How to Set Up WooCommerce Coupons: A Beginner’s Guide to Boosting Sales!
Want to give your customers a reason to smile and boost your WooCommerce sales at the same time? Then WooCommerce coupons are your secret weapon! They’re super versatile and can be used to offer discounts, free shipping, and more. Don’t worry if you’re a newbie – this guide will walk you through creating your first WooCommerce coupon in a way that’s easy to understand and put into practice.
Why Use WooCommerce Coupons? (And Real-Life Examples!)
Before diving into the “how,” let’s quickly touch on the “why.” Coupons are powerful marketing tools. They can:
* Increase Sales: A well-placed discount can nudge hesitant shoppers to finally click that “Buy” button. Think about it: have *you* ever been tempted by a “20% off” coupon?
* Attract New Customers: Offering a special deal for first-time buyers is a great way to introduce your store to new audiences. Imagine running an ad with a “WELCOME10” coupon code for 10% off their first order.
* Reward Loyal Customers: Say “thank you” to your returning customers with exclusive coupons. You might send them a “THANKYOU20” code via email for 20% off their next purchase.
* Clear Out Inventory: Got items you need to move quickly? A coupon can help! A “CLEARANCE50” coupon for 50% off selected items can be a great incentive.
* Boost Average Order Value: Offer free shipping or a discount for orders above a certain amount. For example, “FREESHIP50” offers free shipping on orders over $50.
Getting Started: Locating the Coupons Section
First, you need to log into your WordPress dashboard. Once you’re in:
1. Navigate to WooCommerce: In the left-hand menu, click on “WooCommerce.”
2. Click on “Coupons”: A submenu will appear. Click on “Coupons.”
This takes you to the main coupon management screen. Here, you can view existing coupons, edit them, and, most importantly, create new ones!
Creating Your First WooCommerce Coupon: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now for the fun part! Let’s create a coupon.
1. Click “Add New”: At the top of the Coupons page, you’ll see a button labeled “Add New.” Click it.
2. Coupon Code: This is the code your customers will enter at checkout. Choose something memorable and easy to type. Avoid special characters (except dashes and underscores). Some examples:
* `SUMMER20`
* `FREESHIPNOW`
* `WELCOME15`
WooCommerce can generate a random coupon code for you.
3. Description (Optional): Add a brief description of the coupon for *your* reference. This is helpful if you plan on having multiple coupons running at the same time. For example: “Summer Sale 20% Off Coupon”.
4. Coupon Data: This is where you define the rules of your coupon. You’ll see several tabs:
* General: The core settings for your coupon.
* Usage Restriction: Limits who can use the coupon.
* Usage Limits: Controls how many times the coupon can be used.
Let’s break down each tab:
#### General Tab: Setting the Basics
* Discount Type: Choose from:
* Percentage discount: Offers a percentage off the total price. (e.g., 20% off)
* Fixed cart discount: Offers a fixed amount off the total price. (e.g., $10 off)
* Fixed product discount: Offers a fixed amount off specific products. (e.g., $5 off a Check out this post: How To Change Woocommerce Product Pages specific t-shirt)
* Coupon Amount: The amount of the discount. Enter “20” if you chose “Percentage discount” and want a 20% discount. If it’s “Fixed cart discount,” and you want $10 off, enter “10”.
* Allow Free Shipping: Check this box to offer free shipping with the coupon. Important: You still need to have free shipping enabled in your WooCommerce shipping settings for at least one zone, with no requirements, for this to function properly.
* Coupon expiry date: Set a date when the coupon expires. This is highly recommended to create a sense of urgency. For example, a coupon expiring at the end of the week.
#### Usage Restriction Tab: Controlling Who Can Use the Coupon
* Minimum Spend: The minimum order total required to use the coupon.
* Maximum Spend: The maximum order total allowed to use the coupon.
* Individual Use Only: If checked, this coupon cannot be used in conjunction with other coupons. Important: If you use a coupon plugin that supports multiple coupons, and that plugin overrides WooCommerce’s behavior, this setting may not work.
* Exclude Sale Items: Prevents the coupon from being applied to products already on sale. Important: If a product is tagged as “sale” in the WooCommerce product edit screen, this setting will exclude it from the coupon discount.
* Products: Apply the coupon only to specific products. Search and select the products you want to include.
* Exclude Products: Prevent the coupon from being applied to specific products.
* Product Categories: Apply the coupon only to products in specific categories.
* Exclude Categories: Prevent the coupon from being applied to products in specific categories.
* Allowed Emails: Restrict the coupon to specific email addresses. Useful for rewarding loyal customers.
#### Usage Limits Tab: Setting Usage Limits
* Usage Limit per Coupon: The total number Discover insights on How To Add Product Options To My Product In Woocommerce of times the coupon can be used. For example, if you want only the first 100 customers to use the coupon, set this to 100.
* Limit Usage to X Items: This sets how many individual *items* the coupon is applicable for, as opposed to *orders*. If a coupon is applicable to only 1 item, set this to 1. Example: “BUYONEGETONE” might require this set to “1”.
* Usage Limit per User: The number of times a single customer can use the coupon. A value of “1” means each customer can use the coupon only once.
Example: Creating a “Welcome” Coupon
Let’s create a coupon called “WELCOME10” that gives new customers 10% off their first order (minimum spend of $20).
1. Go to WooCommerce -> Coupons -> Add New
2. Coupon code: `WELCOME10`
3. Description: “10% off for new customers (min spend $20)”
4. General Tab:
* Discount type: Percentage discount
* Coupon amount: 10
* Allow free shipping: Unchecked (we don’t want free shipping this time)
* Coupon expiry date: (Set an expiry date, perhaps one month from today)
5. Usage Restriction Tab:
* Minimum spend: 20
* Maximum spend: (Leave blank if no maximum)
* Individual use only: Checked
* Exclude sale items: Unchecked (depends on your preference)
6. Usage Limits Tab:
* Usage limit per coupon: (Leave blank if no limit)
* Limit usage to X items: (Leave blank if no limit)
* Usage limit per user: 1
7. Click “Publish”
Testing Your Coupon
After creating your coupon, always test it! Place a test order on your website using the coupon code to make sure it works correctly. Check that the discount is applied correctly, that the usage limits are respected, and that it interacts as you expect with other features like shipping.
Displaying Your Coupons
Your coupons won’t do any good if your customers don’t know about them! Here are some ways to promote your WooCommerce coupons:
* Email Marketing: Send coupon codes to your email list. This is a very effective way to increase sales.
* Website Banners: Display coupon codes on your website banners.
* Social Media: Share your coupons on your social media channels.
* Order Confirmation Pages: Display coupons on order confirmation pages to encourage repeat purchases.
Troubleshooting Common Coupon Issues
* Coupon Code Not Working: Double-check that the coupon code is entered correctly and hasn’t expired. Also, verify that the order meets the minimum spend requirements and that no excluded products or categories are in the cart.
* Coupon Not Applying Correctly: Ensure the discount type and amount are configured correctly. Check for conflicts with other coupons (if “Individual use only” is checked) and make sure no products are excluded accidentally.
* Usage Limits Exceeded: If the coupon has reached its usage limit, it will no longer be valid. Display a message on your website indicating that the coupon is no longer available.
Conclusion
WooCommerce coupons are a fantastic way to boost sales, reward customers, and achieve your marketing goals. By understanding the different settings and using them strategically, you can create effective coupons that drive results. Happy selling!
