> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://guides.paynow.gg/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://guides.paynow.gg/marketing/coupons.md).

# Coupons

A coupon is a code a customer enters at checkout. Unlike a [sale](/marketing/sales.md) it is not automatic and not visible on the storefront, which makes it useful for giveaways, targeted offers and community rewards.

*Dashboard → Marketing → Coupons. Needs `coupon_read`.*

## Creating a coupon

Click **Create**. Six sections.

### Coupon Details

Enter a **code**, or click **Generate** for a random one. Give it a **name** for your own reference; customers never see the name, only the code. Use memorable codes for public campaigns (`RAVEN10`) and generated codes for giveaways, where guessability is the risk.

### Coupon Lifetime

Optional but recommended. Tick **enabled** and set the valid date range.

### Discount Details

Choose **Percentage** or **Fixed**, and the value. Then set how long the discount applies to purchased packages:

| Duration                           | Effect                                                          |
| ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Apply once**                     | Discounts a single payment.                                     |
| **Forever**                        | Discounts every renewal, indefinitely.                          |
| **Multiple subscription renewals** | Discounts a set number of subscription renewals, for example 6. |

On an old coupon the third option reads **Multiple months** and counts months instead of renewals. That's a deprecated field kept for coupons that already used it; new coupons always count renewals.

**Forever** and **Multiple subscription renewals** only apply to subscription products. They have no effect on one-time purchases.

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Forever means forever.** A Forever coupon on a monthly subscription discounts *every* renewal for as long as that customer stays subscribed. Issued carelessly, or leaked, it permanently reduces your recurring revenue with no expiry. Use **Multiple Subscription Renewals** for retention offers and reserve **Forever** for deliberate cases such as founding supporters or partners.
{% endhint %}

Two more options. **Apply Individually** applies the coupon to each product in the order rather than the order total. **Apply before sales** calculates the coupon discount before any active [sale](/marketing/sales.md), which changes the final price. Test with a real cart before publishing a code during a sale.

### Coupon Application

Limit to specific **products** or **tags**, and optionally **bind it to a specific customer** so nobody else can use it. Leaving these empty applies the coupon to all products, usable by anyone with the code.

Bind giveaway prizes to the winner, which makes the code worthless if shared. If they have never logged into your store, [create them first](/customers/creating-a-customer.md).

### Redeem Requirements

Whether the coupon works on **one-time purchases**, **subscriptions** or both, and a **minimum order value**.

### Redeem Limits

A **total usage limit** across the store, a **per-user limit**, or both.

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Always set limits on a public code.** With no total cap and no per-user cap, a code posted publicly can be used indefinitely by everyone who finds it, and game store codes spread to deal sites quickly. A store-wide limit of 50 with a per-user limit of 1 is a sane default for a community giveaway.
{% endhint %}

<figure><img src="/files/ZMMMEOzYhHwL73ExxW6F" alt="The coupon creation form showing code, discount details and redeem limits."><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Once created, the coupon's page lists every order it was applied to.

## What coupons are good for

Giveaways, where a code costs you margin rather than cash. Win-backs, with a Multiple Subscription Renewals coupon aimed at lapsed subscribers. Partners and creators, each with their own bound, tracked code. And apologies after downtime, where a code repairs goodwill more cheaply than refunds.