How to set up coupons for BigCommerce?

Are you using BigCommerce and Klaviyo? And do you want to get started with coupons? We’re here to help. This article will teach you how to set up BigCommerce coupon codes for use in Klaviyo emails and SMS messages. These coupons can be a great way to encourage new subscribers and current customers to make a purchase.

This guide covers two methods to add coupon codes to your emails:

1. Create a static code in BigCommerce to include in your Klaviyo messages.
2. Use a third-party app to generate unique coupon codes in bulk and upload them to Klaviyo. This allows you to use these coupon codes in Klaviyo messages.
   
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Before You Start

Before creating coupon codes, it’s important to understand that there are two types of coupons: static coupons and unique coupons. Here are the differences:
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Static Coupons

Static coupon codes consist of one code that all customers can use (e.g., welcome20). Everyone receives the same code and can use it on your website. Static codes are easier to remember and use, but customers may share them with others, which reduces exclusivity.
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Unique Coupons

Unique or dynamic coupon codes are a random series of numbers and letters that a recipient can use only once. Each customer receives their own coupon code, meaning no two customers have the same code. Unique codes are typically longer and more complex than static codes. The second method (unique coupons) requires a third-party app to help you generate bulk coupon codes. You can then upload these codes to both Klaviyo and your BigCommerce store and send unique codes to each subscriber.

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Create a Static Coupon Code

If you prefer using a static coupon, follow these steps in your BigCommerce account:

1. Navigate to your BigCommerce admin.
2. Click on ‘Marketing’ > ‘Coupon Codes’.
3. Click on ‘Create a Coupon Code’.
4. Enter your coupon code. Refer to the example below for details you need to consider:

• ‘Number of Uses’: Set the coupon code usage to ‘1 per customer’ to ensure that each customer can only use the code once.
• ‘Expiry Date’: Set the coupon code's expiration date to the end of the month (in this example, February). This ensures that customers won’t be able to use the code after that date.

5. Next, copy the coupon code from BigCommerce.
   

     6. To share this coupon code, paste it where you want it to appear in your Klaviyo email template.

     7. Recommended: try displaying your coupon code through a button by pasting the code into the text field of the button.

Use a Large Font and Eye-Catching Color

Make sure the coupon code stands out by using a large font and a noticeable color. You should also include a text block above or below the coupon to inform your customers about the code. Explain what the code offers and how to use it.
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Important Considerations for Static Coupons

Here are a few things to keep in mind when using static coupons:

• If you don’t want the coupon code to be available to too many customers, consider setting and adjusting the expiration date periodically. Make sure to inform your customers about these changes so they know how long their coupons are valid.
• Klaviyo does not manage the metadata of your coupon codes, such as the code itself, expiration date, discount amount, etc. Your BigCommerce store handles all of this data.
• If you're offering a coupon code for a specific product, include a link to that product so customers can easily click through your email to make a purchase.
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Unique Coupons via Bulk Upload

Using unique coupon codes is a great way to offer each of your customers a personalized discount code. You can use a third-party app to help you generate unique codes in bulk. Once created, you can upload those bulk coupons into both BigCommerce and Klaviyo, allowing you to send unique codes to each subscriber.

Keep in mind that this method requires a third-party app to upload the bulk coupon codes to BigCommerce, as there is no built-in method for generating bulk coupon codes within BigCommerce. You can seek help through the links provided in this article.
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Creating Unique Coupon Codes

First, you need to generate a set of unique coupon codes, and this can be done in various ways. For this example, we will use the website mockaroo.com to create 1,000 coupon codes.

1. Go to mockaroo.com and remove the automatically filled fields.
2. Add a new field, set the type to ‘Character Sequence’, and enter a series of asterisks (*).

In the example image, the coupon code is 10 characters long, so there are 10 asterisks.

      3. Click ‘Download Data’, and your codes will be saved in a CSV file on your computer. You’ll use this file to upload coupons to both your Klaviyo account and your BigCommerce store.

      4. To upload the coupons to your BigCommerce store, you’ll need to use a third-party app, such as Coupon Buster.

     5. Once you’ve installed an app that uploads coupons, import the CSV file with your coupon codes into BigCommerce. You can track the progress of your upload under the ‘Imports’ tab.

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You’ve successfully added the coupon codes to your BigCommerce store—great! Now, you can add the codes to your Klaviyo account.
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1. Navigate to your Klaviyo account and enable coupons by going to ‘Account’ > ‘Settings’ > ‘Profile Maintenance’. Then, under ‘Uploaded Coupons’, enable ‘Show an Uploaded Coupons tab on the Coupons Page’.

      2. Once you have enabled uploaded coupons, you will see a related tab under ‘Coupons’. Navigate to this tab and click ‘Add Coupon’.

      3. Set the name and other metadata for your coupon within Klaviyo. If you choose to set an expiration date, ensure it matches the coupons you set up in your BigCommerce store. Once your coupon is configured, click ‘Create Coupon’.

       4. After creating a coupon, you need to add codes to it. To do this, go to the ‘Coupons’ tab and click the three dots next to the coupon in question. Then select ‘Add Codes’. This is where you’ll use the CSV file that you previously uploaded to your BigCommerce store.

      5. Select the CSV file with your codes and click ‘Start Import’. Your coupon codes will begin importing. You can check the status of these codes in the ‘Coupons’ tab.

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Important Considerations Before Sending Uploaded Coupons

• If you send uploaded coupons in emails and the send list is larger than the number of available coupon codes, the scheduled messages will be skipped.
• For campaign emails, Klaviyo will compare the number of expected recipients with the number of available codes for the coupon being used. A warning will be issued if there aren’t enough codes available, and you won’t be able to send the campaign.
• For flow emails, Klaviyo will also compare the number of expected recipients with the number of available codes. Flow emails containing coupon codes with zero available codes cannot go live. When sending, the email will be skipped. You can see who was skipped by checking the flow email analytics under ‘Recipient Activity’ > ‘Other’.
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Re-uploading Codes

Have you used up all your codes in Klaviyo? If so, remember that you’ll need to upload new codes to both your BigCommerce store and your Klaviyo account.

Adding Unique Coupon Codes to Emails

To add the created coupon codes to your emails, follow these steps:

1. First, copy the name of the coupon as it appears in the ‘Coupons’ tab.
2. Then, in your email template, insert the following snippet where you want the code to appear. Replace ‘CouponName’ with the actual name of your coupon:
   
   

{% coupon_code 'CouponName' %}

We recommend adding the coupon to a button, so it's easy for customers to see and use.

Coupons in SMS Messages

Unique coupons are also available for your SMS/MMS messages. Generate the codes in the same way as you would for an email. Then, use the template tag to add the coupon code to your SMS or MMS message. Here’s the template tag:

{% coupon_code 'CouponName' %}.

Replace ‘CouponName’ with the name of the desired coupon in the example above. Then, add this to the message (whether it’s a flow or campaign).

Just like with flow emails, you can only use one coupon code per SMS message. If you attempt to use more than one, you will receive the following error message:

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Want to know more about this topic? Check here and here. Feel free to contact us for assistance.

‍Find the original article here.