A coupon code on a form takes money off the total when someone types the right code, for a launch offer, a thank-you to a regular or a code for one event. Done well, it rewards the people you mean to reward and nobody else. This guide is for teams and small businesses who sell through forms. We cover the discount types, dates, limits and the field itself, and how to add a discount code field in WordPress in about 15 minutes.
The short version
- Make the coupon in Echo Forms > Coupons: a code, a type and an amount.
- Set start and end dates, and a total usage limit.
- Lock a code to one email, or limit uses per customer.
- Add a Coupon code field to any form that takes payment.
What kinds of discount can a coupon give?
Two kinds: a percentage off, such as 20% off, capped at 100%, or a fixed amount off, such as $10 off. Use a percentage for sales that scale with the order, because the discount grows with the basket, and a fixed amount for a simple thank-you. Once a coupon is saved, its code and amount are locked, so a code already in a newsletter cannot change by accident.
How do you stop a promo code being shared everywhere?
With limits. A promo code form without them is an open discount for anyone who finds the code, so we always set at least one. In Echo Forms Signature, each coupon has Redemption limits:
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Usage limit | How many times it can be used in total; 0 is unlimited |
| Lock to one email address | Only that customer can use it |
| Uses per customer | How many times one email can use it |
| Minimum order subtotal | The total has to reach this much first |
| Only these customers | A list of emails, for a few regulars |
A code with a usage limit of 50 and 1 use per customer survives being posted in a public group, because it simply runs out. A coupon usage limit is the single most useful setting here.
How to add a coupon code to a form, step by step
- In Echo Forms with Signature, open Echo Forms > Coupons and press New coupon.
- Give it a name for you, the code people type, such as SUMMER20, the type and the amount.
- Set Starts and Ends, or leave the end blank for a code that never expires.
- Set the usage limits from the table above.
- Under Where it applies, choose all forms or only the ones you pick.
- Add the Coupon code field to a form that has prices and a Total.
- Send a test entry with the code, and check the total drops.
The coupons guide shows every setting, and prices and totals covers the fields the discount comes off.
When do coupons start and end?
When you say. Dates and times follow your site’s own time zone, set under WordPress’s Settings > General. A code for a 3 day weekend sale can start at midnight on Friday and end at 11:59 pm on Sunday, with nothing for you to switch on or off. The coupons list shows which codes are redeemable now, which start later and which end this week.
Can customers use WooCommerce coupons on a form?
Yes. Accept coupons from chooses Echo’s coupons, your WooCommerce store’s, or both, so one code you hand out can work in the shop and on your forms. Echo’s codes are checked first, and a WooCommerce coupon’s use count is only read, never changed. The WooCommerce coupon documentation covers making codes on the shop side.
A coupon code on a form takes about 15 minutes to set up and runs itself after that. Our payments overview shows how coupons fit with Stripe, PayPal and the rest. Start with one limited code for your best customers, watch how many people use it in the first 7 days, and plan the next offer from there.
Discounts with dates and limits
Coupons come with Echo Forms Signature, from $49.99 a year, and work on every form that takes payment.
