How to create and manage coupons

Creating coupons with Ticket Falcon allows you to offer flexible discounts across your entire event or specific ticket types. This comprehensive guide covers how to set up discounts, understand our new usage terminology, and troubleshoot common issues to help your event run smoothly.

1. Getting Started

To manage your promotions, navigate to Manage Coupons from your My Account dashboard.

Coupon Discount Types

Fixed Value: Deducts a specific dollar amount from the ticket price.
Percentage: Deducts a percentage of the ticket price. Setting this to 100% will make the ticket free for the attendee.

2. Understanding Usage Limits (New Terminology)

We have updated our field labels to make managing your promotions more intuitive. If you were used to our previous settings, refer to the table below to see what has changed:

New Field Label	Previous Label	What it Controls
Total Redemption Limit	Uses Per Coupon	The maximum number of times the code can be entered and processed across all customers.
Max Discounts Per Order	Uses Per Order	Limits how many individual tickets in a single checkout can receive the discount.
Max Discounted Tickets (Stock)	Uses Per Product/Ticket	The total inventory of tickets available for this discount across the entire event.
Limit Per Customer	Uses Per Account	The maximum number of times an individual buyer (by email) can use the code.

3. Detailed Usage Examples

Total Redemption Limit: If set to 50, only the first 50 completed transactions will receive the discount, regardless of how many tickets are in those orders.
Max Discounts Per Order: If set to 2, and a buyer has 10 tickets in their cart, only 2 will be discounted; the other 8 remain at full price.
Max Discounted Tickets (Stock): Ideal for "Early Bird" specials. If you only want the first 10 tickets sold to be discounted, the coupon expires once that inventory is reached, even if the "Total Redemption Limit" hasn't been met.
Limit Per Customer: If set to 1, a customer can only use the discount code once. Subsequent attempts with the same email will be rejected.

4. Advanced Scheduling

Automate your promotions by checking "Set Specific Start/End Dates/Times":

Start Date: The coupon will not be valid until this time.
End Date: The coupon will automatically expire at this time.
Note: All times are displayed in Central Time (CT).

5. Troubleshooting: Why isn't my coupon working?

If a ticket buyer reports that a coupon is not applying, check these common scenarios in your Manage Coupons dashboard:

A. Inventory vs. Usage Limits

The "Stock Cap" is reached: Even if the Total Redemption Limit is set to "Unlimited," the coupon will stop working if the Max Discounted Tickets (Stock) has been met. Check the "Usage / Stock Cap" column in your dashboard.
The "Total Limit" is reached: If the Total Redemption Limit (previously "Uses Per Coupon") is met, no further orders can be placed, even if there is still "Stock" available.

B. Customer Limits

The buyer has already used the code: If Limit Per Customer is set to 1, a buyer cannot use the code a second time with the same email address.
Max Discounts Per Order exceeded: If a buyer tries to apply a discount to 5 tickets, but your Max Discounts Per Order is set to 2, the system will only discount the first 2 tickets.

C. Scheduling and Timing

The coupon hasn't started yet: If a buyer tries to use the code before the Start Date/Time, it will be rejected.
The coupon has expired: Coupons automatically become void at the End Date/Time (Central Time).

D. Applicable Tickets

Wrong Ticket Type: Ensure the coupon is assigned to the specific ticket the buyer is purchasing. Verify this in the Applicable Tickets column.
Ticket Exclusions: If you selected "Specific Tickets" during setup, the coupon only works for those exact items.

E. Formatting Issues

Spaces and Spelling: Ensure the buyer isn't adding a space before or after the code.
Case Sensitivity: Ticket Falcon codes are not case-sensitive (e.g., "SAVE10" and "save10" are the same).

6. What Your Buyers See (Error Messages)

Buyer-Facing Message	Internal Reason (Organizer View)
"This discount has reached its maximum ticket limit."	Max Discounted Tickets (Stock) cap reached.
"This coupon code is no longer valid."	Total Redemption Limit has been reached.
"You have already used this discount code."	Limit Per Customer reached for that email.
"The discount was applied to the maximum number allowed per order."	Max Discounts Per Order limit reached.
"This coupon code has expired or is not yet active."	Start Date not arrived or End Date passed.

7. Pro Tips

Leaving Limits Blank: If left blank, these fields default to Unlimited.
Virtual Coupons: For high volumes of unique, one-time-use codes, use the Virtual Coupons feature to generate and download a CSV.

Would you like me to help you create a condensed "Quick Start Guide" version of this article for your new event organizers?