Skip the open promo code box until the shopper asks for one
A one-line "Have a promo code? Enter it on the next page" prompt replaces a visible, blank discount box sitting above the total by default.
What it is
Instead of an open, empty discount-code input sitting above the total on every visit, the cart carries a single line of text deferring code entry to the next step, so the box only appears once the shopper is actually ready to use one.
Why it works
A visible, empty discount box does something a shopper who was ready to check out did not ask for: it tells them there might be a better price out there and sends them to a search engine to go find it, at which point some fraction never come back. Most shoppers do not have a code. Replacing the open box with a one-line prompt removes that invitation for the majority while still telling the minority who do have a code exactly where to enter it.
How to test it
- Hypothesis
- Replacing the open promo code box with a deferred one-line prompt will lift checkout completion rate, because shoppers without a code are no longer prompted to leave the cart and search for one.
- Primary metric
- Checkout completion rate (sessions that reach the cart)
- Guardrail metric
- Promo code redemption rate, which could fall if shoppers who do have a code miss the deferred prompt entirely
Related ideas
Want this tested on your store?
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See the performance program