Promo codes can be a great way to save money on online purchases. However, finding working promo codes that haven’t expired can be tricky. In this article, we’ll provide tips on where to find active promo codes and share some top sites and browser extensions to help you save.
What are promo codes?
Promo codes, also known as coupon codes or discount codes, are a series of numbers or letters you can enter at checkout on an ecommerce site to get a discount or special offer. For example, a promo code may give you 15% off your purchase, free shipping, or a discounted or free gift with purchase.
Retailers and brands issue promo codes as a marketing tactic to encourage more sales. The savings from promo codes allows shoppers to justify purchasing items they may not have otherwise bought or lets them buy more items than they would have without the discount.
Where can I find promo codes that work?
There are a few places you can lookup working promo codes:
Directly on the retailer’s website
Many brands and stores have a designated spot on their website for entering promo codes during checkout. Look on the shopping cart, payment, or checkout pages for a box to type in a code. You may see wording like “Have a promo code?” or “Apply discount code” as a cue to enter one.
Before buying, it’s worth quickly checking the retailer’s website for any banners advertising site wide or category specific promo codes. For example, the homepage may advertise 20% off purchases over $100 or $10 off jeans.
Deal websites
There are many deal websites that aggregate and list out available promo codes you can browse through. These sites partner with retailers to provide exclusive promo codes and sales information.
Some popular promo code websites include:
– RetailMeNot
– CouponCabin
– Rakuten
– Honey
– Groupon
You can search for a specific store on these sites to see available promo codes. The promo codes are typically organized by category, popularity, expiration date, or discount percentage so you can quickly identify the best codes.
Loyalty programs
If you frequently shop at a retailer, joining their free loyalty program can provide access to special promo codes and discounts for members only. For example, programs like CVS ExtraCare Rewards email members unique coupon codes throughout the month.
Create an account on your favorite store’s website to sign up for their loyalty program and start receiving promo code offers via email or direct mail.
Newsletters
Subscribing to brand and store newsletters is another way to get promo codes directly. For example, the Express newsletter sends subscribers a 15% off coupon code about once a week.
Look on the company’s website or at the bottom of your receipt for places to sign up for their newsletter. You’ll then start getting regular emails with discounts and special offers.
Credit card rewards
Check if your credit card provides any exclusive promo codes or automatic discounts at certain stores. For example, Visa cardholders can save money at participating retailers through Visa checkout and unlock special credit card promo codes.
Log into your credit card account online or mobile app to browse available promo code offers. Using your credit card to shop may score you additional percentage discounts.
Browser extensions
There are various free browser extensions like Honey, Rakuten, and CouponCabin that automatically test promo codes and apply the savings for you during checkout.
These extensions house thousands of promo codes across hundreds of sites. When you go to checkout, the extension will automatically try all available codes for that retailer and notify you of the best one to use to maximize your savings.
This takes out the guesswork of looking up codes yourself and ensures you are always saving the most money possible when shopping online.
Tips for finding the best promo codes
Here are some helpful tips to find working promo codes that offer the biggest discounts:
Look for new customer promo codes
Many brands offer special promo codes for customers who are new to their site. Signing up for newsletters, loyalty programs, or email lists are easy ways to take advantage of first time subscriber promo codes. Stores want to hook you with extra savings your very first purchase.
Search around major holidays
Promo codes will be more plentiful around peak shopping holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day. Retailers compete for your business with sitewide discounts during these seasonal sales events.
Stack savings strategies
Some stores let you combine multiple promo codes or layer them on top of automatic discounts. For example, using a percentage off promo code on a sale item or combining a code with free shipping. Stacking different savings maximizes how much you can save in one purchase.
Look for soft launches
When brands launch or test out new products, they may quietly release special promo codes to generate buzz and initial sales. Keep an eye out for hot new product drops or try searching for “[brand name] promo code” on Google to uncover any unpublished soft launch codes.
Follow social media accounts
Brands will sometimes share promo codes on their social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to promote sales. Following your favorite stores can alert you to flashlimited time coupons.
Buy gift cards at a discount
Sites like Raise, CardCash, and GiftCardGranny sell brand name gift cards at discounted rates. You can score gift cards up to 20% off and essentially get a promo code for future shopping. Use the gift cards on full priced items the brand isn’t discounting to stack on extra savings.
Common places to use promo codes
While every online store is different, these are some of the most popular categories where you can typically apply promo codes:
Store Category | Examples |
---|---|
Clothing & Accessories | J.Crew, Ann Taylor, Forever 21, Adidas, Uggs, Vera Bradley |
Shoes | DSW, Foot Locker, Steve Madden, Nike, Aldo |
Beauty & Skincare | Sephora, Ulta, Glossier, Skinceuticals, Dermstore |
Home & Furniture | West Elm, Pottery Barn, Wayfair, Overstock, Raymour & Flanigan |
Kitchen & Cooking | Williams Sonoma, Sur La Table, Keurig, Bed Bath & Beyond |
Tech & Electronics | Best Buy, Dell, HP, Samsung, Casetify |
Subscriptions | Birchbox, Audible, Headspace, Netflix, Spotify |
Specialty coupon sites
Beyond standard online retailers, there are entire websites dedicated to offering deals and promo codes for specific niches:
– Groupon – Local experiences, getaways, restaurants
– RetailMeNot – Clothing, shoes, accessories, beauty, travel
– CheapOair – Flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises
– Swanson Vitamins – Supplements, health products
– ProFlowers – Flowers, plants, gifts
When looking for promo codes in a particular category like travel or flowers, checking out specialized discount sites can provide better savings than general stores.
Are there any risks to using promo codes?
For the most part, promo codes are safe to use from reputable websites. However, there are some risks to be aware of:
– **Expired codes** – Double check the expiration date before using a code. Retailers will frequently post past promo codes that are no longer valid.
– **Fake codes** – Be wary of codes posted on sketchy forums, social media, or blogs. Scammers often create fake codes in hopes people will try using them.
– **Unauthorized sellers** – Only use codes provided directly on the store website or from an authorized deal site. Unauthorized third parties may distribute invalid or fraudulent codes.
– **Single use codes** – Some codes can only be used once per customer. So the code may no longer work if you or someone else have already redeemed it before.
– **Account-specific codes** – If a code is connected to a user account, it likely can’t be used by multiple people or on guest checkouts.
– **Offer restrictions** – Read the fine print for any exclusions or minimum spend requirements that make the code invalid for certain items or orders.
As long as you use legit codes from trusted sources, you shouldn’t run into any issues. Avoid sketchy sites asking you to pay for coupon code lists or download software to unlock special deals.
Maximizing savings with promo codes
Here are some expert tips to get the most value out of promo codes:
– **Search for codes** before making any online purchase. It only takes a minute to locate available promo codes.
– **Read code details** fully to understand any restrictions or exclusions. Make sure your cart and order qualify.
– **Use codes on full priced items** rather than items already on sale to maximize the discount amount.
– **Combine codes with other discounts** like automatic email sign up savings for extra savings.
– **Shop on bonus deal days** when brands offer sitewide percent off discounts on top of codes.
– **Buy discounted gift cards** to score automatic savings on future full priced purchases.
– **Sign up for loyalty programs** to receive member only coupon code offers and perks.
– **Follow stores on social media** and sign up for newsletters for early access to the best promo codes.
– **Use a browser extension** to automatically test and apply all valid codes at checkout.
Taking just a few minutes to find and use an applicable promo code can shave 20% or more off your cart total. Over time, using promo codes consistently adds up to major savings.
Common promo code questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about how to use promo codes successfully:
Where do I enter a promo code?
Look for a box during the checkout process that says something like “Gift card or promo code” or “Have a promo code to use?”. This is where you’ll enter the promo code and click apply.
Can I use more than one promo code at a time?
It depends on the retailer’s policy. Some allow stacking multiple codes, while others only allow one code per transaction. Try testing out different combinations to maximize savings.
Why aren’t my codes working?
Double check for typos in the code. Also, read the fine print for exclusions or minimum required spend that may make the code invalid for your order.
Where can I find new promo codes?
Check directly on brand websites, sign up for newsletters, follow retailers on social media, browse deal sites, install browser extensions, and search Google for unpublished “soft launch” codes.
How often do stores release new promo codes?
Most retailers issue new codes frequently – sometimes daily or weekly specials through their own channels. Holidays, product launches, and sales events also drive high volumes of new promo codes.
Conclusion
Using promo codes is an easy way to score discounts and save money on any online purchase. Retailers and brands constantly provide new coupon codes as incentives, so be on the lookout.
Maximize savings by stacking codes with existing discounts, shopping on special deal days, following brands on social media, installing browser extensions, and more. Just a minute of searching for promo codes before checking out could end up taking 25% or more off your total!