Tip for the Day - Using Coupons to Maximize Online Sales

If you're running a traditional brick and mortar store, as well as an Internet store, there are some great ways to start sending more traffic to your site. Most local customers may think it's just easier to visit you, but you can introduce them to your site with a little incentive.

Start with your regular customers, and offer them a special 10% off coupon. They'll be more likely to visit your site, knowing that they'll save money. You can also offer a tiered coupon that will give them more discounts if they notify friends about your site.

Coupons work well for two main reasons. 1- you don't have to offer a huge percentage to create interest and 2 - it's a great enticement for your customers. Several online shopping carts, like Zen Cart and OS Commerce now offer the ability to automate the coupon creation process, making it really easy to start issuing coupons, either in print or online.

You can also use this feature to create repeat business with new customers, online or in your store.