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Voucher codes

Eligibility, thresholds and the conditions behind a discount.

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Voucher codes

Why a voucher code is not working at checkout

A rejected voucher does not always mean the code has expired.

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Percentage or money off?. 20% off £60: Saving: £12, Total: £48; £10 off £60: Saving: £10, Total: £50. Example prices. Compare the final payable amount.

Voucher codes

Compare a percentage discount with money off

A percentage looks more impressive on a large order; a fixed amount can be stronger on a small one.

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A threshold can increase spending. Planned basket: £38; Extra item: + £12; Voucher saving: − £5; New total: £45. Example: the voucher saves £5, but the order costs £7 more.

Voucher codes

Work out a minimum-spend offer before adding extras

An offer that needs a larger basket is a decision about extra spending.

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Which spend counts?. Goods subtotal: £47 of eligible goods, £50 goods threshold, Not reached; Checkout total: £47 goods + £4 delivery, £51 paid before discount, May still not qualify. Example only. The offer defines the qualifying subtotal.

Voucher codes

Check whether delivery counts towards a voucher threshold

A basket can show more than the advertised minimum and still fail to qualify for a voucher.

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Voucher codes

Use a first-order discount without overlooking exclusions

A first-order discount is useful only when the shop's definition of a new customer matches your circumstances and the products you want qualify.

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An expiry date needs a time. Date: Read the day and month; Time: Check the closing hour; Zone: Confirm the time zone; Order: Apply before paying. Do not assume an offer lasts until midnight in your location.

Voucher codes

Check the expiry time on a promotional code

“Ends tonight” is less precise than a date, time and time zone.

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Two different usage limits. Single-use code: One redemption of that code, Sharing may use it up, Check whether failed orders count; One per customer: Limit follows the customer, Account rules may apply, Read household restrictions. The wording of the promotion determines the limit.

Voucher codes

Understand one-use and one-per-customer voucher limits

A code can be valid and still unavailable to you because its allowance has already been used.

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Voucher code and gift card. Voucher code: Changes an eligible price, Has offer conditions, May have no stored balance; Gift card: Pays using a stored value, Has its own redemption terms, Check expiry and exclusions. A discount and a payment method can have different rules.

Voucher codes

Find the difference between a voucher and a gift card

The word voucher can describe either a promotional reduction or money already paid into a store's system.

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Sale does not always mean eligible. Item A: Original price: £50, Sale price: £35, Code permitted by terms; Item B: Original price: £50, Sale price: £35, Sale items excluded. Hypothetical items. Check the product eligibility before payment.

Voucher codes

Check whether a code applies to sale items

Sale pricing and voucher eligibility are separate questions.

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Voucher codes

Read a brand-exclusion list before building a basket

A broad promotion can leave out the brand you wanted most.

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When discounts do not combine. Automatic offer: Basket: £80, Automatic saving: £12, Pay: £68; Manual code: Basket: £80, Code saving: £8, Pay: £72. Example: compare alternatives when only one discount is allowed.

Voucher codes

What to check when two discounts will not combine

Two discounts shown on the same website do not necessarily work together.

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Automatic and manual discounts. Automatic: Check what is already applied; Code field: Enter a valid code if allowed; Recalculate: Watch for a replaced offer; Final total: Confirm the amount due. A visible code field does not guarantee that offers will combine.

Voucher codes

Compare an automatic discount with a manual code

An automatic discount is already doing work in your basket, even if no code appears beside it.

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Voucher codes

Check app-only offers before installing another shopping app

An app-only price can be worth checking for a purchase you already intend to make.

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Voucher codes

Use a newsletter offer without losing track of the email

Newsletter discounts are easy to lose between signing up and reaching checkout.

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Voucher codes

Check whether a student offer suits your purchase

A student offer should be judged against the exact purchase, not the presence of a student badge.

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Before using a birthday offer. Eligibility: Check account requirements; Window: Find the valid date range; Basket: Read spending restrictions; Result: Confirm the saving. Birthday offers vary; a birthday alone does not establish eligibility.

Voucher codes

Look at the conditions on a birthday discount

A birthday discount can have a short redemption period and a surprisingly narrow product range.

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Match the store and the voucher. Store selected: Country storefront, Checkout currency, Delivery destination; Offer conditions: Eligible country, Required currency, Any destination exclusions. Check the entire match, not only the currency symbol.

Voucher codes

Check the country and currency attached to a voucher

A retailer can operate several country websites with similar branding and different promotions.

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A cap can limit a percentage saving. Eligible basket: £150; 20% before cap: £30; Maximum saving: £15; Actual discount: £15. Illustrative capped offer. The percentage alone is not the saving.

Voucher codes

Understand maximum savings on a percentage-off code

A percentage-off code with a maximum saving stops behaving like a percentage discount once the cap is reached.

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Multi-buy or voucher?. Three for £10: Three items needed, Total: £10, £3.33 per item, rounded; 20% off £4 each: Three items needed, Total: £9.60, £3.20 per item. Hypothetical offers. Compare the same quantity of useful items.

Voucher codes

Compare a multi-buy offer with a voucher code

A multi-buy changes the quantity you purchase as well as the price.

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Save the offer with the order. Terms: Save the complete offer; Basket: Record applied discounts; Receipt: Keep the order reference; Query: Use matching evidence. Retain the relevant details without sharing payment credentials.

Voucher codes

Keep the offer terms when placing an order

Offer pages can change after you order.

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Voucher codes

Recognise a misleading voucher-code page

A voucher page should help you establish what an offer is and whether it applies.

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The cost of reaching a free gift. Planned order: £28; Gift threshold: £40; Extra spending: £12; Useful gift value: Your own estimate. Example amounts. Count the extra spend even when the gift is free.

Voucher codes

Check a free-gift offer before increasing your spend

A free gift can be enjoyable, but its advertised value is not money taken off your bill.

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Discount only the eligible portion. Eligible goods: £40; Excluded goods: + £25; 10% of £40: − £4; Goods total: £61. Hypothetical basket; delivery and other charges are not included.

Voucher codes

Calculate a discount on just part of your basket

A code applied to selected products can produce a much smaller saving than its headline percentage suggests.

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Voucher codes

Know when to stop searching for another code

Searching for a discount has diminishing returns.

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