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How to Respond When Promo Codes Don't Work (Email Template)

· 6 min read

When customers can't apply promotional codes you sent them—especially time-sensitive ones—cart abandonment is imminent. This guide shows you how to troubleshoot quickly, manually apply discounts, and prevent losing sales to technical errors.

Example Customer Complaint​

Subject: Promo code SAVE20 not working at checkout

Hello, 

I'm trying to place an order but the promo code SAVE20 that I received 
in your marketing email yesterday (subject: "20% Off Sitewide - Today 
Only!") is not working.

I've tried entering it multiple times but keep getting an error: 
"This promotional code is not valid."

The email clearly says "Valid through February 28th" and today is 
February 27th, so it should work. I have a cart with $450 worth of 
items and I'm only buying because of this 20% discount.

Can you please fix this or manually apply the discount to my order? 
I'm not paying full price when you sent me a promo code that doesn't 
work.

Angela

Casee.io Analysis: Automatic Case Classification​

When you paste Angela's message into Casee.io, the AI instantly analyzes and categorizes the case:

📋 Case Summary:

  • Regarding: Promo code not working
  • Priority: High
  • Categories: Promo Code Issue, Discount Not Applying

Key Issues Identified​

Casee.io breaks down the complaint into 2 specific issues that need addressing:

Issue 1: Promo Code Shows "Invalid" Error​

Customer's concern:

"I'm trying to place an order but the promo code SAVE20 that I received in your marketing email yesterday (subject: '20% Off Sitewide - Today Only!') is not working. I've tried entering it multiple times but keep getting an error: 'This promotional code is not valid.'"

Suggested response:

I understand you're encountering an error message stating that the promo code SAVE20 is not valid. I apologize for the inconvenience this has caused. I'll look into why this code isn't being accepted for your order and ensure you receive the 20% discount as advertised. Could you please provide your order number or confirm the items in your cart so I can assist you further?

Issue 2: Request for Manual Discount Application​

Customer's concern:

"Can you please fix this or manually apply the discount to my order? I'm not paying full price when you sent me a promo code that doesn't work."

Suggested response:

I understand you'd like the discount manually applied to your order since the promo code isn't working. I can certainly help with that. Once we confirm the promo code issue, I will ensure the 20% discount is applied to your current cart total of $450 so you don't have to pay full price. We value your business and want to make sure you get the savings you were expecting.

Complete Email Response​

Casee.io also generates opening and closing paragraphs to frame your response:

Opening (AI-Generated):​

Hello Angela,

Thank you for reaching out to us. I'm so sorry to hear that the promo 
code SAVE20 you received via email isn't working at checkout. I 
understand how frustrating this must be, especially when you were 
counting on that discount. I'd be happy to help you resolve this.

Body (Combine Issue Responses):​

You can now copy and paste each suggested response, editing as needed to add specific troubleshooting findings or discount confirmation.

Closing (AI-Generated):​

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we sort this out. 
Please let us know if there's anything else we can assist you with.

Why This Approach Works​

✅ Acknowledges the broken promise - Email said code works, it doesn't

✅ Offers immediate manual solution - Doesn't make customer wait for fix

✅ Validates their timeline urgency - Code expires tomorrow, acting today

✅ Prevents cart abandonment - $450 cart at risk of being lost

✅ Takes ownership - Your code, your responsibility to honor it

Common Promo Code Error Scenarios​

Scenario A: Code case-sensitive or typo​

Add: "I see the issue—the code is case-sensitive. Please try 'SAVE20' in all caps. I've also created a custom code for you: ANGELA20 (same 20% off) that's not case-sensitive and valid for 48 hours."

Scenario B: Minimum purchase requirement not met​

Add: "I checked and SAVE20 requires a $500 minimum purchase. Your cart is $450. I'll waive the minimum requirement for you. Use code SAVE20MIN450 instead—it's activated and ready."

Scenario C: Excluded products in cart​

Add: "I see your cart includes [item] which is excluded from the promotion (final sale items). The code works on the other $380 of products. Would you like 20% off those items ($76 discount), or would you prefer a different promotion?"

Scenario D: Code already used on account​

Add: "Our system shows SAVE20 was used on your account on February 20th. The code is one-time use per customer. However, since we sent the reminder email, I've created SAVE20B for you with the same discount."

Scenario E: Technical glitch/code not activated​

Add: "I've identified the issue—the code wasn't properly activated in our system despite being sent in the email. This is our error. I'm manually applying the $90 discount (20% off $450) to your order. Please proceed to checkout."

How to Use Casee.io for Promo Code Issues​

  1. Paste the customer's message into Casee.io
  2. Review the analysis - Check code name, cart value, expiration date
  3. Copy suggested responses - Use the itemized responses for each concern
  4. Add resolution details - Code fixed, manual discount applied, alternative code created
  5. Follow up internally - Fix code issues before more customers complain

Critical Troubleshooting Steps​

Check immediately:

  1. Code status - Is it active in system? Expired? Deactivated?
  2. Cart contents - Any excluded items? Minimum not met?
  3. Account history - Already used by this customer?
  4. Technical errors - Database sync issue? Caching problem?
  5. Case sensitivity - Code requires exact formatting?

Fix options:

  • Activate code in system if not active
  • Create custom code for customer if can't fix quickly
  • Manually apply discount to their specific order
  • Extend expiration if they missed deadline due to your error

Prevent Future Promo Code Issues​

Before sending campaigns:

  • Test codes - Use test account to verify code works
  • Check activation - Confirm code is active before email sends
  • Clear requirements - State minimums, exclusions in email
  • Avoid case sensitivity - Use all caps or all lowercase consistently
  • Unique codes - Use different codes for different campaigns to track issues

In email copy:

  • Bold the code - Make it easy to copy correctly
  • Click-to-apply button - Auto-applies code at checkout
  • Spell out restrictions - "Excludes sale items, $50 minimum"
  • Clear expiration - "Valid through Feb 28, 11:59 PM EST"

On website:

  • Error messages - Be specific ("Code expired" vs "Code invalid")
  • Auto-apply from email - Clicking email link pre-fills code
  • Show discount before checkout - Let customers verify before payment

Try It Yourself​

Want to handle promo code issues faster and prevent cart abandonment? Try Casee.io free →

Paste your customer message and get instant analysis with urgency-aware, sales-saving response suggestions.