About Discount Codes

What are discount codes?

Discount codes are small codes (normally between 3 and 10 letters long) issued by individual online shops. They normally give you a discount on your order, or a specific offer.
For example, one discount code might give you £5 off your order. Another might give free delivery, whilst yet another might give you 20% off a particular product.

Where can I use discount codes?

Each individual shop has their own discount codes. You can only use a code at that particular online shop. We have a full list of shops that currently run discount codes here: Shops with Discount Codes.

How do I use a discount code?

The important thing about discount codes is this: they are not automatically applied to your order. You need to enter them when you buy at that particular shop. Normally you add the items to the basket as normal, and then type the discount code into the "Discount Code" box at the bottom of the basket page. Some shops call them "Promotional Codes", others "Voucher Codes", or similar. There's normally an "Apply Code" button that will recalculate your basket of items, and give you the correct discount or offer.

Can I use more than one discount code at the same time?

No, not usually. Most online shops will only let you use one voucher code per order. Often you'll find that your order is eligible for more than one code - for example, £5 off a particular product and 10% off the total order. You'll need to decide which code will save you the most money and use that one. Or you might be best to split your order into two and use one code on each order.

Why do online shops have discount codes?

It sounds too good to be true, right? Why would an online shop want to give you extra money off? And if so, why don't they just reduce the prices automatically?

Like all shops, sometimes online stores have promotions to increase their sales. Sometimes they want to increase all sales (and so might offer 20% off), and sometimes they just want to sell more of a particular item.

But why not just offer the lower price to everyone? Two reasons. Firstly, the shop wants to know how their customers find the website. Advertising is expensive, so they want to know which advertising works best for them. If you enter a discount code, the shop will know where you got the code, and so will know which advert worked. Secondly, not all customers will bother to look for a discount code. This means that savvy customers like you will get stuff cheaper!