Coupons

Enhance customer engagement by offering subscription discounts with coupons

Using coupons in your subscription-based business can attract new customers, increase their loyalty, and drive sales.

Currently, coupons can be used only with recurring products in a subscription-based model and do not apply to one-time products for single purchases. This is a temporary limitation, as Solidgate is actively working on expanding coupon support to include one-time products as well.

The coupon code name is unique within the scope of an account. Merchants cannot create multiple coupons with the same name unless the existing one is archived.

With coupons and coupon codes, you can:

apply discounts to all invoices, a single invoice, or for a predefined period
reduce the total amount of an invoice by a fixed amount or a certain percentage

Additionally, you can set up coupons that need to be redeemed by a certain date or have a maximum redemption limit for all customers.

Coupon

To support customer savings and promote sales, coupons can be converted into discounts during the payment process.

Coupons have flexible configurations. They can apply a fixed amount or percentage discount. Coupon duration includes one-time use, unlimited, or limited time options. Additionally, the usage limits can be set by redemption count or specific expiration date.

The following sections serve as a guide that walks you through the comprehensive management of coupons, including their creation, customization, and tracking. You learn how to set parameters like discount type, duration, redemption limits, and expiration dates, all of which are crucial for executing effective promotional strategies.

Coupon properties

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Name

In the dashboard, coupons are listed and identified by unique names. These names act as internal labels for easy reference and management, streamlining the process of handling various coupons. They are not visible to customers, but choosing descriptive and meaningful names is key for efficient management.

For instance, a coupon providing a discount on a customer’s first purchase might be aptly named First Purchase Discount, clearly indicating its intended use. It is important to note that each coupon code name must be unique within the account scope. Merchants cannot create multiple coupon codes with the same name unless one is archived.

Discount

Percentage and fixed amount are the main types of discounts. Each type functions differently in how it reduces the invoice amount, and understanding these differences is crucial for effective coupon management.

Percentage

This type of coupon reduces the invoice by a specific percentage. The discount amount is dynamically calculated based on the total value of the customer’s purchase.

For example, if a customer applies a 50% coupon to a $200 invoice, the discount is $100, lowering the invoice to $100.

For promotions such as “20% off on your first purchase”. If a customer opts for an online course costing $50, the coupon would grant them a $10 discount, which is 20% of $50.

Important to mention that if a 100% discount is applied to the invoice, the purchase is not entirely free. The customer is charged the minimum currency unit.

For example, if a 100% discount is applied to a $12 purchase, the customer is charged 1 cent.

Fixed amount

Unlike percentage discounts, this coupon type subtracts a fixed amount from the invoice. These coupons are usually applicable only once per billing cycle.

For example, if a customer has a $50 fixed amount coupon and their total invoice is $100, the coupon would reduce the invoice to $50.

The fixed amount is set in the currency of your choice, like $25. For instance, a coupon with a fixed amount of $25 would reduce the customer’s invoice by $25, regardless of the total amount.

Please be advised that, similarly to the percentage discount, the purchase is not entirely free for the customer when using this type of discount. The fixed discount amount may exceed the total value of the purchase.

For example, a $20 off coupon applied to a $15 purchase would result in the minimum charge of the currency unit, such as 1 cent.

There is no option to set a minimum purchase value to apply these discounts, but it is considered for implementation in the future.

Duration

It is essential to choose the appropriate duration type to align with your marketing objectives and customer engagement strategy.

Once

With this setting, the coupon applies a discount only once and is not usable again after being redeemed. It is particularly useful for promotions targeting new subscriptions or one-off purchases.

For example, if you offer a $10 one-time discount, the coupon reduces the first invoice by $10. After that, the coupon becomes inactive for that subscription.

Forever

Choosing this duration means the discount is applicable continuously for as long as the subscription remains active. This can be an effective way to retain customers over an extended period.

For example, if you have a $5 ‘Forever’ discount on a $20 monthly subscription, the customer pays $15 as long as the subscription is active.

Limited time

You can use this setting to specify the number of billing cycles during which the coupon remains active. It is well-suited for seasonal promotions or limited-time offers.

For example, if you want to offer $5 off for three months of a subscription, you would set the Duration to ‘Limited time’. In this case, the discount is applicable for the first three months, after which the subscription reverts to its original price.

Redemptions limit

The redemption limit sets the maximum number of times a coupon can be used. For example, a limit of 5 means the coupon expires after 5 redemptions. This limit counts redemptions across all customers.

The system tracks each usage of a coupon but does not currently support per-customer redemption limits.

Expires at

The expiration for a coupon can be set to a specific date and time. The coupon becomes active immediately and remains so until the chosen expiration time.

The time zone for the expiration period is determined in relation to the account.

Create coupon

Via Hub

To create a coupon

Go to Billing > Coupons.
Click on the + Create coupon button.
On the coupon information page, specify the required information:
- Coupon name and description
- Discount in percentage or fixed amount
- Duration
- Redemption limit
- Expires at date
Click on Create coupon to save a new coupon.

Delete coupon

When deleting a coupon, there are certain limitations and considerations to keep in mind:

No redemptions
The coupon can be freely deleted when it has not been redeemed by any customer.
Irreversible action
Once a coupon is deleted, it is removed from the coupon listing and cannot be restored. This makes it unavailable for any future uses. Additionally, deleting a coupon also removes all its associated coupon codes.

It is important to be certain about your decision before proceeding with the deletion. This action is irreversible and may impact ongoing promotional strategies.

Via Hub

To delete a coupon

Go to Billing > Coupons.
Find the coupon you need and click on it.
In the top-right corner, click on Delete coupon.
In the pop-up window, click on Delete to confirm.

Archive coupon

If a coupon has been redeemed one or more times, the only option available is to archive it, rather than delete it.

Visibility
An archived coupon remains visible in the coupon listing for record-keeping purposes.
Immutability
Once archived, no further actions or modifications can be performed on the coupon. It becomes a read-only item in your system. Archiving a coupon also archives all its associated coupon codes.

Archiving allows you to retain a history of used coupons while preventing any further redemptions or modifications, thereby safeguarding the integrity of past transactions.

Coupon statuses

Coupon statuses provide valuable insights into the state of each coupon created. They serve as a vital tool for streamlining discount management and enhancing the effectiveness of promotional strategies.

Value	Description	Implications
active	The coupon has been created and is available for use.	Customers can apply this coupon to eligible purchases for discounts. The parameters of the coupon can still be modified unless it has been redeemed.
expired	The coupon has reached its set expiry date and is no longer valid.	Customers can no longer use this coupon for new purchases. Existing redemptions prior to the expiry date remain valid.
utilized	The coupon has reached its maximum number of redemptions as set in the redemption counter.	The coupon is automatically deactivated and cannot be used for further discounts. Existing redemptions remain valid.
archived	The coupon has been manually archived by an administrator or customer.	The coupon remains visible in the system for record-keeping but becomes read-only. It cannot be applied to new transactions or modified in any way.

Coupon code

Coupon codes are alphanumeric strings that customers enter at checkout to apply discounts. Created in the internal coupon system, they represent the customer-facing discount tool. Using them applies discounts based on coupon settings.

They can be distributed through various marketing channels and are entered by customers during the checkout process. These codes offer a flexible way to incentivize purchases, attract new customers, and measure the effectiveness of promotional campaigns.

Coupon code properties

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Code

The code is an alphanumeric string that serves as a unique identifier for the discount, which customers can enter during the checkout process. While the code should be memorable for easy customer recall, it is essential to maintain a level of complexity to deter unauthorized use.

For example, instead of using a straightforward code like FIRST20 for a 20% first-time purchase discount, a more secure alternative could be F1RST20XyZ. This adds an extra layer of security while still being relatively easy for genuine customers to remember.

Redemption limit

The redemption limit for coupon codes defines the maximum number of times each individual code can be redeemed.

For example, if a coupon code has a limit of 3, it can be redeemed only 3 times.

Each coupon code limit cannot exceed the coupon total redemption limit. On the other hand, multiple coupon codes can each have their own individual limits, based on your marketing strategy.

The system tracks the usage of each coupon code. However, as of now, it does not offer the option to set redemption limits per customer for each code.

Expiration date

Each coupon code can have its own expiration date and time, which cannot exceed the overall expiration date set for the parent coupon. Once set, the coupon code becomes active immediately and expires at the specified date and time, in accordance with the time zone of the account.

For example, each coupon code can have a distinct expiration date, provided it falls within the validity period of the parent coupon.

Create coupon code

In the Hub, you can manually create coupon codes or generate and upload coupon codes from a CSV file.

Via Hub

To create a coupon code manually

Go to Billing > Coupons.
Find the coupon you need and click on it.
In the Codes section, click on + Add code.
In the appeared form, specify the coupon code information:
- Enter the alphanumeric code to use for redeeming the coupon.
- Optionally, set the Redemption limit to control the code usage count.
- Optionally, set the Expires at date to specify when this code becomes invalid.
Click on Add to add the code to the coupon.

To generate and upload coupon codes

Go to Billing > Coupons.
Find the coupon you need and click on it.
In the Codes section, click on + Add code.
In the appeared form, select Upload coupon codes.
Prepare a file with coupon codes.
Please note that a file should follow the format provided in the sample:
- Download a sample generator file to meet the requirements for the file data format.
- Follow the instructions in the file to create coupon codes.
Click on Upload your coupon codes to add a file with the codes.
Once the file is uploaded, click on Add to confirm the upload of the coupon codes.

Please note that the coupon codes upload has some restrictions:

Each coupon code has a redemption limit equal to 1 and follows the coupon expiration date.
The file must be in CSV format and contain only coupon codes.
Coupon codes must consist solely of letters and numbers.
Each coupon code in the file must be unique.
The limit is 1,000 coupon codes per file. For more coupon codes, upload additional CSV files.

Delete coupon code

If you need to delete a coupon code, be aware that once deleted, the coupon code is removed from the listing and cannot be restored.

Via Hub

To delete a coupon code

Go to Billing > Coupons.
Find the coupon you need and click on it.
In the Codes section, find the coupon code you want to delete.
Hover over the coupon code and click on Delete.
In the pop-up window, click on Delete to confirm.

Coupon code statuses

Coupon codes also have statuses that indicate their availability and whether they have been redeemed. Understanding these statuses is essential for managing coupon campaigns powerfully.

Value	Description	Implications
active	The coupon code has been created and is ready for use.	Customers can apply this coupon code to eligible purchases for discounts. The parameters of the coupon code can still be modified unless it has been redeemed.
expired	The coupon code has reached its expiry date and is no longer valid.	Customers can no longer use this coupon code for new purchases. Any existing redemptions made before the expiry date are still honored.
utilized	The coupon code has reached its maximum number of redemptions as set in the redemption counter.	The coupon code is automatically deactivated and cannot be used for further discounts. Existing redemptions remain valid.
archived	The coupon code has been archived either manually by a customer or because the parent entity (the coupon) has been archived.	The coupon code remains in the system for record-keeping purposes but becomes read-only. It cannot be applied to new transactions or modified in any way.

Discount usage

The predefined and the direct flows are the primary ways to apply discounts to customer subscriptions. These approaches offer flexibility in how you can incentivize customers to make purchases or commit to subscriptions.

Predefined flow

In this method, you can add a coupon directly to a customer’s order. The discount is applied automatically, without the need for a coupon code.

For example, you want to offer a time-sensitive deal. You provide a 30% discount for the first three months if a payment is completed within 10 minutes. Instead of adjusting product prices, create a coupon and apply it directly to the customer’s order.

For instructions on integrating this flow into your checkout process, see the Guide
In this flow, the coupon ID is embedded and encrypted in the paymentIntent during payment initialization. Once the form is initialized, the applied discount is already present. Payment Form documentation.

Direct flow

In this approach, customers can redeem coupon codes to get discounts on their subscriptions. They can enter the code at checkout to receive the discount.

For example, you create a coupon offering a 15% discount for the next two months and generate a coupon code for it (SUMSALE15OFF). Customers receive this code via email or another notification channel. The checkout page includes a designated field where customers can enter the code to apply the discount.

Detailed guidance on how to integrate this option into your checkout process is available in the Guide
In this flow, the coupon code is applied after the payment form has been initialized using a special applyCoupon method. Payment Form documentation.

Coupon details

This section provides guidelines on editing coupon details and understanding how discounts interact with trial subscription options.

Available fields for editing

Currently, neither coupons nor coupon codes are available for editing.

Once a coupon is created, its editable fields are limited to the following:

Name
Description

Coupon codes themselves do not have an option for editing.

Discounts with trial options

For products that feature a trial period, discounts from coupons are not applied to the trial price. Instead, the discount takes effect on the subsequent recurring payment.

In situations where the expiration date of a coupon precedes the next recurring payment, the system preserves the discount for that particular payment.

For example, a product costs $20 and offers a 1-month trial. If a once-duration coupon expires in 20 days, its discount applies to the first payment after the trial, regardless of expiration.

Coupons and subscription lifecycle

Understanding how coupons behave across the subscription lifecycle helps navigate billing scenarios.

Paused subscriptions
When a subscription is Guide
Pausing a subscription temporarily stops billing while retaining the subscription for the customer. paused, the coupon stays attached to it. After you resume the subscription, the discount remains active. The system checks coupon validity when the next billing period starts. If the coupon has expired by that time, the discount no longer applies.
Cancelled and restored subscriptions
When a subscription is cancelled, the coupon associated with it becomes inactive. If the subscription is Guide
Subscription restoration resumes a cancelled subscription with the billing period adjusted based on the defined expiration date. restored, it resumes at its original price. Optionally, a new discount can be applied by providing the coupon_id or coupon_code. If the subscription had a previous discount, it is replaced with the new one.
Mid-cycle coupon application
Coupons take effect starting from the next billing period. If a coupon is applied mid-cycle, the current invoice remains unchanged, and the discount applies to the next invoice.

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