How to Set Up Coupons in WooCommerce: A Complete Guide
Step 1: Accessing the WooCommerce Coupon Management Area
Navigate to the WooCommerce Dashboard
To begin, log in to your WordPress admin panel. Once logged in, you will see the main WordPress dashboard. On the left-hand sidebar, locate and click on the “WooCommerce” menu item. This will expand a sub-menu with various WooCommerce-specific options.
Locate the ‘Coupons’ Section
Within the expanded WooCommerce sub-menu, you will find an option labeled “Coupons.” Click on this “Coupons” link. This action will take you to the main WooCommerce Coupons management screen, where you can view, edit, and create all your store’s coupons.
Step 2: Creating Your First Coupon
Click ‘Add New Coupon’
On the WooCommerce Coupons management screen, you will see a button at the top, usually labeled “Add New Coupon” or “Create your first coupon” if you have no existing coupons. Click this button to initiate the coupon creation process. This will open the coupon editing interface.
Define Basic Coupon Data (Coupon Code, Description)
In the coupon editing interface, the first two fields you need to populate are:
- Coupon Code: This is the unique code your customers will enter at checkout to apply the discount. It can be a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols (e.g.,
SAVE15PERCENT,FREESHIPPING2023). You can also click the “Generate coupon code” button to have WooCommerce create a random, strong code for you. - Description: This field is for internal notes only and is not visible to customers. Use it to describe the coupon’s purpose, the campaign it belongs to, or its validity period for your own reference (e.g., “Black Friday 15% off – All Products,” “New Customer Welcome Discount”).
Step 3: Configuring Coupon Data and Restrictions
Set Discount Type and Coupon Amount
Below the basic coupon data, you’ll find the “Coupon data” panel. The first tab, “General,” allows you to define the discount type and amount:
- Discount Type: From the dropdown menu, select one of the following:
- Percentage discount: Applies a percentage off the total cart (e.g.,
10%). - Fixed cart discount: Applies a fixed amount off the total cart (e.g.,
$10off). - Fixed product discount: Applies a fixed amount off specific products, not the entire cart (e.g.,
$5off a specific t-shirt).
- Percentage discount: Applies a percentage off the total cart (e.g.,
- Coupon Amount: Enter the numerical value for your discount here. If “Percentage discount” is selected, enter “15” for 15%. If “Fixed cart discount” or “Fixed product discount” is selected, enter “10” for $10.
- Coupon Expiry Date: (Optional) Click in this field to open a calendar and select a date when the coupon will no longer be valid. Leave blank for no expiry.
Apply Usage Restrictions (Minimum/Maximum Spend, Individual Use, Exclusions)
Navigate to the “Usage restriction” tab within the “Coupon data” panel. Here you can set rules for when the coupon can be used:
- Minimum spend: Enter the lowest subtotal value the cart must have for the coupon to be valid (e.g.,
50for a $50 minimum). - Maximum spend: Enter the highest subtotal value the cart can have for the coupon to be valid (e.g.,
200for a $200 maximum). - Individual use only: Check this box if the coupon cannot be used in conjunction with any other coupons.
- Exclude sale items: Check this box to prevent the coupon from being applied to products that are already on sale.
- Products: Type and select specific product names that the coupon will apply to. Leave blank to apply to all products.
- Exclude products: Type and select specific product names 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 (comma-separated) that are allowed to use this coupon. Leave blank for no email restriction.
Define Usage Limits (Per Coupon, Per User, Per Item)
Switch to the “Usage limits” tab within the “Coupon data” panel to control how many times the coupon can be used:
- Usage limit per coupon: Enter the total number of times this specific coupon code can be used across all customers. For example, enter
100if you want the coupon to be used a maximum of 100 times globally before it expires. Leave blank for unlimited usage. - Limit usage to X items: (Only available for “Fixed product discount”) Enter the maximum number of individual items the coupon can apply to within a single order. For example, if you enter
2, a “buy one get one free” coupon might only apply to two items even if the customer has 10 eligible items in their cart. - Usage limit per user: Enter the maximum number of times a single registered customer can use this coupon. For example, enter
1if you want each customer to be able to use the coupon only once. Leave blank for unlimited usage per user.
Step 4: Publishing and Testing Your Coupon
Publish the Coupon
Once you have configured all your desired settings for the coupon, look for the “Publish” button on the right-hand side of the coupon editing screen. It’s usually in a box labeled “Publish” or “Update.” Click this button to save your coupon and make it active on your WooCommerce store. The coupon will now be available for customers to use according to your defined restrictions and limits.
Test the Coupon on Your Store’s Frontend
It is crucial to test your coupon thoroughly before widely promoting it.
- Open your website in a new incognito or private browser window (to avoid any cached data or logged-in status).
- Add products to your cart that meet the coupon’s usage restrictions (e.g., minimum spend, specific products/categories).
- Proceed to the cart or checkout page.
- Locate the “Apply coupon” field (often labeled “Coupon code” or “Have a coupon? Click here to enter your code”).
- Enter the exact coupon code you created (e.g.,
SAVE15PERCENT) into the field and click “Apply coupon.” - Verify that the discount is applied correctly to your cart total and that any restrictions (like minimum spend or product exclusions) are enforced.
- Test edge cases, such as trying to use the coupon on sale items if “Exclude sale items” is checked, or using it below the minimum spend.
If the coupon behaves as expected, it’s ready for promotion.
FAQs
Q: My coupon isn’t working. What should I check first?
A: First, double-check the coupon code for typos. Ensure the coupon hasn’t expired (check the expiry date). Verify that the cart meets all usage restrictions (minimum spend, specific products/categories, exclusion of sale items). Also, check the usage limits per coupon and per user to ensure it hasn’t been exhausted.
FAQs
Q: Can I set a coupon to only apply to a specific customer?
A: Yes, in the “Usage restriction” tab, you can use the “Email restrictions” field. Enter the specific email addresses (comma-separated) of the customers who are allowed to use that coupon. Only users logged in with one of those email addresses will be able to apply the coupon.
FAQs
Q: What’s the difference between “Fixed cart discount” and “Fixed product discount”?
A: A “Fixed cart discount” applies a set monetary amount off the entire order subtotal, regardless of how many items are in the cart (e.g., $20 off your entire purchase). A “Fixed product discount” applies a set monetary amount off specific eligible products in the cart. If you have multiple eligible products, the discount applies to each of them (e.g., $5 off each T-shirt in the cart).
FAQs
Q: How do I make a coupon only apply to new customers?
A: WooCommerce doesn’t have a direct “new customer” checkbox for coupons. The most common way to achieve this is to combine the “Usage limit per user” set to 1 (so each customer can only use it once) with promoting the coupon specifically to your new subscribers or welcome email sequence. For stricter control, you might need a third-party plugin that integrates with user registration dates or order counts.
