What is a Promo Code?
A promo code (also called a discount code or coupon code) is a short string of letters or numbers that customers enter at checkout to unlock a reward such as a discount, free shipping, or an exclusive gift.
Promo codes are entered manually by customers during checkout to claim rewards like discounts, free shipping, or exclusive gifts. They are widely used to track marketing effectiveness and encourage customer action. Gleam Rewards makes it easy to create, distribute, and track promo codes for campaigns.
When creating promo codes, follow these best practices:
- Make codes easy to remember (e.g., SPRING20).
- Clearly communicate eligibility, usage limits, and expiration dates.
- Avoid overcomplicating redemption rules.
- Single-use codes: Valid for one customer and one redemption only (ideal for VIP offers).
- Multi-use codes: Can be used by many customers until the expiration date (great for storewide promotions).
- Time-based codes: Expire after a certain date or a set timeframe (used to create urgency).
- Tiered codes: Offer progressively bigger rewards based on cart value or actions completed (perfect for increasing order size and engagement).
Gleam Rewards allows you to automate promo code delivery based on user actions, trigger expiration timers, and segment codes by customer behaviour to maximise effectiveness. You can also reward entrants with a coupon action inside a giveaway to drive a first purchase.
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What's the Difference Between a Traditional Discount and a Tiered Coupon?
Traditional discounts offer a flat reward; tiered coupons offer progressive rewards for more actions.