The coupon feedback thread

[Baldy]

bigWebGuy is thoroughly exhausted after releasing the shopping cart and he has some tuning to finish, like banning the color button for pros.

But... Then he's ready to work coupons. We wanted to check that we're up to date on the latest coupon feature list. Far as I know, it's:

1. The ability to set fixed dollar amounts or percentages.

2. Ability to set an expiration date. I heard a little rumbling about wanting to set a number of uses/coupon. Is that important?

3. Ability to withdraw coupon amounts from pro profits and if the reserve isn't high enough, then charge the card on file to make up the difference.

4. Some reporting.

We hope you're not asking to make coupons gallery-specific, because that's hard.

Your thoughts.

[brjphoto]

Originally Posted by Baldy

bigWebGuy is thoroughly exhausted after releasing the shopping cart and he has some tuning to finish, like banning the color button for pros.

But... Then he's ready to work coupons. We wanted to check that we're up to date on the latest coupon feature list. Far as I know, it's:

1. The ability to set fixed dollar amounts or percentages.

2. Ability to set an expiration date. I heard a little rumbling about wanting to set a number of uses/coupon. Is that important?

3. Ability to withdraw coupon amounts from pro profits and if the reserve isn't high enough, then charge the card on file to make up the difference.

4. Some reporting.

We hope you're not asking to make coupons gallery-specific, because that's hard.

Your thoughts.

1. Yup - Percentages are what I'm looking for. Fixed dollar amounts... not so much. I need to be able to offer 10% off, 20% off, etc...

2. Yup - Number of uses doesn't bother me. It would be nice, but it isn't critical. As long as there is an expiration date, that would serve the same purpose for me. If people want to share the coupon, that just means more traffic to the website and more sales for me.

3. Yup, draw from the profits. I'm never going to offer a coupon that puts me in the negative so that doesn't really apply, but I can see where some would want that.

4. Yup, I kind of figure that if a coupon is used it will show up in the "Who loves ya" email and on the order summary sheet. Beyond that, I can keep track on my own. Maybe a tab that shows all active coupons for my account would be nice.

No, coupons do not need to be gallery specific. They can be global for all the pictures I sell.

One thought... will we be able to generate our own codes (i.e. dadsday) or will the code be a smugmug generated string (i.e. 3u2l8ytz)? You can guess which I would prefer. I suppose the tab that allows us to track active coupon codes could also be used to generate codes.

[Allen]

Originally Posted by Baldy

..
We hope you're not asking to make coupons gallery-specific, because that's hard.

Your thoughts.

Event pros might not like this. I would imagine that they are for specific
shoots and not all past shoots.

[mbellot]

Originally Posted by Baldy

2. Ability to set an expiration date. I heard a little rumbling about wanting to set a number of uses/coupon. Is that important?

Yes, fixed # of uses would be great. If setting a specific number is too difficult right off I'd be happy with one time use coupons.

Gallery specific (or, better for me category/subcategory specific) would be nice, but definitely NOT worth holding up the release.

Also, setting an optional minimum purchase for the coupon (like $5/10% off a minimum $50 purchase) would be very nice.

Self generated (by me) codes would be outstanding.

[xris]

Originally Posted by Baldy

...We wanted to check that we're up to date on the latest coupon feature list....Your thoughts.

Thanks for asking!

1/ Choice of features always helps. There are times I would like to offer a fixed percentage. But I'm also interested in giving free prints of a fixed size. "Have a free 5X7 on me" sort of thing.

2/ Expiration date and number of uses are important options. I may want to give a family member 40 percent off at all times, but I may want to give a perspective client only a restricted number of free prints.

3/ Haven't thought that one through. Taking from profits certainly makes sense, but I don't think I want to ding my card unless I have the ability to place limits on the coupons.

4/ Reporting is always good.

5/ The ability to specify applicable galleries would be a very useful feature too.

Other Thoughts:

A tab in the control panel for configuring and issuing coupons would be a great feature. It could double as a place to track coupon inventories and report coupon use too. Might even be a good spot to set up the 'thank you' inserts (mentioned in another thread) within a coupon profile.

Example coupon profile:

coupon number xyz123456 applies to gallery XXX.
It is good for one free 5X7.
It expires on December 32nd 2012.
'Thank you' note number 04 is to be added to the order.

Another quick thought:

An 'Enter Your Coupon Code Here' dialog could be useful in directing the client to the applicable gallery. That way I could set up a free print coupon and specify the applicable gallery in the coupon profile. When a coupon code is entered the client is taken directly to the gallery specified for that coupon. (Not sure how to make the coupon 'stick' to the client right through to the cart though.)

Placement of the 'Insert Coupon Code' dialog should probably be customizable. I may want it front and center on my home page, or I may choose to place it only on specific galleries, categories or subcategories.

Hope this helps!

[iklimon]

Originally Posted by mbellot

Also, setting an optional minimum purchase for the coupon (like $5/10% off a minimum $50 purchase) would be very nice..

This one is very important to me. I want to encourage them to spend $50 or $100 and then get that all important 10% or 25% off. :)

[Glory2Jesus4Photography]

Originally Posted by iklimon

This one is very important to me. I want to encourage them to spend $50 or $100 and then get that all important 10% or 25% off. :)

I agree with this and the ability to set the amounts would be very important.

Expiration or amount of times or a one time would also be good as well.
Select galleries to be applied to would be nice but not a show stopper.

[Art Scott]

+1 on the gallery or event specific.....:i var

[affdigphotos]

Originally Posted by Baldy

1. The ability to set fixed dollar amounts or percentages.

2. Ability to set an expiration date. I heard a little rumbling about wanting to set a number of uses/coupon. Is that important?

3. Ability to withdraw coupon amounts from pro profits and if the reserve isn't high enough, then charge the card on file to make up the difference.

4. Some reporting.

5. We hope you're not asking to make coupons gallery-specific, because that's hard.

1. Yes

2. Yes, but not super important to me

3. Would it withdraw the amount from the current order's profits? I mean, I can't imagine offering a coupon that would cost me MORE than the profit I am going to make off the current order...

4. Yes

5. Not important - We can just give the coupon code out to the people we want to have it :)

Re: Thank you prints - I would love to have a thank you print that has a coupon code on it to give to a friend for future orders! Would be nice to have multiple thank you prints and choose which ones go with which orders...

[DavidTO]

Can't you (pros) just make specific codes for specific events? Does it really have to be hard coded to be gallery specific?

[mrcoons]

3. Would it withdraw the amount from the current order's profits? I mean, I can't imagine offering a coupon that would cost me MORE than the profit I am going to make off the current order...

This is an interesting point. Can the interface where the pro sets up the coupon not allow the discount to be more than the profit? Then there isn't any question of where the money comes from.

[xris]

Originally Posted by DavidTO

Can't you (pros) just make specific codes for specific events? Does it really have to be hard coded to be gallery specific?

I could probably get away without hard coding. But it would certainly be a nice feature to keep in mind for the future.

Thing is, I offer job-specific prints at a far lower cost than, say, art prints. So if I give a new client a coupon for four free 5x7s, I'd like them to use that coupon to order prints from their shoot. I don't want it to debase the cost of the art prints.

To re-state: The coupons don't have to be gallery specific, but it would be nice is I could block coupon use in certain galleries or categories or for certain products.

Sounds complicated, don't it?

[ellarue]

I was wondering if there will be a "redeem your print credits" option? For those of us that do wedding photography and offer a print credit in the pricing, this would be an AWESOME feature. Or will the coupons be flexible enough to accommodate a feature such as that?

If the print credit option is feasible, how would payment on our end work?

I really think this would be a wonderful feature for most people and would drive higher profits for a lot of people.

[Art Scott]

Originally Posted by DavidTO

Can't you (pros) just make specific codes for specific events? Does it really have to be hard coded to be gallery specific?

In my case an event is a separate gallery.....so event specific IS gallery specific also.................if I understand the hierarchy correctly....what is seen on the home page is the category...when category is cliked it brings up gallery.......right now with me that is where it ends....galleries are named for clients or clients events..................or will be as soon as I go public again

[bkatz]

Originally Posted by xris

I could probably get away without hard coding. But it would certainly be a nice feature to keep in mind for the future.

Thing is, I offer job-specific prints at a far lower cost than, say, art prints. So if I give a new client a coupon for four free 5x7s, I'd like them to use that coupon to order prints from their shoot. I don't want it to debase the cost of the art prints.

To re-state: The coupons don't have to be gallery specific, but it would be nice is I could block coupon use in certain galleries or categories or for certain products.

Sounds complicated, don't it?

I certainly agree - I also price some sports galleries higher than others based upon teams etc or an agreement with the club. One of the things I will be doing is giving a discount for 2 weeks after an event.

I price my art/;nature galleries more than my sports galleries so a specific code for an event doesn't work if you can use that coupon anywhere....

[bkatz]

Originally Posted by Baldy

bigWebGuy is thoroughly exhausted after releasing the shopping cart and he has some tuning to finish, like banning the color button for pros.

But... Then he's ready to work coupons. We wanted to check that we're up to date on the latest coupon feature list. Far as I know, it's:

1. The ability to set fixed dollar amounts or percentages.

2. Ability to set an expiration date. I heard a little rumbling about wanting to set a number of uses/coupon. Is that important?

3. Ability to withdraw coupon amounts from pro profits and if the reserve isn't high enough, then charge the card on file to make up the difference.

4. Some reporting.

We hope you're not asking to make coupons gallery-specific, because that's hard.

Your thoughts.

1) Great - although would also like to say buy 6 5x7 and get the 7th free

2) Expiration date I would like to be able to also only a customer to use a coupon once - (I like being able to limit the number of uses but to me this is better) so they can get 10% or 20% off but they can't make 10 orders - works real well when I do it with a club this way.

3) Don't see the point for me really since I would want an order and then either add on or deduct - but I see the point

4)

Question - does smugmug take their 15% before the coupon or after the coupon? We are lowering our profit so if we take 10% off an order is that any different than doing the prices 10% less?

5) I personally like gallery specific since I charge more for my nature photos than my sport photos and I don't necessarily want to discount those.

[affdigphotos]

Originally Posted by Baldy

We hope you're not asking to make coupons gallery-specific, because that's hard.

Your thoughts.

This may be a dumb question, but they WILL be owner specific, right? I mean, if someone orders from multiple smugmug users, the coupon will only apply to the user who created it, right?

[bendruckerphoto]

1. The ability to set fixed dollar amounts or percentages.

2. Ability to set an expiration date. I heard a little rumbling about wanting to set a number of uses/coupon. Is that important?

3. Ability to withdraw coupon amounts from pro profits and if the reserve isn't high enough, then charge the card on file to make up the difference.

4. Some reporting.

1)Yes, but also do things based on things in the order. For example, I might want to offer a free medium sized digital download with an order of a print larger than 8x10. Or 5 free 4x6's with an order of $100 or more.

2) Number of uses would be nice, but it isn't important to me that this is in the initial release. If I see that a coupon is being used heavily, I'll just disable it. It is important that I have the ability to make a coupon expire instantly at any time. If this could be accomplished by setting the expiration date to a previous date, then there doesn't need to be a special button for this. I also need the cart to report expired codes as expired when they're used, not just incorrect.

3)Sounds good. Most of the time I'd just be offering discounts, not free stuff that would need a credit card. It would be nice for discounts that aren't covered by that order's profit to come out of my pro profits that haven't been paid yet just in case. It would be nice if the $10 earned from referrals could be used for coupons as well.

4) Reporting would be nice. I don't need anything super flashy with graphs and whatever, just a little table with the order number, code used, and discount amount or something like that.

[Baldy]

To answer a couple of questions:

Yes, they would be owner specific and only apply to purchases of your photos.

We only take our percentage on the sale amount after the coupon is applied.

One reason the gallery-specific coupons get difficult is the possibility of buying from multiple galleries and do they expect to use multiple coupons and how do you explain it to them and report it to the pro without everyone squinting.

[nipprdog]

Originally Posted by Baldy

Yes, they would be owner specific and only apply to purchases of your photos.

That gets my vote.