How to Create Coupons in WooCommerce: A Complete Guide

Step 1: Accessing the WooCommerce Coupon Management Area

Navigate to Your WordPress Dashboard

To begin, log in to your WordPress administrative area. You can typically do this by going to yourdomain.com/wp-admin in your web browser and entering your username and password. This is the central hub for managing all aspects of your WordPress site, including WooCommerce.

Locate the WooCommerce Section

Once inside your WordPress dashboard, look for the “WooCommerce” menu item in the left-hand sidebar. Hover over it, and a sub-menu will appear. From this sub-menu, click on “Coupons.” This action will take you to the main WooCommerce Coupons management page, where you can view, edit, and create new coupons.

Step 2: Creating Your First Coupon

Click on “Add New Coupon”

On the WooCommerce Coupons page, you’ll see a list of any existing coupons. To create a new one, click the “Add New Coupon” button. This button is usually located at the top of the page, either next to the page title or within the main content area. Clicking it will open the coupon creation interface.

Define Basic Coupon Data

After clicking “Add New Coupon,” you’ll be presented with various fields to define your coupon. Start with the following:

Coupon code: Enter a unique code customers will use (e.g., SPRING20, FREESHIP). You can also click “Generate coupon code” for a random one.
Description: (Optional but recommended) Add a brief internal note about the coupon’s purpose (e.g., “20% off all spring collection items, valid until May 31st”). This is not visible to customers.
Discount type: Select from the dropdown:
- Percentage discount: Applies a percentage off the total cart (e.g., 20 for 20%).
- Fixed cart discount: Applies a fixed amount off the total cart (e.g., 10 for $10 off).
- Fixed product discount: Applies a fixed amount off specific products only (e.g., 5 for $5 off a specific product).
Coupon amount: Enter the numerical value for the discount (e.g., 20 for 20% or $20).
Coupon expiry date: (Optional) Set a date when the coupon will no longer be valid. Click the calendar icon to select a date.
Allow free shipping: Check this box if the coupon grants free shipping. Note: Free shipping must be enabled in your WooCommerce shipping settings for this to work.

Step 3: Configuring Coupon Details and Restrictions

This section allows you to fine-tune how your coupon can be used, preventing misuse and targeting specific promotions.

Set Usage Restrictions

Navigate to the “Usage restriction” tab in the left-hand column of the coupon data panel. Here you can set rules like:

Minimum spend: Enter the lowest amount a customer must spend to use the coupon (e.g., 50 for a $50 minimum).
Maximum spend: Enter the highest amount a customer can spend while still being able to use the coupon (e.g., 200 for a $200 maximum).
Individual use only: Check this box if the coupon cannot be used in conjunction with other coupons. Highly recommended for most promotions to avoid stacking discounts.
Exclude sale items: Check this if the coupon should not apply to products that are already on sale.
Products: Search for and select specific products that the coupon will apply to. Start typing the product name and select from the suggestions.
Exclude products: Search for and select specific products that the coupon will NOT apply to.
Product categories: Select specific product categories that the coupon will apply to.
Exclude categories: Select specific product categories that the coupon will NOT apply to.
Email restrictions: Enter specific customer email addresses (one per line) that are allowed to use the coupon. This is useful for exclusive offers or loyalty programs.

Apply Usage Limits

Switch to the “Usage limits” tab to control how many times the coupon can be used overall and by individual customers:

Usage limit per coupon: Enter the total number of times this coupon can be used by all customers combined (e.g., 100 if you only want 100 uses). Leave blank for unlimited uses.
Limit usage to X items: (Only for fixed product discounts) Specify how many individual items the coupon can apply to within a single order.
Usage limit per user: Enter the number of times a single registered customer can use this coupon (e.g., 1 for one-time use per customer). Leave blank for unlimited uses per customer.

Step 4: Publishing and Promoting Your Coupon

Save and Publish Your Coupon

Once you have configured all the desired settings for your coupon, locate the “Publish” meta box on the right side of the screen. Click the “Publish” button to make your coupon active and available for use by customers. If you’re not ready to make it live, you can click “Save Draft” or change the visibility settings.

Promote Your Coupon to Customers

Creating the coupon is only half the battle; customers need to know about it! Here are some common ways to promote your newly created WooCommerce coupon:

Website Banners/Pop-ups: Display the coupon code prominently on your homepage or with a pop-up using a plugin like OptinMonster or a simple custom banner.
Email Marketing: Send an email campaign to your subscriber list announcing the new discount. Include the coupon code and a direct link to the relevant products.
Social Media: Share the coupon code and offer details on your social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.). Consider running paid ads to reach a wider audience.
Product Pages/Checkout Page: Add a small note about available coupons directly on product pages or the cart/checkout page to remind customers.
Order Confirmation Emails: Include a coupon for future purchases in your order confirmation emails to encourage repeat business.
Influencer Marketing: Collaborate with influencers who can share your coupon code with their audience.

FAQs

Can I create a coupon that only applies to a specific product variation?

WooCommerce coupons apply to the parent product, not directly to individual variations. If you want a coupon for a specific variation, you’ll need to use the “Fixed product discount” type and select the parent product. The discount will then apply to any of its variations equally when the coupon is used. For more granular control, some third-party plugins offer advanced coupon features.

What happens if a customer tries to use an expired coupon?

If a customer attempts to apply an expired coupon code at checkout, WooCommerce will display an error message, typically “This coupon has expired.” The discount will not be applied to their order.

How can I track the usage of my coupons?

You can track coupon usage directly within your WooCommerce dashboard. Go to WooCommerce > Reports, and then click on the “Coupons” tab. Here you can see a list of your coupons, how many times each has been used, and the total value discounted by each. This helps you analyze the effectiveness of your promotions.

Can I make a coupon that is automatically applied without the customer entering a code?

WooCommerce’s native coupon functionality requires customers to manually enter the coupon code. To automatically apply a coupon based on certain conditions (e.g., minimum spend, specific products in cart), you would typically need to use a third-party plugin that extends WooCommerce’s coupon capabilities, such as “WooCommerce Smart Coupons” or similar.