21 Catchy Discount Code Ideas to Boost Sales in 2025

Discount codes (also known as coupon codes or promo codes) are short phrases or words shoppers can enter at checkout to get a special deal, like 10% off or free shipping. Used well, they’re a simple but powerful tool to boost sales, reward loyal customers, and win back those on-the-fence shoppers.

But discounts can be a double-edged sword. Go too heavy or use them too often, and you risk training your customers to never buy at full price. Even worse, they can eat into your profit margins. The trick is to be strategic.

That’s where creative, well-timed discount code ideas come in. Whether you’re planning a seasonal sale, nudging someone to complete their first order, or running a big Black Friday campaign, the right discount code can make your offer more enticing and memorable.

Ahead, we’ll walk you through the best discount code ideas to help you boost conversions, build customer loyalty, and keep your margins in check.

What is a discount code?

A discount code is a short, unique phrase that shoppers can enter at checkout to unlock a special offer. 

These codes are great for customers, but they can do wonders for your business too. A well-placed discount code can increase sales by attracting people who might not have considered buying at full price. 

They also build brand loyalty. For example, if someone regularly buys your best-selling hand soap, sending them a personal discount code for that exact product can make them feel seen and much more likely to come back.

But timing and strategy matter. Use discount codes too often, and you risk hurting your brand image or training shoppers to wait for a sale. The key is to use them thoughtfully like Polysleep did during Black Friday.

In a Shopify Masters episode, the founder of Polysleep shared how they deliberately “leaked” their BFCM discount codes to their email list a few days early. That sneak peek got forwarded around like wildfire, creating buzz and driving a big sales spike before the main event even started.

21 discount code ideas for ecommerce stores

1. Weekly and monthly discounts
2. Pre-launch offers
3. Holiday and seasonal deals
4. Abandoned cart coupon code
5. Email/newsletter subscription offer
6. Social media engagement incentives
7. Referral promo code
8. First-time shopper offer
9. Minimum purchase discount
10. Exclusive social offers
11. Customer loyalty offers
12. Exit-intent offer
13. Retargeted promotions
14. Influencer offers (bloggers, celebrities, etc.)
15. Offers for purchasing online
16. Coupons for purchasing in-person
17. Event attendance offers
18. Customer milestone discounts
19. Flash sale discount
20. Eco-friendly discount
21. Military/student discount

1. Weekly/monthly discounts

These are traditional sales used to drive conversions. Often, these sales are used at the end of a month or quarter to increase revenues to meet business goals.

Weekly or monthly discounts are great to use at the end of a quarter or season, especially if you need to sell off seasonal stock to make way for new products.

Tips and best practices:

• Use a stock countdown timer app to create a sense of urgency around dwindling stock.
• Sweeten the deal with buy one, get one (BOGO) and product bundling offers.
• Emphasize the “last chance” nature of the offer, also to create urgency.

2. Pre-launch offers

If you’re still in the pre-launch stage of your business or maybe even launching a new product, you can use pre-launch offers to drive traffic and pique interest, turning new customers into loyal customers.

Pre-launch offers are great for building awareness of your brand prior to the launch of your store or for promoting new products.

Tips and best practices:

• Stay in touch with customers by collecting email addresses so you can update them when your product’s getting closer to launch.
• Use a preorder app to allow your first batch of customers early access to your new product.

3. Holiday and seasonal deals

The holiday season, including Black Friday Cyber Monday, is the biggest shopping season of the year. Special holiday offers are perfectly timed to increase the average cart total when shoppers are the most eager to do so. 

Tips and best practices:

• People tend to be shopping for others around this time, so even if you’re selling products meant for one audience (say, children’s toys), you’ll still want to market to the people doing the buying (in this case, parents).
• Unique and novelty products stand to benefit most from this type of sale, since shoppers want their gifts to be unique.

4. Abandoned cart coupon code

With close to 70% of all people abandoning their carts, abandoned cart email offers can be a powerful tactic to bring those people back.

Tips and best practices:

• Personalize your abandoned cart emails with your customer’s name and the product they left in their cart.
• Include a call-to-action (CTA) button so your customers can easily return to their cart to complete their purchase.

5. Email/newsletter subscription offer

Building an email list is extremely important for online retailers. By providing an offer in exchange for visitors’ email addresses, you increase the chance of a conversion. You also get their email, providing you with the opportunity to build a relationship, foster customer loyalty, and market to them in the future.

Tips and best practices:

• Let customers know what they can expect from your newsletter. For example, you might say something like “Get exclusive offers and be the first to know about our newest products.”
• Include sharing options in your newsletter so recipients can spread the word about your brand and products via social media and email.

6. Incentives for liking, following, and sharing on social media

One of the hardest parts of running a new online store is getting the word out. Giving visitors and customers an incentive to share your store with their social circles can be an effective way to create inexpensive word-of-mouth referrals.

7. Referral promo code

People are much more likely to purchase from you if referred by a friend or family member. Use this to your advantage and leverage offers to encourage referrals. You can choose to give a deal to the person referring, the person being referred, or both.

Tip:

• Use a referral app like Referral Candy to create a referral marketing program that encourages buyers to share your products for discounts.

8. First-time shopper offer

A lot of potential customers might be hesitant to buy from you if they’re less familiar with your brand. Providing a first-timer’s offer could be just the nudge a first-time visitor needs to be converted to a paying customer.

Ruggable offers a 10% first-time discount for browsers that sign up to the brand’s SMS list.

Tip:

• First impressions are important, so make sure that after the purchase has been completed, the customer’s order is shipped quickly. A good first experience is crucial to getting the most out of this type of discount.

9. Minimum purchase discount

An offer based on the total value of a shopping cart is an effective upselling and cross-selling tactic to encourage customers to spend more, increasing your average order size. A strategic way to incorporate this into your online store is to calculate your average order value for the previous few months and offer a discount or free shipping on all orders 10% to 20% over your average order value.

You can also offer minimum purchase discounts for specific collections and products. If there’s a particular collection you want customers to focus on, try adding a minimum purchase discount to incentivize your audience.

Tips and best practices:

• Use a quantity breaks app to apply discounts automatically to orders over a certain threshold. 
• Products that need to be replenished or refilled stand to benefit the most from this type of discount, since customers will want to act quickly to get a discount that might not be available at a later date. 

10. Exclusive social offers

Exclusive offers on your social networks can be a great way to build customer loyalty with those who follow you. Plus, this coupon code idea provides a reason for new people to subscribe to your social channels, which will allow you to market to them in the future as well.

Tip:

• Consider widening the scope of your campaign by boosting your discount offers with paid social media ads.

11. Customer loyalty offers

Rewarding customer loyalty can build an even stronger bond while providing discounts to customers who already spend money with you. You can easily make discount codes exclusive to specific customer segments with Shopify.

Tips and best practices:

• It can be as simple as sending your best customers a personal email with a discount or credit, using an automated email marketing app like Klaviyo to send email offers when someone makes a certain number of purchases.

You might also consider implementing a customer loyalty program using a loyalty app like LoyaltyLion.

12. Exit-intent offer

Sometimes all it takes to convert a visitor into a customer is a last-second offer before they leave. An exit-intent offer will pop up just as your visitor is about to leave your site or close the tab, presenting them with a final offer to purchase.

Tips and best practices:

• Exit-intent offers should convey a bold, simple message that encourages visitors to complete their purchase before leaving.
• Use an exit-intent app like Optimonk to create exit-intent popups in your ecommerce store.

13. Retargeted promotions

Retargeted offers are effective because they’re shown only to people who have been on your site before. That means that they already know who you are. The ads serve as a reminder to come back, and the offer serves as a nudge to purchase.

Tip:

• Retargeting discounts work best if they’re specific to your customer’s journey, so try segmenting your audience into groups and creating retargeting promotions specific to those segments.

14. Influencer offers (bloggers, celebrities, etc.)

Partnering with influential people who have large audiences is a great way to increase exposure to your brand. And by providing an exclusive offer to the influencer’s network, you’re more likely to convert their fans to your customers.

Tips and best practices:

• Make a discount code that’s relevant to your influencer’s audience, so it will be easier for their followers to remember and use the discount code.
• Make sure to work with influencers that have a similar target audience to your brand.

15. Offers for purchasing online

If you want to drive online sales, consider incentivizing online purchases. Whether you want to use your ecommerce site to supplement your brick-and-mortar sales or create a customer base outside of selling on Amazon, you can drive online conversions by offering something in return.

Tip:

• Consider using a pop-up bar app that offers your discount to visitors as soon as they arrive on your site.

16. Coupons for purchasing in-person

Just as you can drive online sales with offers, you can also drive in-person sales. This can be at your brick-and-mortar location, if you have one, or at in-person events, such as festivals, fairs, expos, and trade shows.

Tips and best practices:

• In-person experiences are a great way to build brand awareness and loyalty, since shoppers tend to remember in-person encounters more vividly.
• Consider paid Google or Facebook ads that geo-target online store visitors who live near your brick-and-mortar locations.

17. Event attendance offers

If you host events, in-person or virtually, you can reward attendees with discounts or free gifts. These discounts can be given during the event or after the event. This helps to continue to nurture the relationship with engaged customers and drive more customer loyalty. Plus, it’ll likely encourage attendance for your next event.

Tips and best practices:

• Keep your audience engaged in the days leading up to the event by promoting it on social media and in email marketing.
• Fear of missing out (FOMO) can play a big part in getting visitors to attend your event, so make sure to emphasize the exclusivity and timeliness of your offer.

18. Customer milestone discounts

If you have a customer loyalty program, customer milestones are especially important. These milestones could be personal to the customer, such as a birthday or anniversary.

Other milestones can celebrate the relationship you’ve built with one another. Those would include the anniversary of the customer’s first purchase or date they joined your customer loyalty program, spending a certain amount of money, making a certain number of purchases, or various other types of engagements with your brand.

Tip:

• Thank your customers for their loyalty in your marketing copy for these types of discounts; showing your appreciation will go a long way in sustaining brand loyalty.

19. Flash sale discount

Flash sales are limited-time promotions where products or services go for a short time at a big deal. It’s an effective discount strategy because it builds urgency and taps into customers’ FOMO, so people buy on impulse.

Tips and best practices:

• Get your audience hyped up by marketing your flash sale ahead of time with email, SMS, and social media.
• The shorter the sale, the more people are motivated to act right away.
• Make sure you have enough inventory and that your website can handle increased traffic.

20. Eco-friendly discount

Promos for eco-friendly discounts encourage customers to buy more sustainably. Customers can get discounts for choosing green products, eco-friendly shipping options, or participating in recycling or reusing.

Tips and best practices:

• Provide incentives like deep discounts or loyalty points for customers who choose eco-friendly options.
• Collaborate with reputable environmental nonprofits to offer discounts tied to donations or purchases.

21. Military/student discount

Discounts for active-duty military, veterans, and students exist to honor their service or education. These discounts are usually ongoing rather than time-limited, and they often require verification of military or student status.

Nike, for example, offers a 10% military discount and a 10% student discount on most items. To get the discount, military personnel must verify their status through SheerID, while students must verify their status through UNiDAYS. They can save on Nike’s popular athletic wear and shoes both in-store and online with these discounts.

Tips and best practices:

• Use a reliable verification system like SheerID to ensure only eligible people can get the discount.
• Promote your military and student discounts through your website and in-store, as many eligible customers actively seek out these discounts. 

Discount code name ideas for top shopping occasions

Struggling to name your next promo code? The right discount code name can make your offer more memorable and more clickable, especially around key shopping events. You can use a slogan maker to help you come up with ideas or use the following discount code ideas as naming inspiration. 

• First order promo
• Abandoned cart
• Mother’s Day
• Easter
• Halloween
• Summer
• Memorial Day
• Black Friday
• Christmas
• 4th of July

First order promo

You only get one chance at a first impression—so make it count. These codes are perfect for pop-ups, welcome emails, and on-site banners to nudge new customers over the line.

Discount code ideas:

• WELCOME10
• FIRSTTIME15
• HEYTHERE20
• NEWBIEPERK
• STARTSHOPPING

Abandoned cart

If someone’s added something to their cart and then ghosted, reel them back in with a gentle reminder paired with a sweet incentive.

Discount code ideas:

• COME_BACK10
• DONTFORGET
• LEFTINYOURCART
• TOOGOODTOMISS
• ONE_MORE_CHANCE

Tip: Make the code playful but urgent—e.g. “STILLWANTIT?” paired with a countdown timer in your email.

Mother’s Day

Whether it’s for moms, stepmoms, dog moms, or plant moms, Mother’s Day is a great time to encourage thoughtful gifting.

Discount code ideas:

• LOVEMOM
• MOTHERSDAY20
• FOR_HER
• THANKSMOM
• TREATYOUMOM

Easter

Easter’s not just about chocolate (although a good discount might feel just as good). Think playful and spring-focused for your discount codes. 

Discount code ideas:

• EGGSTRA10
• HOP_TO_IT
• SPRINGTREAT
• BUNNYBONUS
• EASTERJOY

Halloween

The perfect time for playful puns, spookiness, and surprise flash sales.

Discount code ideas:

• TRICK10TREAT
• BOO15
• SPOOKYSAVINGS
• PUMPKIN20
• SCARYGOODDEAL

Summer

Summer promos are all about fun, freedom, and getting outside—or chilling inside with a fan and online shopping.

Discount code ideas:

• SUMMERLOVE
• HELLOSUN
• BEACHDAY
• STAYCOOL
• HOTDEALS25

Memorial Day

This is a big shopping weekend in the US, especially for fashion, beauty, and home. Keep the message respectful but sales-forward.

Discount code ideas:

• MEMORIAL15
• LONGWEEKEND
• HONOR20
• THANKYOU15
• WEEKENDSALE

Black Friday Cyber Monday

This is the big one. Think urgency, bold language, and codes that encourage shoppers to impulse buy. 

Discount code ideas:

• BLACKFRIDAY
• BFCM2025
• FLASH50
• DEALTIME
• NOBRAINER

Christmas

’Tis the season to be generous and playful with your code names. Go for festive, cozy, and cheerful discount codes to tie in with the seasonal festivities. 

Discount code ideas:

• JINGLE15
• HOLIDAYGIFT
• XMAS25
• MERRYANDBRIGHT
• SANTASAVE

4th of July

Patriotic, summery, and perfect for a mid-year sales boost in the US.

Discount code ideas:

• FIREWORKS15
• STARSANDSTRIPES
• INDEPENDENCE20
• JULY4SALE
• REDWHITEBLUE

Types of offers, coupons, and discounts

There are several types of discounts and offers you have at your disposal. Let’s take a look at some of the most common:

• Percentage-based discount
• Dollar value discount
• Free shipping
• Free gift

Each of these can be offered in Shopify using two different types of discounts:

• Automatic discounts
• Discount codes

Percentage-based discount

One popular way to offer discounts is through percentage-based discounts. 

This can include smaller incentive percentages like 5% or 10% off, larger discounts to really drive sales like 20% and 25%, or significant percentages like 50% or more to liquidate merchandise that’s old or isn’t moving. 

You can also easily apply these discounts to multiple collections, products, and locations in Shopify, or offer them based on a specific purchase, like “Buy two sneakers, get 50% off any sweater.”

Dollar value discount

Dollar value-based offers can be positioned as a credit. This makes people feel like they’re wasting money if they don’t use it. Pair one of these with a minimum purchase amount to increase its impact, like “Spend $200, get $20 off.”

An easy trick to keep in mind when deciding between a percentage or fixed amount discount for a specific product is the "rule of 100." If your item is less than $100, use a percentage discount; if higher, use a fixed amount discount. This is a psychological trigger that will result in the highest perceived value for your customers.

Free shipping

Shipping costs are one major reason for shopping cart abandonment. Offering free shipping is a great way to mitigate this and increase conversions.

Use free shipping in conjunction with a minimum purchase requirement to increase your average order value, which you can set up as a shipping setting in Shopify. You can even combine your free shipping offer with other seasonal promotions, like a 20% discount code for email subscribers, to increase the value of your offer.

Free gift

A free gift with a purchase can be a great way to provide additional value to customers. If used strategically, it can also be used to increase average order size and/or to get rid of products that aren’t moving. 

You can set a minimum purchase requirement or a volume requirement using a Buy X, Get Y discount in Shopify to offer a free gift for orders over $200, or once someone buys five items. 

Automatic discounts

Automatic discounts apply to every eligible cart, and customers see them on the cart page before they start the checkout process. It’s a great way to run a storewide promotion on a product, category, or on all of your products without making your customers enter a discount code.

Plus, when there’s already a discount applied to their cart, there’s no need for customers to leave the checkout page to hunt for a discount code—or email you because they couldn’t find the code you sent. All this adds up to a smoother experience for your customers, and potentially higher conversion rates for you.

Discount codes

Discount codes are codes that your customers enter during the checkout process to redeem a specific offer. They’re a tried-and-true way to offer discounts to the right people, whether that’s everyone on your email list or a specific segment like new subscribers or repeat customers. 

Using discount codes can also help you track the success of your marketing efforts. If you’re running multiple campaigns, creating a separate discount code for each can make it easier to see the relative impact on sales.