My 1st time customer didn't use the coupon code I offer. What is the best way to handle?

[perpetualposy]

My shop offers a coupon for a first time purchase with my store. In the past it has always been used at checkout until my most recent transaction. What is the best way to handle this situation? They are a new customer and did not use the coupon code I offer. Should I do a refund for the coupon amount, offer promo for future transactions???? Help! Not sure what to do. Has this ever happened to anyone? Thanks in advance:)

[Former_Member]

Did the customer use a coupon code in the note to seller or bring up the coupon at all? If not, I would do a happy dance that they loved the item enough to pay full price for it and bought from you without even the incentive of a coupon! If they come back and say, "oops! I forgot to enter the coupon code!" I would just refund it via paypal. Or you could do that anyway, with a little note thanking them for their first purchase, and that first time customers receive a discount with their first purchase. It would be a fun (and memorable) surprise to them. Congratulations on the sale :-)

[Former_Member]

i wouldn't worry about it too much....i had a customer who bought a 2nd time and forgot the coupon code...i just wrote to her to tell her when her order would be shipped and said that i noticed she didn't use the code....she w rote back and said she forgot...personally, i told her that i would throw in a little surprise instead since she didnt use the code....i threw in some earrings that were an experiment really and cost less and took less time to make than my usual product because they are printed on an ink jet instead of hand drawn...if you too have an item that you could throw in as a little gift, instead of giving them the refund, that might be valued more than the coupon code! but it depends on if you have items that you can throw in at little cost to you...a bookmark? a tiny slab of soap as a sample of a different scent?

[Former_Member]

oh whoops about the soap, i was looking at the wrong user! (was looking at sacredsuds who responded, and not the original poster! anyway, if you can throw in a small gift, that might be nice...

[Former_Member]

I have serveral who forget to use the coupons I set the shop up on. So I came up with a code just for that situation and i send it out attached to their invoice in a general little notice lettin them know that they missed using the sale code, thus inviting them back for a "onetime" use at their leisure with this special code to use.

Only once has a customer preferred the refunded difference still, and I processed it that way for her...and she has now become a repeat customer.

[perpetualposy]

Thanks so much! I was so unsure of how to handle and did not want to offend the customer and have them think I was being fallacious. I have so many options now....thanks, sacredsuds, Brooklynbags and sentimentalist...you all gave me great advice...This team is the best!

[WrappedToPerfection]

When that's happened to me, I send a convo to the customer and refund the amount that the coupon would have provided via PayPal.

I'd rather be upfront about it than risk offending a customer or having them have to ask for the discount.