To create a coupon in WooCommerce, go to Marketing, then Coupons, then Add coupon. Enter a code, choose a discount type, set the amount, add any restrictions and publish. WooCommerce supports percentage and fixed discounts out of the box, and plugins add advanced rules such as buy one get one and store credit.
What coupons do in WooCommerce
A coupon is a code that gives a discount on an order. The customer types it in the cart or checkout, or follows a link that applies it. You decide what it discounts, who can use it, how often and when it expires.
Coupons suit several jobs: welcoming first-time buyers, clearing stock, rewarding loyal customers, thanking an affiliate’s audience, recovering an abandoned cart, or running a seasonal sale. The tool is the same; the rules around it change by goal.
Before you start: enable coupons
Coupons are on by default in most stores. If you do not see the coupon field at checkout, open the WooCommerce settings, go to the General tab and check that the option to enable coupon codes is ticked.
How to create a coupon
Step 1: open the coupon screen
In the WordPress admin, go to Marketing, then Coupons. Click Add coupon. In older versions of WooCommerce, coupons sit under WooCommerce, then Coupons.
Step 2: enter the coupon code
The code is what customers type. Keep it short and easy to read: WELCOME10 or SPRINGSALE. The Generate coupon code button creates a random one, which is better for single-use or private offers. Codes are not case sensitive for customers.
Step 3: add a description
The description is for you. Write the purpose and the campaign, such as “Newsletter welcome offer”. It helps when you review coupons months later.
Step 4: set the coupon data
The Coupon data box has three tabs: General, Usage restriction and Usage limits. The rest of this section covers each one.
General settings
- Discount type. WooCommerce offers three: percentage discount, fixed cart discount and fixed product discount.
- Coupon amount. The value of the discount: a percentage for the first type, a currency amount for the others.
- Allow free shipping. Tick this to let the coupon give free shipping. It needs a free shipping method set up to accept a valid free shipping coupon.
- Coupon expiry date. After this date the coupon stops working.
The three discount types
| Type | What it does | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage discount | Takes a percentage off the eligible products in the cart | Sales and welcome offers |
| Fixed cart discount | Takes a set amount off the whole cart, once | “Money off your order” offers |
| Fixed product discount | Takes a set amount off each eligible product | Promoting a specific product |
The difference between the last two surprises many store owners. A fixed cart discount applies once to the order. A fixed product discount applies to every unit of each eligible product, so a customer buying three items gets the discount three times.
Usage restriction
This tab decides what the coupon may be used on.
- Minimum and maximum spend. Require a cart total above a figure, or cap it. A minimum spend protects your margin.
- Individual use only. The coupon cannot be combined with others.
- Exclude sale items. The coupon does not apply to products already on sale.
- Products and Exclude products. Limit the coupon to chosen products, or exclude some.
- Product categories and Exclude categories. The same, by category.
- Allowed emails. Limit the coupon to specific customer emails. This is the right tool for personal offers.
Usage limits
- Usage limit per coupon. How many times the coupon can be used in total across all customers.
- Limit usage to X items. How many items in the cart the discount applies to, for percentage and fixed product discounts.
- Usage limit per user. How many times one customer can use it.
Use limits for any offer that costs you money. A coupon posted in a forum with no limit can be used by anyone, as often as the settings allow.
Publish, test and manage coupons
Publish and test
Click Publish, then test the coupon yourself. Add a qualifying product to the cart, apply the code and check the total. Test as a guest and as a logged-in customer. Then test a cart that should not qualify, to make sure the restrictions work.
Manage coupons
The coupon list shows code, type, amount, description, products, usage and expiry. Sort and search it, edit a coupon to change its rules, or move it to the trash when a campaign ends. Expired coupons stay in the list until you delete them, so clean up now and then.
Share coupons
Put the code in a newsletter, a banner or a social post. Pick one place per campaign so you can tell what worked. Avoid public posting for offers meant for a small group. Use the allowed emails restriction for those.
Coupon ideas that work
- Welcome offer. A percentage off the first order, limited to one use per customer.
- Free shipping above a basket size. A free shipping coupon with a minimum spend. See our guide on free shipping after a minimum order.
- Category sale. A discount that applies only to one category you want to move.
- Abandoned cart recovery. A single-use code sent in a follow-up email. See abandoned cart recovery plugins.
- Loyalty reward. A personal code limited to one customer’s email.
- Partner or affiliate offer. A dedicated code for each partner so you can track results. See affiliate plugins.
- Seasonal sale. A short-dated code with a clear end date.
Plan a coupon campaign
Set one goal
Decide what the coupon is for: a first order, a bigger basket, a return visit or stock clearance. A coupon with no goal gives away margin and teaches customers to wait for a code.
Work out what you can afford
Take a typical product, subtract the discount and check that you still cover cost, shipping and fees. A discount that looks small on a low-margin product can wipe out the profit. Do the sum before you publish the code, not after the sale.
Choose the rule that matches the goal
- First order: percentage discount, one use per customer.
- Bigger basket: free shipping or a fixed cart discount with a minimum spend.
- Return visit: a personal code limited to the customer’s email.
- Stock clearance: a category or product restriction with an end date.
Set an end date
A deadline gives people a reason to act now. It also stops old codes circulating on coupon sites long after your campaign ends.
Review after it ends
Look at how many orders used the code, what the average order total was and whether those customers came back. Keep what worked and retire what did not.
How coupons and sale prices interact
A product can have a sale price and also qualify for a coupon. If you do not want both, tick Exclude sale items on the coupon. Decide this early. Otherwise a customer can combine a sale price with a code and pay less than you planned.
The same goes for several coupons in one cart. WooCommerce lets customers apply more than one code unless a coupon is set to individual use only. Tick that box for any offer that should stand alone. Then test two codes together to see the result.
Taxes and shipping also matter. Check how your tax settings treat discounted totals, and test a coupon on an order that ships to a taxed region. If you use a custom checkout, run the coupon through it too. Layout plugins can change where the coupon field sits and how it behaves.
Plugins for advanced coupons
Core coupons handle simple discounts. When you need more, plugins add rules that core does not have. Check each plugin page for the current feature list before you commit.
Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce
Advanced Coupons extends coupons with buy one get one deals and store credit, among other features, and has a free version on WordPress.org.
Smart Coupons For WooCommerce Coupons
Smart Coupons For WooCommerce Coupons adds extra coupon types and conditions. See also the official paid WooCommerce Smart Coupons extension, and our guide to coupon design with Smart Coupons.
Power Coupons for WooCommerce
Power Coupons adds more coupon options on top of WooCommerce’s own.
Auto Coupons for WooCommerce
Auto Coupons for WooCommerce applies coupons automatically, so customers do not need to type a code.
Coupons and Add to Cart by URL Links
Coupons & Add to Cart by URL Links for WooCommerce lets you share a link that applies a coupon, which is handy for emails and ads.
Gift cards
A gift card is a different tool from a coupon, though people mix them up. YITH WooCommerce Gift Cards sells prepaid value that customers can spend. Our gift card plugin guide compares more of them.
Dynamic pricing
If you want automatic discounts by quantity or customer role, not codes, look at dynamic pricing plugins.
Common mistakes to avoid
- No usage limit on a public code.
- Mixing a fixed product discount with high quantities and losing margin.
- Forgetting that coupons can stack unless you tick individual use only.
- Leaving expired offers in the list and in old emails.
- Confusing codes. Avoid characters that look alike, such as O and 0.
- Not testing the coupon on a phone, where typing a code is slower.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I create coupons in WooCommerce?
Go to Marketing, then Coupons, in the WordPress admin and click Add coupon. Older versions list coupons under the WooCommerce menu.
What discount types does WooCommerce offer?
Three: percentage discount, fixed cart discount and fixed product discount. Plugins add types such as buy one get one.
How do I limit a coupon to one use per customer?
Open the Usage limits tab and set the usage limit per user to one. For offers meant for one person, also use the allowed emails restriction.
Can I exclude sale items from a coupon?
Yes. Tick Exclude sale items on the Usage restriction tab.
Can I give free shipping with a coupon?
Yes. Tick Allow free shipping on the General tab, and make sure your free shipping method accepts a valid free shipping coupon.
Why is my coupon not working?
The usual causes are an expired date, a minimum spend that is not met, a restricted product or category, a usage limit that is used up, or a customer email that is not on the allowed list. Check each setting on the coupon.
Do I need a plugin for coupons?
No. Core coupons cover most simple offers. Use a plugin for buy one get one, store credit, automatic application or link-based coupons.
Next step
Create one coupon with a clear goal, a limit and an expiry date, test it as a customer and watch how it is used. For related store tasks, read about PDF invoices and packing slips, or see the live demos to view a WooCommerce store inside a full theme.