Guides / Shopify discount code not working? Eight checks, in order

Shopify discount code not working? Eight checks, in order

When a code fails at checkout, the cause is almost always one setting on the discount itself. Work through these checks from the top and you will usually find it in minutes.

The short answer

Open the discount in your Shopify admin (Discounts, then the code) and read every section once. A code that will not apply is nearly always blocked by dates, a minimum, an eligibility rule, a usage limit or a combination setting. Check these before you blame the theme or the shopper.

Try the code yourself in a private browser window with a test cart. If it fails for you, the setting is the cause. If it works for you, the problem is with that one customer's cart or account.

1. Is the code active right now?

Look at the start and end date and time. A code set to start tomorrow, or one that ended last night, shows as not valid. Dates follow your store's time zone, so a midnight start can be hours off for a shopper somewhere else. Set the end date a day later than you think you need, then end the sale by hand.

2. Is the code typed exactly?

Codes are not case sensitive, but spaces and look-alike letters matter. O and 0, or I and 1, trip people up, and a copied code often carries a space at the end. If a customer says it fails, ask them to paste it from your message, then retype it without the space.

3. Does the cart meet the minimum?

Check the minimum purchase amount or minimum quantity. A customer with a cart just under the line will see the code rejected with no clear reason.

4. Is the product part of the discount?

A code can be limited to specific products or collections. If the product in the cart is not on that list, the code does nothing. Also check that the product is in the collection you think it is, since a new product does not join a collection unless a rule or you add it.

5. Is the customer allowed to use it?

Under customer eligibility, the discount may be limited to specific customers or segments. A guest shopper who is not logged in, or a new customer on a code meant for repeat buyers, will be refused. Check this one when a code works for you and fails for them.

6. Has a usage limit been reached?

Two limits can be set: a total number of uses, and one use per customer. If your WhatsApp list shared a code and the total has been reached, every later shopper sees it fail. The discount page shows how many times it has been used.

7. Is it fighting another discount?

Look at the combinations section. If a discount cannot combine with product, order or shipping discounts, then an automatic discount already in the cart can block your code, or the other way round. Decide which offer should win and set the combination rules on both.

8. Is the sales channel right?

A discount can be limited to certain sales channels, and some are set only for the online store. Shipping discounts can also be limited to certain countries. If a shopper checks out from a place or channel you left out, the code will not apply.

What to say to the shopper

While you fix it, reply quickly and honestly. Tell them you are checking, ask for a screenshot of the cart and the message they saw, and offer to place the order at the right price once it works. Many failed codes are lost orders that a fast reply can still save.

The MRP check

Sometimes the code works but the shopper still thinks it failed. Indian stores often show an MRP crossed out next to a sale price. Your message says flat 40% off, but Shopify takes the percentage from the selling price, not the MRP. The shopper sees a smaller saving than they expected and writes back that the code is broken.

You can test this in a minute. Add one product to the cart, apply the code and compare the final price with what your message promised. Our guide on MRP vs sale price discounts shows the gap with an example. If you want a percentage code that takes its discount from the compare-at MRP, without changing the prices on your store, one option is Durakart MRP Compare Discount, which we make. On our own store, a flat 50% off WhatsApp campaign returned 15x on spend. That is one store's result, not a promise for yours.

Common mistakes

• Testing only as the store owner. You may be logged in as a customer who qualifies when others do not.
• Editing a live code mid-sale. Change the settings, then place a test order again.
• Leaving old automatic discounts on. They quietly block new codes.
• One shared code with a total limit. It runs out and nobody notices.
• No end date. An old festive code is still live in January.

Quick checklist

1. Check start date, end date and time zone.
2. Copy the code again, with no space.
3. Check the minimum purchase and quantity.
4. Confirm the product or collection is included.
5. Check customer eligibility and usage limits.
6. Check combinations and sales channels.
7. Place a test order on a phone and read the final price.