring billing, often for the first N invoices.

Examples of When to Use Codes

  • Welcome offer: WELCOME10 — 10% off first order, single-use per email.
  • Cart abandonment: COMEBACK15 — 15% off, expires in 7 days, sent by automated email.
  • Partner programme: Each partner has a unique code (PARTNER-X42) that tracks attribution and gives a 20% discount.
  • VIP relationship: Single-use codes mailed to specific customers as a thank-you for staying.
Tip: Stackable codes are powerful but make accounting tricky. Most platforms start non-stackable and only enable stacking once you have clear rules (e.g. “percentage off” + “free shipping” combine, but two percentage discounts don't).

Creating a Discount Code

Each discount code is a configured rule — a value, conditions, an expiry. This article walks through creating a code from scratch and shows several common patterns.

Discount code creation form with fields for Code (text input), Description, Type (percentage/fixed/free shipping), Value, Min spend, Max uses overall, Max uses per customer, Eligible products, Start/End dates

Step-by-Step

  1. Open Architect Panel → Discount Codes and click New Code.
  2. Enter the code string. Use uppercase letters and numbers — avoid easily-confused characters (O vs 0, I vs 1).
  3. Choose the type:
    • Percentage: e.g. 15% off.
    • Fixed amount: e.g. £10 off.
    • Free shipping: waives shipping charges.
    • Free product: adds a free SKU to the cart.
  4. Set the value (e.g. 15 for 15%).
  5. Configure conditions:
    • Minimum spend (e.g. £50).
    • Maximum uses overall (e.g. 1000 total).
    • Maximum uses per customer (e.g. 1 — single-use per buyer).
    • Eligible products / categories (blank = all).
    • Start and end dates.
  6. Save and test by adding the code to a sample cart.

Patterns

  • WELCOME10: 10% off, no minimum, 1 use per customer, no expiry — given to new signups.
  • SUMMER25: 25% off, minimum £100, 5000 total uses, expires Aug 31 — seasonal campaign.
  • FREESHIP: Free shipping, minimum £75, no max uses — always-on threshold incentive.
  • SAVE5: £5 off, minimum £30, 1 use per customer, expires after 30 days — cart-abandonment recovery.
  • PARTNER-ACME: 20% off, no minimum, unlimited uses, exclusive to ACME's marketing — partner attribution code.
Warning: Public codes (in social media or press) without max-use caps can be exploited. Always set a sensible cap on global usage to limit downside.