Creating Discount Coupons

Reading time: 4 minutes | Difficulty: Beginner

Overview

Create coupon codes to offer discounts on your payment forms. This guide covers creating percentage and fixed-amount coupons.

Prerequisites

• WP Payment Pal installed
• At least one payment form created

Accessing the Coupon Editor

1. Go to WP Payment Pal > Coupons in your admin menu
2. Click Add New to create a coupon

Step 1: Basic Coupon Settings

Enter the fundamental coupon information:

Setting	Description
Coupon Code	The code customers enter (e.g., SAVE20)
Description	Internal note about the coupon purpose

Coupon Code Tips

• Use memorable codes: WELCOME, SUMMER2024, VIP50
• Keep codes short and easy to type
• Avoid confusing characters (0/O, 1/l)
• Consider ALL CAPS for clarity

Step 2: Choose Discount Type

Select how the discount is calculated:

Percentage Discount

Reduces the total by a percentage.

Setting	Example
Type	Percentage
Amount	20
Result	20% off total

Best for:

• Flexible discounts across price points
• Sales and promotions
• Percentage-based incentives

Fixed Amount Discount

Reduces the total by a specific amount.

Setting	Example
Type	Fixed
Amount	10.00
Result	$10 off total

Best for:

• Dollar-off promotions
• Gift certificates
• Fixed discount amounts

Step 3: Save the Coupon

1. Review your settings
2. Click Publish
3. The coupon is now active

Testing Your Coupon

1. Ensure a form has coupons enabled (see Adding Coupon Fields)
2. Go to the form on your website
3. Enter the coupon code
4. Verify the discount applies

Common Coupon Types

Welcome Discount

Code: WELCOME15
Type: Percentage
Amount: 15%
Purpose: First-time customers

Dollar-Off Promotion

Code: SAVE10
Type: Fixed
Amount: $10
Purpose: Simple discount

Major Sale

Code: BLACKFRIDAY
Type: Percentage
Amount: 30%
Purpose: Seasonal promotion

Free Shipping Equivalent

Code: FREESHIP
Type: Fixed
Amount: $5.99
Purpose: Offset shipping cost

Percentage vs Fixed: Which to Choose?

Scenario	Recommendation
Variable cart values	Percentage
Gift card/credit	Fixed
Sales promotion	Either
Low-value items	Fixed
High-value items	Percentage

Example Comparison

For a $50 purchase:

• 20% off = $10 discount
• $15 off = $15 discount

For a $200 purchase:

• 20% off = $40 discount
• $15 off = $15 discount

Coupon Stacking

Customers can only apply ONE coupon per purchase. Multiple coupons cannot be combined.

Discount Calculations

Percentage Discount

Original Total × (1 - Discount%) = Final Total

$100 × (1 - 0.20) = $80

Fixed Discount

Original Total - Discount Amount = Final Total

$100 - $15 = $85

With Subscriptions

• Setup fees: Discount applies
• First payment: Discount applies
• Recurring payments: Controlled by the coupon’s Duration setting (see Coupon Duration for Subscriptions)

Editing Coupons

1. Go to WP Payment Pal > Coupons
2. Click on the coupon to edit
3. Make changes
4. Click Update

Changes apply to future uses; past transactions are unaffected.

Deleting Coupons

1. Go to WP Payment Pal > Coupons
2. Hover over the coupon
3. Click Trash

Or edit the coupon and click Move to Trash.

Deleted coupons no longer work for customers.

Deactivating vs Deleting

To temporarily disable a coupon without deleting:

• Set expiration date to past
• Or reduce usage limit to 0
• Or restrict to no forms

This preserves the coupon for later reactivation.

Best Practices

1. Descriptive codes – Make purpose clear (SUMMER30, NEWCUSTOMER)
2. Track usage – Monitor which coupons perform best
3. Set limits – Prevent over-use with usage limits
4. Expiration dates – Create urgency and prevent eternal discounts
5. Test first – Verify discounts before promoting

What’s Next?

• Limiting Coupons to Specific Forms – Form restrictions
• Setting Coupon Usage Limits – Usage and expiration
• Adding Coupon Fields to Your Form – Enable coupon input
• Coupon Duration for Subscriptions – Control how long discounts apply to recurring payments