We thought that the discount/promotion code features in our e-commerce and point-of-sale services were quite robust, with multiple types of discount methods, effective dates, cumulative discount options, minimum purchase requirements and specific item selection.  However over the past few months, several of our winery clients have asked us for more complex promotions, what I call the Amazon, Payless Shoes and Bed Bath and Beyond promotion concepts. This morning we deployed enhancements to our promotion code functions that go there and further.

As shipping costs are a huge factor in wine direct sales, a winery can now include a percent off shipping or flat rate shipping discount with any promotion.  Now, promotions like “get 10% off our reserve wines and $5 flat rate shipping” are possible.

BOGO, or more accurately BOGOHO promotions, where you buy one and get one half off are becoming more popular. These promotions can be set as repeatable, so a customer can buy 3 and get 3 half off. We allow a winery to vary the promotion, like “buy 3 and get 30% off”.

Promotions to get a percentage off a single item are also popular, so we now allow promotions like “get 20% off one of these eligible wines”. The system finds the highest priced qualifying item and discounts that item.

By allowing a winery to specify the items that qualify for a discount separate from the items that are discountable for the promotion, a winery can setup promotions like “buy any 3 of our red wines and get 30% off of one bottle of our reserve wines” or “Buy any 3 of our red wines and get 20% off your entire order and $5 flat rate shipping”.

We’ve kept the promotion setup interface straightforward to allow wineries to easily setup simple promotions, but also provide the ability to setup more complex promotions.  As always, these promotions can be defined for use in the tasting room, for online orders, or both.