Automate coupon expiration notifications with Shopify Flow to boost sales
If you operate a store on Shopify, you've likely set up abandoned cart emails and abandoned checkout recovery emails. These are highly effective and widely known as basic strategies.
But what about an email like, "Your coupon is about to expire"?
Many people in Japan have probably received such emails from malls like Rakuten and Amazon, or travel sites like Jalan and Ikyu. And in fact, these emails are very effective.
However, Shopify does not have this functionality.
This article explains how to automate coupon expiration notifications using Shopify Flow and drive sales.
Why Coupons Go Unused
Coupons primarily go unused for the following three reasons:
1. Customers Forget About the Coupon
Customers are exposed to a lot of information every day. Even if they think, "I'll use it later" the moment they acquire a coupon, they forget about its existence after a few days.
Especially for coupons with a long validity period (e.g., more than one month), the psychology of "I still have time" tends to lead to procrastination.
2. Customers Forget While Deliberating
Customers acquire coupons when they're already interested in a product. A coupon makes it an even better deal. But they can't decide right away.
While deliberating, thinking "I'll think about it a bit more" or "I've spent a lot this month, so I'll buy it next month," they forget due to daily busyness. Or their desire to purchase fades with a "Oh well."
This is a typical pattern of coupons expiring unused.
3. Customers Are Unaware of the Expiration Date
In many cases, customers aren't even aware of the exact expiration date.
It's not uncommon for them to remember, "I think I had a coupon..." only to find it has already expired.
The Solution Is "Pre-Expiration Reminder Notifications"
The solution to these problems is pre-expiration reminder notifications.
When a coupon's expiration date approaches, an email is sent notifying customers, "Your coupon is about to expire." It's simple, but a very effective measure.
Why Reminder Notifications Are Effective
1. Reminds Forgetting Customers
It serves as a reminder that "Oh, I had a coupon." It creates the possibility of a coupon being used that would have otherwise expired without a notification.
2. Encourages Purchase
The information "expiration is near" encourages a purchase decision. The psychology of "I'll lose out if I don't use it now" kicks in, making customers more likely to act.
3. Customer-Friendly
Notifying customers of an upcoming expiration is also a helpful service for them. It prevents the disappointing experience of "missing out on a good coupon."
Shopify Standard Does Not Have This Functionality
Shopify's discount function is "public." Anyone who knows the coupon code can use it, so there is no concept of individual customer expiration dates.
This means that the state of "this person's coupon is about to expire" doesn't exist, making it impossible to send expiration notifications.
While it's possible to send a mass email to everyone saying "Your coupon is about to expire," this presents problems. It reaches people who have already used the coupon, and also people who aren't even interested.
What "Claim" Coupons from Coupon.JP Can Do
Coupon.JP issues "claimable" coupons. Customers acquire the coupon themselves, and the coupon is linked to their customer account.
This allows us to identify the state of "this customer's coupon will expire in 7 days" and send reminder emails only to those individuals.
- Doesn't send to people who haven't acquired a coupon
- Doesn't send to people who have already used it
- Only reaches people whose coupons are truly nearing expiration
By not sending emails to irrelevant people, we can expect overwhelmingly high conversion rates.
How Effective Is It?
The effectiveness varies by store. It depends on the products, store size, number of coupons claimed, discount rate, and the excitement of events (such as Christmas or Black Friday), so a generalization cannot be made.
However, an analysis of automation results from our client companies shows that sales from expiration notifications are overwhelmingly high. They generate significantly more sales than abandoned cart emails or abandoned checkout emails.
A high CVR is achieved precisely because of the premise that "acquiring a coupon = having purchase intent."
Automate with Claim Coupon × Shopify Flow
Claim Coupon integrates with Shopify Flow. We also provide Flow templates, so complex setup is not required.
Reminder emails can be sent at three timings: 7 days, 3 days, and 1 day before expiration. Notifying customers in stages conveys a sense of urgency.
While setting all three is recommended, sending too many emails can be counterproductive. Please consider when to send notifications based on your store's characteristics and customer base.
Details on how to set it up are explained in the following article:
Summary
Coupons expiring unused represent a significant lost opportunity for stores.
By combining Shopify Flow and Claim Coupon, you can automate pre-expiration reminder notifications.
- Reminds customers of the coupon's existence
- Encourages purchase
- Eliminates manual management
Setup is easy with Flow templates. If you haven't set it up yet, please give it a try.
About Claim Coupon
Please refer to the product page for more details.