Understanding Shopify coupons
Overview
You can generate and send Shopify coupon codes that are active for a discrete period of time, perfect for campaigns, or set up evergreen discounts for automations. Read on for details about each type of Shopify coupon.
In this guide
Coupon glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Discount |
A discount created in your Shopify store. |
Coupon |
A batch of codes created in your Sendlane account, which is connected to a discount. You can see your account’s coupons by navigating to Account Settings > Coupons. Each item on this page is a coupon. |
Code |
The unique code each contact receives, comprised of the prefix you enter in Sendlane and the random alphanumerics generated from the discount (for example, WELCOME15-123ABC). |
Coupon types and when to use them
You can create coupons in Sendlane for Shopify discounts that are active between two set dates (Shopify Discount Active Dates), or for a relative duration.
- Shopify Discount Active Dates - Use this option for time bound discounts, like a one week sale, sent via campaign. The codes will be active during the dates entered in the Shopify discount (for example, a coupon active for one week from 1/1/24 to 1/8/24).
- Relative Duration - Use this option for evergreen discounts sent via automation. The Shopify discount has a start date, but no end date and the coupon is “active,” meaning it is being sent to contacts for the time period selected in Sendlane. The Shopify discount may still be active (codes will still work in your store) after the relative duration period set for the coupon in Sendlane has ended.
Shopify Active Dates code generation
Coupons using the Shopify Active Dates method are active for a discrete period of time and sent in campaigns with pre-determined audiences.
When you create a Shopify Discount Active Dates coupon, you’ll enter the estimated number of codes needed and have the option to select an evergreen discount from your Shopify store as a fallback in case your campaign requires more codes than you anticipated. The fallback will be rendered in contacts’ emails once all unique codes have been sent.
You should use the campaign builder’s audience estimation to estimate how many codes your campaign will require.
⚠️ Campaigns will stop sending when coupons are depleted if no fallback is selected
See the Replenish a coupon section in How to generate unique coupons for Shopify and How to start and stop a campaign for instructions on restarting your campaign.
Relative duration code generation
Batches of relative duration codes are generated every day so that contacts triggering the automation have the same amount of time to use their codes before they expire, regardless of when they trigger the automation.
For example, let’s say you set your relative duration coupon in Sendlane to seven days. Contacts who trigger the automation on 1/1/24 receive a code valid for seven days plus an additional buffer day, meaning the first batch of codes will expire on 1/9/24. At midnight on 1/2/24, Sendlane duplicates the original discount. Contacts who trigger the automation on 1/2/24 will receive a code from the duplicated discount, which will provide codes valid until 1/10/24.
This process repeats for each day of your relative duration coupon to ensure that all contacts can use their codes for the same amount of time.
All relative duration coupons include a one-day buffer to ensure contacts can use their discounts before they expire, even if the duration is set to less than one day. The buffer cannot be changed or removed.
Coupons in your Sendlane account will not be duplicated (in other words, you will see one coupon entry in Sendlane and multiple discounts in Shopify).
Code repetition
When contacts trigger an automation containing Shopify coupon codes, they receive the same code until they use it or the discount expires, at which point they receive a new code.
