In e-commerce and online shopping a coupon code is a code, consisting of letters or numbers that consumers can enter into a promotional box on a site's
shopping cart checkout page to obtain a discount on their purchase, such as a percentage off
purchase, free shipping, or other discount. Online
merchants offer coupon codes as an incentive to shoppers to purchase from their
Web site. Many online merchants do not offer the coupon code directly on their own Web site, but instead will use well-known
affiliate programs or offer the discount codes in their e-mail
newsletter.
Also called an e-coupon or digital coupon.