How many times, when shopping online, have you done your research on what should you buy, the best products, what to pay and where to buy from to then go online and actually purchase the item in question to discover on the checkout page you are offered a “promotional code” or “discount code” box?

Nothing annoys me more than being happy to purchase and then be confronted in the final 10 seconds of handing the money over to be faced with the fact that if I don’t take another 10 minutes to find the appropriate discount code, I will be paying too much for the product.

Personally, I find the “promotional code” or “discount code” box stops me from buying at that point in time, makes me dissatisfied with the whole experience, and creates a mistrust between me and the shop as I cannot easily find the appropriate discount code.

Some retailers, like John Lewis, do not offer discount codes and hence the “promotional code” or “discount code” boxes are not to be found on their website.

Conversly, easyJet do provide a promtional code box, but this is mainly for passengers that need to claim a credit note issued by easyJet due to past flight problems such as a delayed flight. Although, I do remember them offering a Valentines promotional code in the past. However, I find this use different to other electrical retailers just trying to segment us customers into those who fight for the last penny to the other group who may not be aware of the freely available discount codes.

What are we doing about it?  As a trial, we are including known discount codes into the price comparison of our dishwasher category. If this is successful then it will be rolled out across our other categories.

Companies that push promotional or discount codes include Comet, Currys, Dixons and Pixmania. So be warned, search for discount codes.