4 min
June 13, 2023
Effective distribution channels for discount codes
Thanks to the Internet, shopping can be done without leaving home. Online stores compete in ever-improving offers, which is a favorable situation for customers. Many of these stores also provide unique discount codes. A discount code is usually a unique string of characters that must be entered in the appropriate field when shopping at an online store.
Many customers look for bargains and use discounts and coupons for regular purchases. Studies show that up to 97% of people are interested in discount offers when shopping, and 92% are always looking for promotions. A properly designed campaign will attract new customers to your business. All you need to do is to know the specifics of discounts and coupons as marketing tools and develop an effective strategy.
At the same time, only 8% of customers choose to return to an online store after their first purchase from it. However, it is worth noting that it is these returning customers who generate the majority, or as much as 40%, of revenue in the ecommerce industry. That's why it's so important to keep in touch with customers and encourage them to return through discount codes, among other things. Customer retention - this should be a permanent part of your marketing strategy.
Promotional sales offers can be published on free platforms such as social networks, newsletters or a website. They can also be used as the centerpiece of paid advertising campaigns, such as ads available through LinkedIn Ads or Google Ads services.
Ways to distribute discount coupons
Providing customers with discounts and promotional offers provides an incentive to buy and increases the likelihood that they will not only browse the store's offerings, but also make a purchase. According to a report by the Shopify platform, online stores that actively offer discount codes to their customers are as much as eight times more likely to have a customer make a purchase from them than stores that do not offer such discounts. Other research, in turn, indicates that as many as two-thirds of customers make unplanned purchases when they are offered a discount at least once. So how do you let customers know they can take advantage of a promotion?
After signing up for the newsletter - offering personalized discount codes to customers who subscribe to the mailing list is one effective marketing strategy. It is worthwhile to provide customers with the opportunity to sign up for the newsletter also when placing an order. Discounts made available through this channel encourage existing customers to buy again.
Blogs, profiles on social networks - influencers are a collective of users who are willing to share discount codes on their websites. For them, this is a clever way to attract new audiences, which in turn translates into better cooperation with the manufacturer of a given code (e.g. a well-known brand on the Internet). They often offer unique codes, available only on their social media. Such recommendations are of great value among specific, targeted groups that share information with each other, e.g. for fans on Facebook.
In-app discount codes - an effective promotional tool among customers who like to save money and are guided primarily by the price of the product when choosing. This is a quick and convenient way to always have the best promo codes at hand and keep track of current product promotions. Such a way provides an opportunity to reach a large audience of different age groups.
Discount codes on flyers - quite an effective method to encourage repeat purchases, which the retailer can organize on its own. E-commerce stores compete for customers through a personalized approach in post-sale contacts. They include letters of congratulations, ideas on how to use the products, and discount codes for future purchases or free delivery.
Loyalty programs - some stores offer discount codes for their regular customers who belong to a loyalty program. When shopping, points are earned, which after some time translate into special promotions. Such discounts effectively appeal to regular customers and bind them more strongly to a particular brand.
Discounts attached to YouTube videos - content creators on this platform often offer special discounts to their viewers by partnering with distributors and stores. When watching, pay attention to the description of the video and see if any discount codes are available there.
Coupon sites - collect and advertise offers and campaigns from many different advertisers. Their promotions cover a wide range of products, from exclusive offers to those generally available on the site. Coupon sites enjoy a high ranking in search results, which attracts organic traffic. In addition, using newsletters that have large audience bases and social channels such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, coupon sites take advantage of additional promotion channels. Such sites segment their users, conduct analysis and testing, so they can personalize advertisers' offers. They charge a percentage commission on sales.
Discount coupons, vouchers, discount codes - no matter what you call them it is a very effective promotional tool for sellers. It is worthwhile to ensure proper analysis of the effectiveness of such marketing activities, as well as analysis of the costs incurred for them. Making timely adjustments based on performance analysis can bring excellent benefits in the form of increased revenue.
