TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Introduction
- Accessing the Online Discount Vouchers Page
- Editing / Creating Online Discount Vouchers
- Extra Options
- Updating Online Templates
- Used Vouchers Report
Introduction
The Online Discount Vouchers functionality enables you to set up online discounts that are triggered by the entry of a code into the ‘Voucher Code’ box when you reach the ‘Shopping Basket’ page. This enables specific customers to be targeted by providing them with a discount code, rather than giving a discount to everyone.
Accessing the Online Discount Vouchers Page
Log onto your website ‘Admin Menu’ page as usual (enter your password and click ‘Login’)
N.B. you should already have been provided your log on page and password details by your management team. If no one has this information, then a member of your management team will need to raise a support ticket to request this information using our Support Portal here.
Click on the ‘Discount Vouchers’ button.
Editing / Creating Online Discount Vouchers
You will now see a list of all existing online discount vouchers that have been setup.
To edit an existing online discount voucher, simply click on the ‘Edit’ button.
We need to create a new online discount voucher, so click on the ‘Add New Voucher’ button.
The ‘Voucher Details’ page is now displayed and needs to be filled in to create the new online discount voucher.
Start by filling in the ‘Voucher Name’ and ‘Voucher Code’.
Please note the ‘Voucher Code’ is the actual code customers will need to enter on the website to get the discount.
There are two different discount methods that can be set up in the ‘Voucher Method’ section:
Percentage: A percentage discount given on the price, e.g. 10 % off.
Absolute Value: This is a fixed amount of money that is discounted, e.g. £5 off.
The ‘Voucher Value’ box is where to enter the % discount required, or the value of the absolute discount required (depending on the ‘Voucher Method’ selected above).
Next the duration for which the discount code will be active needs to be defined.
Do this using the calendars to set the ‘Voucher Start Date’ and ‘Voucher Expiry Date’ as required.
These determine the first and last dates (date range) on which the discount will be active.
For example, if you wanted to code to be active only this weekend, then you would set this to be active for just these 2 weekend dates. However, if you want the voucher to be active immediately you need to set 'Voucher Start Date' as today's date. Please note, sometimes you need to do this to test the voucher code works, then set it back to the required 'Voucher Start Date'. If there is no set end date to when the voucher is inactive, then set the 'Voucher End Date' to be as far into the future as required. Please also refer to the 'Extra Options' section and the other date selection parameters for these online promotions.
‘Voucher Type’ defines whether the discount is applied to specific items (known as ‘Item Reducing’) or the whole basket (known as ‘Basket Reducing’). ‘Item Reducing’ is the most commonly used, so this is the example we will follow.
If using an ‘Item Reducing’ type promotion, you need to select the ‘Bookable Resources’ which are eligible to be discounted.
Please note it is stated in the above form but it is very important to know that if nothing is selected then the voucher will automatically apply to all 'Bookable Resources' in the transaction!
If you want the discount to apply to specific items in the transaction only, then you must select these specific 'Bookable Resources' from the 'Applies To...' list. To select multiple items, hold down the Control (CTRL) key on your computer's keyboard and then click on the required resources, so they all become highlighted. Then release the Control (CTRL) key
Extra Options
There are are two additional options that can be set to give us greater control over the
promotion if necessary. To see the ‘Extra Options’ screen, tick the box where shown.
‘Voucher Valid From Date’ / ‘Voucher Valid To Date’:
This is simply where you define the "booked for" date range for which the discount will apply, which are selected using the relevant 'Voucher Valid From Date' and 'Voucher Valid To Date' calendars as required. For example, if the discount will apply to only bookings for dates in April, then the you would set the 'Voucher Valid From Date' as 01/04 and the 'Voucher Valid To Date' as 30/04 (for the required year). To do this:
First select the 'Voucher Valid From Date' to be the first booking date as required.
Then set the 'Voucher Valid To Date' to be the last booking date as required.
If the promotion is going to be valid for all booking dates and there are no booking date based restrictions, then you simply set the dates with a 'Voucher Start Date' as required (e.g. today's date) and then set the 'Voucher Start Date' to be as far into the future as you require. You can always edit these parameters if you decide to change the promotional offer at a later date.
Match to quantity of these bookable resources:
A discount can be set to trigger only the same number of times as the quantity of another resource
in the basket. For example, you want to set up the discount so that each adult purchased will enable a % discount off the equivalent number of child tickets purchased.
To achieve this you would need to select the adult resource from this dropdown by clicking on it.
Then if you e.g. selected 3 adults in the basket, only 3 child tickets would be discounted.
Once all the details have been set up as required, ensure you click ‘Save Changes’.
A message saying ‘Voucher Saved’ will then pop up, click the ‘Ok’ button on this message.
Updating Online Templates
In order to update your online pages to make the voucher codes active immediately, first the
‘Discount Vouchers’ screen needs to be closed by clicking the relevant icon at the top of the page
Next the online pages need to be updated by clicking ‘Update Templates’ as usual.
Once finished, scroll down to the bottom of the web page and click ‘Logout’ to exit your website ‘Admin Menu’ page
You should now test all the discount codes you have set up by going to the relevant online booking page and selling the required items.
On the basket page you need to enter the discount code in the relevant box and click ‘Apply’.
Check that the discount applies correctly. Repeat the process to check all discount codes you have set up work as required on all the relevant online ticketing pages.
Please Note:
If you have never used online discount codes then the code entry box may not be present. There is a website configuration option that is required to add this code entry field. If not already present please raise a support ticket with Merac support via the Support Portal here.
Used Vouchers Report
Also on your your website ‘Admin Menu’ page, you are able to generate a 'Used Vouchers' report which measures online voucher usage.
On the home screen of the ‘Admin Menu’ page access 'Reporting' (outlined in red)
In the drop down menu, click 'Used Vouchers' (highlighted in grey) and then 'Select' (outlined in red).
You can modify the date range and specify the voucher code in this section.
Once the desired specifications have been added, you can then 'Run Report' (outlined in blue) to generate the results.
