How to Make a Free Shipping Coupon in WooCommerce (The Easy Way!)
Free shipping is a powerful incentive that can significantly boost your WooCommerce sales. Customers are often more willing to complete a purchase when they don’t have to worry about additional shipping costs. This article will guide you through creating a free shipping coupon in WooCommerce, so you can leverage this strategy without spending a dime on extra shipping costs. We’ll cover everything from setting it up to best practices to ensure your promotion is effective.
Why Offer Free Shipping?
Free shipping offers several advantages for your WooCommerce store:
- Reduced Cart Abandonment: High shipping costs are a leading cause of cart abandonment. Free shipping removes this barrier.
- Increased Sales: Customers are more likely to buy when they perceive a good deal, and free shipping can create that perception.
- Improved Customer Loyalty: Offering free shipping demonstrates that you value your customers and are willing to go the extra mile.
- Competitive Advantage: In today’s competitive e-commerce landscape, free shipping can help you stand out from the crowd.
- Minimum Spend: Set a minimum order value to qualify for free shipping. This is a great way to increase your average order value. For example, set it to $50 to encourage customers to add more items to their cart.
- Individual Use Only: If you don’t want the coupon to be combined with other coupons, check this box.
- Exclude Sale Items: If you don’t want to offer free shipping on sale items, check this box.
- Products: You can specify specific products that the coupon *applies to*. For example, you might only offer free shipping on new product lines.
- Exclude Products: You can specify specific products that the coupon *doesn’t apply to*. This is useful if you have oversized or heavy items that are expensive to ship.
- Product Categories: Similar to products, you can target specific product categories.
- Exclude Categories: Similar to products, you can exclude specific product categories.
- Allowed Emails: You can restrict coupon use to specific email addresses (useful for loyalty programs).
- Usage Limit per Coupon: The maximum number of times the coupon can be used in total. For example, setting it to 100 will disable the coupon after 100 uses across all customers.
- Limit Usage to X Items: Limit the quantity of items a user can apply the discount to.
- Usage Limit per User: The maximum number of times a single user can use the coupon. Setting this to ‘1’ is common to prevent abuse.
Now, let’s dive into the process of creating your free shipping coupon.
Creating a Free Shipping Coupon in WooCommerce
WooCommerce makes it remarkably simple to create various types of coupons, including those offering free shipping. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Access the Coupon Creation Page
1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Navigate to WooCommerce > Coupons.
3. Click on the Add Coupon button.
Step 2: Configure the Coupon Details
1. Coupon Code: Enter a unique code for your coupon. Choose something memorable and relevant to your promotion, such as “FREESHIP2024” or “SUMMERFREE”. Make sure it’s easy for customers to remember and type!
2. Description (Optional): Provide a brief description of the coupon’s purpose. This is for internal use and won’t be displayed to customers. For example: “Free shipping coupon for summer promotion.”
Step 3: Set the General Coupon Settings
1. Discount Type: Leave this as the default, you don’t need to set up a percentage discount.
2. Coupon Amount: Leave this blank. We’re creating a free shipping coupon, not a discount coupon.
3. Allow Free Shipping: This is the crucial step. Check the “Allow free shipping” box. This tells WooCommerce that this coupon grants free shipping.
4. Coupon Expiry Date (Optional): Set an expiration date to create a sense of urgency and encourage customers to use the coupon quickly.
Step 4: Usage Restriction (Optional but Recommended)
This section allows you to control how the coupon can be used. Here are some common usage restrictions:
Step 5: Usage Limits (Optional)
This section allows you to control how many times the coupon can be used.
Step 6: Publish the Coupon
Once you’ve configured all the settings, click the Publish button to activate the coupon.
Example Code: Custom Free Shipping Threshold (Advanced)
If you need more complex free shipping rules (e.g., different thresholds based on location), you might consider using code. Here’s a simplified example that adjusts the free shipping threshold based on the customer’s country:
add_filter( 'woocommerce_package_rates', 'custom_free_shipping_threshold', 10, 2 );
function custom_free_shipping_threshold( $rates, $package ) {
// Only run if free shipping is available
if ( ! isset( $rates[‘free_shipping:1’] ) ) {
return $rates;
}
$country = $package[‘destination’][‘country’];
$threshold = 50; // Default threshold
if ( $country == ‘CA’ ) {
$threshold = 75; // Higher threshold for Canada
}
if ( $package[‘cart’]->subtotal < $threshold ) {
unset( $rates[‘free_shipping:1’] ); // Remove free shipping if below threshold
}
return $rates;
}
Important: This code snippet is an example. You’ll need to adapt it to your specific requirements and thoroughly test it. Consider using a plugin or consulting with a WooCommerce developer for more complex scenarios. Back up your site before making changes to code.
Best Practices for Free Shipping Coupons
Here are some tips to make the most of your free shipping coupons:
- Promote Your Coupon: Don’t just create a coupon and hope people find it. Promote it on your website, social media, and email newsletters.
- Use Clear Messaging: Make sure your customers understand the terms and conditions of the coupon. For example, clearly state the minimum order value and expiration date.
- A/B Test Different Strategies: Experiment with different minimum order values, expiration dates, and targeting options to see what works best for your business.
- Track Your Results: Monitor the performance of your coupon by tracking key metrics such as sales, conversion rates, and average order value. Use Google Analytics (integrated with WooCommerce) to get actionable data.
- Consider Seasonal Promotions: Free shipping coupons can be particularly effective during holidays and other special occasions.
Conclusion
Creating a free shipping coupon in WooCommerce is a simple yet effective way to boost sales and improve customer satisfaction. By following the steps outlined in this article and implementing the best practices, you can leverage the power of free shipping to grow your online business. Remember to track your results and adjust your strategy as needed to maximize its impact. Don’t hesitate to use more advanced options like the custom code example (with caution!), but the built-in coupon system often suffices for many stores.
