Admit it, we have all been there, finished shopping, and ready to redeem savings and checkout, but the coupon code doesn’t work! The transaction is almost complete. The cart is overflowing. The overall cost is expected to be around $300. But hold on a second. As a savvy shopper, you’ll note that there’s a 20% off promo code waiting for you in a different browser window. Isn’t that brilliant? But, rather than being arrogant, a sense of defeat is about to derail what had been a fantastic online shopping experience. What is the reason for this?
The (dreadful) coupon code doesn’t work!
How many times has anything like this happened to you? Nine out of ten checkouts or so, we estimate. Maybe a little less. A person’s online shopping experience can be ruined by the annoyance of just having a promo code that doesn’t work! The cart is set up to reject the discount, so a typical shopper may have spent a long time adding items only to be disappointed at the end.
Simply Google “promo code not working.” There are millions of results for this search query. As a result, we know that this is a common and aggravating phenomenon for, well, almost everyone. This article aims to explain why so many promo codes fail to function, as well as what the average shopper can do to solve the issue.
My Promo Code Doesn’t Work, Call 911!
There are a variety of promo codes available for a variety of items. Promo codes are extremely common, and they’ve largely replaced the old clip-and-save coupon that used to be found in the Sunday newspaper. Their success hasn’t waned in the least; the coupons have simply gone digital and become promo codes.
With that said, many of the promo codes available on the internet today are actually invalid. What are the most common explanations for a coupon code not working? The following are seven possible explanations.
The Coupon Code is no Longer Valid
Promo codes always expire after a certain date; this is a common explanation for discount rejection. To be sure, try to use the code whenever possible — you could get a fun surprise.
Some coupon sites deliberately post expired or fake promo codes in order to generate further revenue by driving traffic to store pages — be wary of these! It’s likely that none of these websites’ promo codes would work, leaving you even more disappointed than when you started your quest.
Some coupon sites deliberately post expired or fake promo codes
At iCouponU, we’d never do such things, we work hard to keep our coupons database up to date. But on certain occasions, there might be a delay in receiving the update from our partners. Thus, sometimes you may experience this disappointing behavior when using one of our coupons. We ask you two things, one to excuse us, and two to let us know either by contacting us, posting a comment, or using the thumbs down icon next to the post.
Our team is dedicated to providing you with the latest coupons and promo codes and you don’t have to worry about it because we only post up-to-date vouchers. But always make sure to read the fine print that comes with it. Subscribe to our telegram channel and our email newsletter and get the latest deals.
Some Coupon Codes Doesn’t Work unless you meet a threshold or Minimum Order Value
Have the shopper’s purchase criteria been met? This could be a discount of 25% off a $50 order, or something else entirely. Either add more products to your cart to fulfill the minimum purchase criteria, which is typically specified in the promo code coupon’s body, or look for another promo code that does not require a minimum purchase.
A minimum purchase is required for several coupons. This means that before you can get the discount, you must spend a certain amount on qualifying products. The minimum only applies to the total cost of the goods in your order after any instant discounts have been applied, and it excludes any additional costs such as tax or delivery, if applicable. You may also deduce information from the code itself.
The fine-print will show the minimum order value as well as the maximum discount value if applicable.
Valid for First-Time Buyers Only
In reality, some of the best promo codes are only valid the first time you use them. Vendors use this technique to attract new customers and they bet on making the largest possible percentage of these returning customers, thus they only publish coupons that are valid for first-time users. However, if the promo code is really good, it may be worthwhile to create a new account for someone else just to get the discount? Isn’t it maybe unethical? It’s up to each shopper to make their own decision!
This would be mentioned in the post title as well as the fine print.
Some Promo Codes have Exclusions
This is a frequent phenomenon on retail websites. In a lot of the time, a promo code discount would include a lot of terms and conditions that must be met in order to correctly apply the promo code and benefit from the discount.
Even if a code seems to be universal and extends to all on the web, there are usually a few exceptions. Unless otherwise noted, coupons do not apply to store gift cards or some brands that are prohibited by the retailer. Some coupons can exclude whole categories like sale and clearance products, as well as items with unique pricing like “Deal of the Day” items. Oversized or overweight goods can be excluded from free shipping coupons. Exclusions can be so extensive at certain stores that it’s almost impossible to locate anything that the code does refer to.
If there were exclusions, we will definitely mention this in the fine print for each coupon.
Promotional Code has already been Used
There are one-time usage promo codes, believe it or not. However, if you discover a one-time-use promo code that has already been used, you will be disappointed. The worst thing is that you can’t say if the code has been used until you try it yourself. Some coupon sites, such as ours, have a dedicated team of editors who actively monitor promo codes and remove them if they don’t function. So, ideally, you’ll just have to enter a promo code once and it will work right away.
Login is Required
If you’re not signed in, you won’t be able to apply discounts on Amazon for example. Other online retailers follow suit. In most cases, signing up is simple and free; these sites want people to buy, so it’s not a big deal.
So if you are having trouble with your coupon code and it’s not working try signing up for a free account or signing in if you already have one, that might just fix all of your problems.
The Promo Code is not Valid in your Country
As we all know promo codes can be valid world wide sometimes but most of the time there are location restrictions.
One of the reasons why your promo code might not be working is that you may have chosen a coupon that can not be redeemed in your country which is basic and common mistake users commit.
In this case all you have to do is visit iCouponU.com and make sure to copy the right discount code by reading the details that come with each and every code.
The Promo Code is Bound to a Certain Location
Free shipping is often restricted to a small geographic area. Smaller stores frequently have limitations on where they can ship for free. The weight of the product may often make a difference. So if you have a free shipping discount code make sure that you are inside the borders or their free delivery perimetry.
We do our best to highlight this in the fine print for each coupon.
Maybe you just Mistyped it?
Check to see if you’ve typed or pasted the coupon code right. Most codes are in capital letters, and some are case-sensitive, so if you type it in lowercase, it may not work. If you’re copying and pasting the code, make sure there are no blank spaces before or after it that might cause an error. You’ll also need access to that email address if the code is email-specific. When you reveal or click a coupon at our website, the code is automatically copied to your clipboard.
When you reveal or click a coupon at our iCouponU.com, the code is automatically copied to your clipboard. So, you don’t need to worry about typo mistakes, or case-sensitive coupon codes not working.
Other Reasons why Coupon Codes Doesn’t Work
There may be other reasons why a promo code isn’t working. It’s possible that the store’s order management system is broken. If the promo code isn’t working, it’s usually a good idea to contact customer service. Many times, customer service representatives will assist in determining what is incorrect or even apply a different discount to keep the customer happy.
The way stores treat promo codes throughout the checkout process varies greatly. The best stores are transparent about their policies. They immediately apply the codes in the shopping cart, prominently show your discount, and can even include the exact specifics of the coupon after it has been applied.
Many retailers, on the other hand, are less forthcoming; you can have to jump through a few hoops before finding out whether the coupon would fit with your order. Before you can see if the coupon is legitimate, you will need to go through the checkout process and enter all of your details, including your credit card number. There are also instances where a store appears to accept a coupon but provides no detail or a discount, known as a coupon black hole.
Some stores offer coupon codes only occasionally or never at all, so you might not find anything when you browse. However, there are a few other options for saving money.
If you sign up for their newsletters, several stores will give you a coupon right away. Some of the coupons sent to email subscribers could be one-time use codes, which are created specifically for that subscriber and can be used only once. At other times, the only way to get the discount is to click on a connection in the store’s inbox. As a result, you won’t find these deals on coupon and sale websites.
Last but no Least, Always look for Coupons Here
There’s a lot of scope for using codes to transform a decent deal into a fantastic one. If you see the little coupon code box in the cart, make sure you use it to save money. Every day, new coupon codes appear, and several stores still have a coupon of some sort available. It’s just a matter of learning the fundamentals of how codes function and doing some homework before placing your order. We make this task easy, all you have to do is to stop by iCouponU.com before every online shopping journey, and make sure to read the fine print.
Happy shopping, enjoy saving!
