Improving coupon usage

The coupon feature was launched in December 2022, but it had never been updated. It was used very little and was not visible for most users. In mid-2025, I became responsible for this topic and started a project to make the experience easier, increase coupon usage, and show that our marketplace offers good and competitive prices, especially when compared to offline stores.

As the Product Designer, I led the analysis, research, solution ideas, and planning. I worked closely with the Product and Engineering teams to organize improvements in three clear steps.

Data-driven diagnosis

What the data showed:

Low usage: Only 1% of total sales included coupons.
One seller using it well: Most coupon sales were from the same industry, who used the feature in a strategic way.
Many errors: almost 40% of users who clicked “Apply Coupon” received an error.

What we saw as opportunities:

Reduce errors and confusion in the coupon flow.
Make it easier to find and use coupons.
Create offers that are more personal and relevant to each user.

Heuristic Evaluation

After looking at the data (low usage, many errors, poor visibility), I started the qualitative phase with a heuristic evaluation of the coupon experience.

Using Nielsen’s principles, I reviewed the full journey — from discovery to applying the coupon — and focused on key points like visibility, error handling, and clarity of rules.

This quick review helped me find early usability problems and create hypotheses to explore later in user interviews, especially around coupon discovery, understanding, and trust.

User interview

Together with my Product Manager, I conducted a moderated remote interview with five users to better understand how they use discount coupons.

What we explored:

Do users know coupons exist?
Is it easy to find and use a coupon?
Are the coupon rules clear?
Do users feel they are getting good value?

What we learned:

Many users didn’t know coupons were available.
The rules were confusing (for example, “Which products are included?”).
Error messages were unclear or missing.
When a coupon worked, users felt happy and were more likely to buy again.

Problems and solutions

Users don’t know where to find available coupons

Add a fixed top bar with strategic discount coupons across multiple pages, with option to copy code

Coupons are scattered and not centralized

Create a dedicated section that gathers all available coupons, accessible from the header

High friction at checkout: users can’t easily find or apply coupons

At checkout, show available coupons near the “Apply coupon” button

Coupon rules are unclear, leading to errors and frustration

Clearly display coupon eligibility rules with direct and simple explanations

Users don’t notice when their order has an applicable discount

Highlight orders with applicable coupons using tags

Lack of incentive for repeat purchases

Present a new coupon right after purchase to encourage another order soon

Coupons are forgotten after the first use

Show active coupons in the “My Orders” page to stimulate another purchase

Users abandon checkout without realizing they are close to a discount

Remind users in the cart how much more they need to spend to unlock a coupon

Coupons feel generic and irrelevant

Personalize coupons based on purchase history and customer segments

Rollout Plan

As mentioned in the topic above, many ideas came up to solve the problems we found in the coupon experience. But we needed to start somewhere.

To make real progress, I organized the solutions into phases, based on what made sense for both the user experience and the business strategy.

We began with the basics:

Phase 1 - Improving usability and communication.

Phase 2 - Increasing coupon usage.
Phase 3 - Finally, we planned to bring personalized offers based on each customer’s purchase behavior.

We also prioritized ideas that could solve more than one user pain point at the same time, helping us deliver impact faster and more efficiently.

Early results

Here are the key results following the implementation of the first phase, along with the next steps:

Increase in coupon visibility across key pages (homepage, product page, checkout).
Reduction in user errors when applying coupons, thanks to clearer rules.
Initial uplift in coupon adoption rate after launch of the “Available Coupons” section.
Positive feedback from commercial team about improved flexibility to promote targeted offers.

Next steps

Conduct A/B tests to validate the impact of personalized coupons on conversion rate.
Iterate on coupon placement and copy based on heatmap and usability test insights.
Explore integration of “progressive discounts” (gamified mechanics) to boost engagement.
Monitor long-term adoption and its effect on customer retention and lifetime value.

Selected Works

Digitizing a retail promotion mechanic

Adapting a physical promotion for the digital world — with clarity, guidance, and results.

Redesigning the promotions page

(under construction)