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Coupon site

Also called coupon site, voucher site, discount code site, deal site.

Short answer

A coupon site is a type of affiliate that collects discount codes and offers from many stores. The site earns commission when a visitor clicks through via an affiliate link and completes a purchase – with or without the code.

Definition of Coupon site.

A coupon site gathers current discount codes and offers from many stores in one place and lives on affiliate commission: every click through to the store carries an affiliate link, and if a purchase is completed within the attribution window, the site is credited with the sale. Traffic comes mainly from searches for the store name plus the words discount code or voucher.

The coupon site sits at the very end of the buying journey. The user is often already at checkout, sees the discount code field and opens a new tab to look for one. That gives the format a high conversion rate – the decision to buy had in reality been made before the click. With last-click attribution, it is nevertheless the coupon site that gets the credit.

For the store, the calculation has two sides. Coupon traffic can rescue baskets that would otherwise have been abandoned, and an exclusive code can be used as a targeted campaign. On the other hand, the store pays commission on sales that might have happened anyway. That is why program terms can exclude coupon traffic, require codes to be approved in advance or give the channel a lower rate.

Exclusive codes and code leaks

An exclusive code is agreed directly between store and coupon site and works as a measurable campaign: the code exists in only one place, so redemptions can be attributed to the partnership. That makes the format more valuable for both parties than republishing publicly available codes.

A code leak goes the other way: a code intended for a newsletter or a single influencer ends up on coupon sites and is used widely. Stores should treat codes as campaign assets – with an expiry date, a redemption cap and clear agreements on where they may be shown.

Coupon site vs. cashback site

AspectCoupon siteCashback site
The user's benefita discount at checkout, before the purchase is completedmoney back, after the sale is approved
Requires an accountno – the code is open to everyoneyes – the payout requires a profile
Revenue modelkeeps the whole commissionshares the commission with the user

Both formats sit at the end of the buying journey – the difference is whether the benefit is given before the purchase as a discount or after it as a payout.

How it goes wrong

  • 01

    Expired and made-up codes

    Sites that list codes without maintaining them send users back to checkout with an error message. That costs the store conversions and the site trust – and clicks without sales drag the site's EPC down.

  • 02

    The last click takes all the credit

    A content site may have created the purchase decision, after which the coupon tab at checkout takes the last click. Stores should assess the channel's incrementality before attributing the full value of the sale to it.

  • 03

    Brand bidding in the ads

    Some coupon sites advertise on the store name plus discount code and intercept traffic the store would have got anyway. Whether that is allowed is decided by the program terms – check them before letting the channel in.

Frequently asked questions

How does a coupon site make money?

Coupon sites earn affiliate commission. Every click through to the store goes via an affiliate link, and if the click becomes a purchase within the attribution window, the site gets a percentage of the order value or a fixed amount. Some sites also earn from featured placements of selected stores.

Does the coupon site get commission even if the customer does not use the code?

Yes, as a rule. The commission follows the click on the affiliate link, not the code. If the user clicks through from the site and buys without redeeming the code, the sale can still be attributed to the site's click within the attribution window.

Are coupon sites good for a web shop?

It depends on the purpose. The channel can rescue abandoned baskets and bring volume, but some of the sales would have happened anyway, so the incremental value is lower than for channels earlier in the buying journey. Manage it with program terms: code approval, channel restrictions or a separate rate.

What is the difference between a coupon site and a cashback site?

A coupon site gives the benefit before the purchase in the form of a code that lowers the price at checkout. A cashback site gives the benefit after the purchase by sharing its commission with the user, which requires an account and an approved sale.

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