How to Build a 50% Coupon That Does Not Hurt Your Margin
Half off is the strongest number you can print on a coupon, and the one that most often goes wrong. A business that hands out unlimited 50 percent coupons can lose money on every redemption. Before you open this template, decide three things: what exactly is half price, how many coupons you will give out, and when the offer ends. Once those are fixed, the coupon itself is easy.
- Choose the product or service. Apply the discount to one item, a category or a slow time of day, not the whole shop.
- Set a limit. One per customer, one per visit, or a fixed number printed.
- Set an expiry. A short window, usually two to four weeks, creates action.
What the Pink Coupon Card Looks Like
The coupon is 6 x 2.5 inches in landscape, a long and narrow format that fits a pocket or a shopping bag. On the left edge, a narrow pale blue strip carries a vertical barcode picture. In the top left, a logo placeholder sits above the words Special Offer, in large black bold type with a faint grey floral line drawing behind it. A small paragraph of placeholder text and the line Valid Until follow.
The right third is a pink panel with a dotted pattern, cut diagonally at the left edge and notched at the top and bottom like a ticket. In the middle, a white starburst seal with a thin pink outline shows 50% OFF in heavy black capitals. The type is Noto Sans and Inter.
The Placeholder Date Is Old
The sample line reads Valid Until: December 15, 2021. It is easy to forget and awkward to explain to a customer. Click it and type your real expiry date, written in full, for example “Valid until 30 November 2026.” Check the paragraph above it as well, which is Latin filler text you replace with the rule of your offer.
Wording the Offer in One Sentence
| Offer type | Sentence for the paragraph |
|---|---|
| Single item | Half price on any one dessert when you buy a main course |
| Service | Fifty percent off your first haircut with a senior stylist |
| Category | Half price on all winter coats, in store only |
| Trial | Half price on your first month of membership |
The Barcode Strip Is Decoration
The barcode on the left is a picture, not a working code. If you scan coupons at the till, replace it with a real barcode image from your system. If you do not, delete it or leave it as part of the look. Never leave a fake barcode on a coupon that a cashier will try to scan, because it will fail and cause delays.
Printing and Handing Out the Pink Version
Print on 200 to 250 gsm card stock, and cut along the edge of the barcode strip and the pink panel. At this size, three coupons fit down a letter sheet and a fourth is possible with narrow margins, so a hundred coupons need about thirty sheets. Hand them out with receipts, leave them at a counter, or insert them into packages. For tracking, add a small code in the corner so you know where each batch went.
For similar offer cards, see the weekend sale discount voucher and the food sale discount voucher. More are in coupons and discount vouchers.
