# Applying Coupons at the Till

Pro Feature

Applying coupons at the register requires [WCPOS Pro](/getting-started/pro-license.md). Free users can see the [Coupons](/coupons/.md) screen as a blurred preview but the **Add Coupon** action is disabled in the cart.

This page covers the at-counter workflow — finding a coupon, applying it, stacking multiple coupons, and dealing with errors. For coupon types, setup, and validation rules see [Coupons](/coupons/.md); for ad-hoc discounts a cashier creates on the fly see [Cart Discounts](/pos/cart/discounts.md).

## The Add Coupon flow[​](#the-add-coupon-flow "Direct link to The Add Coupon flow")

Below the cart line items there's an **Add Coupon** button. Tapping it opens a small input where you can either type a code or search.

1. Tap **Add Coupon** in the cart
2. Start typing — the input doubles as a search across all synced coupons (code and description)
3. Pick the coupon from the suggestion list, or finish typing the code and press **Enter**

The coupon validates instantly against your locally-synced data — there's no round-trip to the server — and the discount appears on the cart total. If you change cart contents afterwards (add an item, change a quantity, swap a customer), the discount recalculates automatically.

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Code vs. search

Cashiers who know the code (e.g. "SUMMER10") can type it and hit Enter — fastest path. The search is for when a customer hands over a printed coupon and the staff member doesn't remember the exact code, or when looking up a loyalty discount by customer name.

## Coupon pills in the cart[​](#coupon-pills-in-the-cart "Direct link to Coupon pills in the cart")

Each applied coupon appears as a small **pill** in the cart, sitting just above the totals. The pill shows the coupon's description (or code, if no description is set) and the amount it discounted. Tap the **×** on a pill to remove that coupon — the cart total recalculates immediately.

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Pills stack vertically when more than one coupon is applied. The order shown is the order they were added — and that order matters for [sequential discounts](#sequential-discounts).

Receipt labels

The pill text is also what prints on the receipt. If you'd like a cleaner label than the raw coupon code (e.g. *"Loyalty Discount"* rather than *"LOYAL10"*), set the **Description** field on the coupon in `WP Admin → Marketing → Coupons`. WCPOS uses the description as the discount label whenever it's set.

## Sequential discounts[​](#sequential-discounts "Direct link to Sequential discounts")

You can apply more than one coupon to an order. WooCommerce treats them **sequentially** — each coupon discounts the running subtotal left by the previous one, not the original cart total.

### Worked example[​](#worked-example "Direct link to Worked example")

Cart subtotal: **$100.00**

| Step | Coupon                   | Calculation | Running total |
| ---- | ------------------------ | ----------- | ------------- |
| 1    | `LOYAL10` (10% off)      | $100 × 0.90 | **$90.00**    |
| 2    | `WELCOME5` ($5 off cart) | $90 − $5    | **$85.00**    |
| 3    | `EXTRA20` (20% off)      | $85 × 0.80  | **$68.00**    |

The order they're applied in changes the final number. Two 10% coupons stack to 19% off the original (not 20%), because the second 10% applies to the already-discounted total.

### When coupons can't stack[​](#when-coupons-cant-stack "Direct link to When coupons can't stack")

A coupon configured with **Individual use only** in WooCommerce blocks any other coupon from being applied alongside it. If `SUMMER25` is individual-use:

* Apply `SUMMER25` first → adding any other coupon shows *"This coupon cannot be combined with other coupons."*
* Apply other coupons first → adding `SUMMER25` shows the same message.

Remove the conflicting coupon to apply the other.

### Fixed-product coupons[​](#fixed-product-coupons "Direct link to Fixed-product coupons")

A **fixed product discount** coupon (e.g. *$2 off each T-shirt*) only discounts the line items it matches — it doesn't reduce the running subtotal for other coupons. Stacking it with a percentage cart coupon is safe and predictable.

## Removing a coupon[​](#removing-a-coupon "Direct link to Removing a coupon")

* Tap the **×** on the coupon pill to remove that single coupon.
* Clearing the cart (**More** menu → *Clear cart*) removes all applied coupons.
* Removing a line item that was the *only* qualifying item for a product-restricted coupon will auto-remove the coupon and show a brief toast — "Coupon removed: no qualifying items".

## Validation errors and how to resolve them[​](#validation-errors-and-how-to-resolve-them "Direct link to Validation errors and how to resolve them")

The POS runs the same validation rules as WooCommerce — see [How Validation Works](/coupons/.md#how-validation-works) for the full list. When a coupon is rejected, the cashier sees a specific message:

| Message                                               | What it means                                                                      | What to do                                                                                                                                                           |
| ----------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| *"Coupon does not exist"*                             | The code wasn't found in synced data.                                              | Check spelling. If the coupon was just created in WP Admin, run a sync from the [Coupons](/coupons/.md) screen (long-press the sync icon for **Clear and refresh**). |
| *"This coupon has expired"*                           | Today's date is past the coupon's expiry.                                          | Extend the expiry in WP Admin, or use a different code.                                                                                                              |
| *"Usage limit reached"*                               | The coupon's overall usage limit is exhausted.                                     | Raise the limit in WP Admin, or use a different code.                                                                                                                |
| *"Customer has already used this coupon"*             | The selected customer is over the per-user limit.                                  | Switch customers, or raise the per-user limit.                                                                                                                       |
| *"Minimum spend not reached"*                         | The cart subtotal is below the coupon's minimum.                                   | Add more items or use a different code.                                                                                                                              |
| *"Maximum spend exceeded"*                            | The cart subtotal is above the coupon's maximum.                                   | Split into separate orders or use a different code.                                                                                                                  |
| *"This coupon cannot be combined with other coupons"* | Either the new coupon or an already-applied one is set to **Individual use only**. | Remove the conflicting coupon, then apply the desired one.                                                                                                           |
| *"Coupon not valid for items in cart"*                | None of the cart items match the coupon's product/category restrictions.           | Add a qualifying item, or pick a different coupon.                                                                                                                   |
| *"Coupon not valid for this customer"*                | The selected customer's email doesn't match the coupon's **Allowed emails** rule.  | Switch to a customer whose email matches, or remove the email restriction.                                                                                           |

If a coupon validates locally but the order is rejected at checkout, the server re-ran validation against fresher data — usually the usage limit was hit in another sale during the same shift. Re-apply or pick another.

## Common workflows[​](#common-workflows "Direct link to Common workflows")

Manager discount — ad-hoc 10% with a tracked code

Create a coupon in `WP Admin → Marketing → Coupons` called something like `MGR10`:

* **Discount type:** Percentage discount
* **Coupon amount:** 10
* **Usage limit per coupon:** *(blank — unlimited)*
* **Individual use only:** off (so it can stack with loyalty / promo codes)
* **Description:** *"Manager Discount"* (this is what prints on the receipt)

Share the code with managers only. The coupon shows up in WooCommerce reports as a tracked discount, unlike a [POS price override](/pos/cart/discounts.md) which now just lowers the line price.

Loyalty reward — repeat-customer $5 off

Create `LOYAL5`:

* **Discount type:** Fixed cart discount
* **Coupon amount:** 5
* **Minimum spend:** 25 *(or whatever your threshold is)*
* **Usage limit per user:** 1 *(if the reward is one-time)*
* **Description:** *"Loyalty Reward"*

At the till, search "loyalty" to find it without having to remember the code.

Single-use promo — flyer or print campaign

Create one coupon per campaign with **Usage limit per coupon: 1** if it's a single-redemption flyer, or a higher number for a multi-use promo. Set a tight **Expiry date** so the code can't be reused later by mistake.

For multi-use promos where each customer should only redeem once, set both **Usage limit per coupon** *and* **Usage limit per user: 1**.

Stacking a manager discount on top of a coupon code the customer brought

Apply the customer's code first, then the manager code. WooCommerce treats them sequentially — the manager discount calculates against the already-discounted total, which is usually what customers expect.

If the customer's coupon is **Individual use only**, the manager code will be rejected. Either remove the customer's coupon first (and re-apply later if needed) or update the customer's coupon in WP Admin to allow stacking.

A customer wants to return part of an order and re-ring it with a different coupon

Refund the original order first (see [Refunds](/orders/refunds.md)), then start a fresh sale with the new coupon. Coupons are tied to the order at the time of sale — you can't retroactively swap a coupon on a completed order from the POS. The refund returns the usage count to the coupon so it can be applied again on the new order.

## Interaction with POS price changes[​](#interaction-with-pos-price-changes "Direct link to Interaction with POS price changes")

If a cashier lowered a line price at the till (a [POS price override](/pos/cart/discounts.md)) and then applies a coupon, the coupon calculates against the **lowered price**, not the original. POS-lowered lines are treated as "on sale", so any coupon with **Exclude sale items** enabled will skip them.

This is intentional — it prevents customers being double-discounted by stacking a cashier discount and a coupon against the original price. See [How POS Price Changes Interact with Coupons](/pos/cart/discounts.md#how-pos-price-changes-interact-with-coupons) for the full mechanics.

## Offline behaviour[​](#offline-behaviour "Direct link to Offline behaviour")

* **Applying coupons works offline** — validation runs against locally-synced coupon data.
* **Completing the sale still needs a connection** when the order is submitted (the server re-validates and writes the usage count).
* **A coupon you just created in WP Admin** won't apply at the till until the next sync. From the [Coupons](/coupons/.md) screen footer, tap the sync icon () — long-press for **Clear and refresh** if you need a fresh fetch.