Discount Coupons for Promoting your store?

[Idealproductsales]

Not sure if it has been suggested before, but it occurs to me that ebidders could do with an addition to be able to create customized discount coupons for their ebid stores to print out and include with packages shipped from "other venues" to attract more buyers to ebid

It would seem fairly simple - create a customized discount code that applies to anything within a specific ebid store (randomly generated unique identifier) that ebid store owners can print and mail to prospective buyers (Just have a peek at Zen Cart's coupon codes for some effective ideas)

We ship over 1K packages a month - At the moment, I am working on putting together a new batch of listings to go up on eBid
- What I'd love to be able to do is print out a custom discount code which can be used *either* one time per buyer or multiple times per buyer within a specific time frame , at seller's option (when setting up the coupons in My eBid) - Indeed, I can link buyers to a specific URL on my own website that can generate a printable coupon using that particular code, AND link to eBid for new signups (to earn buddy points, too!)

Once coupon code is entered, the system can automatically apply the discount (dollar amount or percentage off) to the sale price of the item, and buyers come away happy with a savings , ebid gets new buyers (if new signup), seller gains a sale on eBid (and buddy points maybe) - It's a winner all the way around.

What do you think?

[lakeleilani]

I think this is a good idea. I already send out a slip with parcels to buyers from other auction sites directing them to my eBid stores, but I think if I were to include a discount voucher it would do more to encourage them here. In the absence of any automated process, I suppose I could print out my own code for buyers to quote by e-mail or similar.

[asktricia]

Alternatively, you could send a slip out in every parcel that is sold elsewhere, with a note saying "you could have made a saving of £x if you purchased this item from me, via eBid" and give your eBid store name and perhaps mention a couple of similar items the buyer might be interested in.

[Idealproductsales]

True - I'd considered that.. BUT.. We're talking about *American* Buyers here.. Things have to be handed to them on a silver platter. If they have to do anything more than enter a 5 digit coupon code at checkout time to get a discount, a majority of them won't even bother.. Much less having to send a request after buying for an invoice, so we can manually calculate discounts. (They have to wait, when most of them want it *N*o*W*)

since 99% of our current sales are to U.S. Buyers, it's a bit pointless to have to make them jump through hoops to get a discount when for 50 cents more they can get the same thing "instantly" and have done with it at the other place.

But, to incentivize buyers to take the trouble to go through the signup here, start a new account and figure out how to buy on this site, they need something more than "You could have got it for dollar less at eBid" - Remember the latest "savings" craze in the U.S. these days is couponing (Notice all those TV shows about it?) if we could offer a coupon so they can feel like THEY are *truly* saving and getting a discount (Because they are paying less than "those poor souls that don't have coupons") .. well.. - I've found it does work nicely on our Zen Cart store..

Just thought it would be a nice feature to be able to offer... U.S. Buyers are funny that way - so many of them, you've got to hand them everything on a silver platter (In some cases, it seems, that is the literal expectation judging from some of our buyers - feels like we should have shipped a $1.99 part on a $200 Silver Platter, in order to make them happy!)