Coupons and discounts without wrecking your margin
Discounts sell, but used badly they teach customers not to buy without a coupon. We explain how to use them wisely.
Updated: 26/09/2026
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PrestaShop has a very complete system of cart rules (coupons): percentage, fixed amount, free shipping, gift, with conditions on amount, products, customers and dates. The tool is powerful; the risk lies in how it is used.
Types and when to use them
- Free shipping above a certain amount: raises the average order value without touching the product price.
- Fixed amount with a minimum spend: “€10 off when you spend €60”.
- Percentage: the harshest on margin; keep it for clearance or specific occasions.
- Gift: a product with low cost and high perceived value.
Conditions that protect you
- One use per customer and a total number of uses.
- Exclude products already on sale or with low margins.
- Not combinable with other discounts.
- A clear expiry date.
Common abuses
- Welcome coupons redeemed over and over with different email addresses.
- Codes shared on coupon websites.
- Expired coupons that keep being applied because of a configuration or module fault.
Performance: stores that generate coupons automatically (one per customer, per abandoned cart…) can build up hundreds of thousands. Clean out expired and unused ones: they slow down the cart and backups.
The coupon field
If the “Have a promo code?” field is very prominent at checkout, customers without a code leave to look for one and some never come back. Keep it discreet.
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