We all love discounts. We all love saving money. What we don't love is when a coupon code doesn't work. And the solution is easy.
Simpler is better.
When a discount method has a complicated setup with multiple restrictions, it makes it hard for someone to use and receive the discount as well as making it much more difficult for you to troubleshoot should the need arise.
Top Tips For Discount Methods Issues On Checkout and How To Troubleshoot:
- If you're using a coupon code, and you tell the customer that it is using it in lowercase, but in your rule definitions it is set to uppercase
- Your discount method is set to use once by a customer. If they have to log in with another email address to receive it on multiple accounts, and it doesn't work.
- The coupon has been set to expire and the customer was given the coupon or hasn't tried to use it until past the point of expiration
- Too many rules that apply to get the discount or free item.
- Free item added to the discount has no items in stock.
- Multiple coupon codes are used for multiple discounts included expired ones. Or the coupon code in itself is borderline cryptic to the user. For example, "Use code '1871277128127pxjkasd78asd' to get $10 off your order of $100 or more!"
- The discount method is not set to be strict if you have specific actions that must be done. Leaving it unstrict means only one rule needs to be accomplished for them to get the discount.
- There is a 0 in remaining uses. Basically this discount isn't working because it can only be used 0 more times. You'd want to increase this number, or erase it and save it with a blank field for it to be unlimited.
- "Category in the cart" is selected, but other items you don't want discounted are in the category are also apply. Go into the product and set it to "Do Not Discount" so the coupon doesn't apply.
More Tips To Consider:
- To make it easier on your admins, make the description of the discount simple as well. "HSGA2014-2" is less memorable and harder to search than "Holiday Sale Galore Awesome 2014!" Save the code-talk for the coupon code!
- If a coupon code is expired, it will cause problems if the same is used on a new promotion. Give it a new code so customers who have the expired code won't be able to receive a discount on a new promo.
- Test and make sure the code or discount works before launching marketing campaigns. It will cause less headaches in the long-run.
- The only way to exclude items from discounts is to set them to "Do Not Discount" in the product editor. If you have a specific set of products in mind, add the items to a product list and select "Product List In Cart". Or add them to a specific category and use "Category In Cart".
- "Multiplied"- All the "(multiplied)" Rule Types will multiply the amount specified in the discount for each match found. We do not have a rule that specifies two or more from the same manufacturer,category,etc. You can add a strict rule that matches on the item/manufacturer and requires the cart to have a minimum product total.
If you have a discount method that has been reported by a customer to not work, test it for yourself to see what they see. Check out our article on creating test orders here.
If you want to give your customers an incentive and a good deal, give them an easy experience to keep them coming back!
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