Nine tricks for getting the most out of online coupon codes (2024)

With more consumers shopping online, there’s a proliferation of discount codes (such as SAVE20, 25OFF, FREESHIP) enticing them to buy. The frustration: You fill your cart, prepare to check out, apply the code and — arghh — no savings.

On average, coupon/promo codes work only about a third of the time, says Walt Roloson, co-founder of Wikibuy (owned by Capital One), a popular online shopping browser extension that finds and applies coupon codes during checkout. Among the most common reasons a code doesn’t work — it’s expired, there are exclusions, it’s non-transferrable and, my favorite, just because it doesn’t.