A practical guide to coupon codes, flash sales and gift cards for Bangladeshi online stores: when to use each, how to protect your margin, and which Multipurc plans include the Marketing plugin.
Discounts are everywhere in Bangladeshi ecommerce: 11.11, Black Friday, Eid offers, "first order 10% off". Used well, offers bring new customers and clear old stock. Used badly, they train customers never to pay full price and quietly eat your margin.
This guide explains the main offer types, how to calculate whether you can afford them, and how to set them up.
Which Multipurc plans include coupons and flash sales?
On Multipurc, coupons, flash sales, campaigns and gift cards are part of the Marketing plugin. According to the pricing page at the time of writing, the Marketing plugin is included in the Pro and Elite packages, not Starter. Plans change, so always confirm on the pricing page.
On any plan, you can create customer groups (Customers → Groups) with an optional discount percentage, for example for wholesale buyers or VIP customers.
The four main offer types
1. Coupon codes
A code customers type at checkout, such as WELCOME10.
Best for: first orders, influencer partnerships, win-back messages to old customers, and tracking which channel brought a sale (use a different code per channel).
2. Flash sales
A discount on specific products for a short, fixed time.
Best for: clearing slow stock, creating urgency during events like 11.11, and testing price sensitivity.
3. Campaigns
A themed promotion across several products, such as an "Eid Collection" or "Winter Sale".
Best for: seasonal selling where you also change banners and homepage sections.
4. Gift cards
Prepaid value a customer can buy for someone else.
Best for: Eid, weddings and birthdays, and customers who don't know what size or style to choose for a gift.
Do the margin math first
Before any offer, calculate what you actually make on one order:
Profit per order = Selling price − Product cost − Delivery cost you absorb − Payment/COD charges − Packaging − Ad cost per order
Example (illustrative numbers only):
- Selling price: ৳1,200
- Product cost: ৳650
- Packaging: ৳30
- Courier and COD charges you absorb: ৳80
- Ad cost per order: ৳150
- Profit: ৳290
A 20% discount (৳240) leaves you only ৳50, and one return wipes that out. A 10% discount (৳120) leaves ৳170, which is still healthy.
Rule of thumb: never offer a discount larger than half of your profit per order unless the goal is clearing stock you've already written off.
Setting rules that protect you
Good coupon rules:
- Minimum order value: for example, the discount only applies above ৳1,500. This raises your average order value.
- Expiry date: offers without deadlines don't create urgency.
- Usage limits: limit per customer, and in total, so a code shared in a big Facebook group doesn't run away.
- Exclude low-margin items: don't let a coupon apply to products you already sell at thin margins.
Planning a flash sale
- Choose the products. Pick items with enough stock and a healthy margin, or slow movers you want to clear.
- Check stock. Overselling during a flash sale creates angry customers. Verify counts in Reports → Inventory beforehand.
- Set a clear window. For example, 8 pm to midnight. Short windows work better than week-long "flash" sales.
- Prepare the banner. Update the homepage banner in CMS → Banners and switch it back when the sale ends.
- Tell your audience. Facebook page, WhatsApp, and SMS to past customers if you use an SMS plugin.
- Staff for it. More orders means more confirmation calls and packing. Plan who does what.
- Review after. How many orders, what margin, how many returns? Was it worth it?
Avoid fake discounts
Showing a made-up "original price" just to display a big percentage off is misleading, and Bangladeshi customers are increasingly wise to it. Use honest original prices. Real discounts build long-term trust.
Using offers for specific goals
| Goal | Offer type | Example | |---|---|---| | Get first orders from new visitors | Coupon | 10% off first order above ৳1,000 | | Clear winter stock in March | Flash sale | Selected jackets 25% off this weekend | | Increase average order value | Coupon with minimum | ৳100 off orders above ৳2,000 | | Eid gifting | Gift card | Gift cards in fixed amounts | | Reward loyal buyers | Customer group discount | VIP group 5% off |
Tracking results
- Use a unique coupon code per channel (Facebook ad, influencer, SMS) so you can see which one worked.
- Check Reports → Sales and Reports → Products after each offer.
- Compare return rates for discounted orders against normal orders.
Summary
Offers are a tool, not a strategy. Calculate your margin, set limits, use honest prices, and review the results. If you're on Starter and want coupons and flash sales, check the pricing page to compare what Pro and Elite include.