Offering customers discounts and promotions is a great way to attract new shoppers, increase average order values, and thank your most loyal customers. The simplest way to do this is by creating a coupon code that customers can use at the checkout.
If you’re on the BigCommerce platform, creating a coupon code is a quick and easy process!
Let’s get started:
Step 1: Log into your BigCommerce control panel
Step 2: Go to Marketing > Coupon Codes
The instructions and video are specific to creating coupon codes using the Marketing > Coupon Code path. These instructions do not apply to creating coupon codes in Marketing > Promotions.
Step 3: Click on Create a Coupon Code
- Coupon Code is prepopulated with a BigCommerce generated coupon code. You can enter your own here using a combination of letters and numbers. This will be the code shoppers will enter at the checkout in order to receive the discount.
- Coupon Name is for your eyes only. This will only be visible in the store control panel and not visible to customers, so feel free to name it whatever.
- Discount Type is the type of discount you’re going to offer your customer, whether it be a dollar amount or percentage off the order total or individual items, or a free shipping promotion, you would select the appropriate type here.
- Discount Amount is the amount of the discount you’re going to offer based on the Discount Type previously selected.
- Minimum Purchase is where you would enter a dollar amount if you wanted the discount to only apply if the order total reached a certain threshold.
- Number of Uses would be used if you prefer to have the coupon code limited to say, the first 100 customers. You can also limit the number of times a customer can use the coupon code.
- To make sure the coupon does not apply the discount on top of cart-level discounts, check the Exclude Cart Level Discounts box.
- When you’re ready to enable your new coupon code, make sure you click the Enable box.
- Expiry Date is used when you would like your coupon code to expire on a certain date. To leave it open-ended, don’t set a date.
Step 4: Set up any conditions that may apply to the coupon:
- Your coupon code can be used only on items within a specific category, such as bath or garden.
- Your coupon code can be used only on specific items and not everything in your store.
Step 5: Set up any location or shipping method restrictions on the Advanced tab:
- Limit by Location allows you to limit the coupon’s usage to certain countries, states, even zip codes.
- Limit by Shipping allows you to limit the coupon to a specific shipping carrier.
Step 6: Once your coupon code is set up, be sure to click save! We recommend testing your new coupon code on your store to make sure it’s functioning as you intended.
For more BigCommerce training videos, be sure to check out our YouTube channel.
Scott Sanfilippo began his eCommerce journey in 1994 by co-founding one of the Internet’s first online retailers, TheFerretStore.com, which was acquired by PetCo in 2006. In 2001, he co-founded the eCommerce design and marketing firm Solid Cactus, which was acquired by web.com in 2009. Today, Scott is the General Manager of Your Store Wizards and lives in Delray Beach, FL. Scott can be contacted at scott@yourstorewizards.com.