Promo codes are well-loved by cost-conscious consumers and can be a powerful marketing tool in a brand’s strategy if used under the right conditions. Timing, necessity, and shipping expectations all factor into whether a purchase is actually made. Product quality and trust are also crucial in the decision making process regardless of a discount offer. We recently surveyed the Moms Meet audience in our Promotion Codes/Discounts Behavior Study to learn their attitudes towards promo codes and how they affect their shopping habits. 

Virtually all respondents (98%) shop online and, unsurprisingly, frequent big box retailers like Amazon, walmart.com, and target.com most. A smaller subset, at roughly one third, shop on general brand-specific websites. But if a mom learned about and tried a product through Moms Meet, that percentage went up substantially. Moms Meet moms are twice as likely to shop on a Moms Meet brand partner’s website than on non brand partners sites. 

Percentage of Moms Who Shop on Brand Websites

Promo codes do play a big part for many in the online buying process. Eight in 10 shoppers regularly use promotion codes or discounts to buy products online while seven out of 10 say these codes influence their decisions to make the purchase. As one mom explained, “I love a good deal and I’m more apt to buy anything with free shipping and a promo code.”

While influential, it’s not always crucial to have a discount when buying something you know you like according to our moms. So how do brands get consumers to like their products in the first place? One proven way is to introduce them through Moms Meet Sampling Programs. According to the survey, 94% of respondents who get to try a product through Moms Meet for free are more likely to buy it in the future with or without a code if their family likes it. 

Quality is also paramount as one mom shares. “Meeting the needs of my family is my priority . There are tried and true brands you just can’t substitute. The sample or discount may be what entices me to a product. But quality is what makes me a believer. Quality is what makes a product a staple in my home.”

Still, promo codes may sweeten the pot as 84% of moms do utilize discount offers from Moms Meet. This number is higher than general offer redemption at 79%, potentially because there is a level of trust built into the Moms Meet experience. Moms also look to us as a better-for-you product resource, knowing we’ve done the vetting for them. 

One mom shares, “I’m most interested in whether something is healthy for my family (and that they like it), not whether I can save money with a coupon. But coupons make me very happy with that brand, so it influences me to choose that product over another equally good one that does not offer a coupon.” Thus, discount codes can give brands a small edge if the product already delivers on benefits like preference and quality. 

52%

of moms surveyed are bothered when a website doesn’t have free shipping.

Moms are less likely to use available promo codes though for a variety of factors. If the product isn’t something they need, if there isn’t free shipping, or if the product is too expensive even with an offer code, they are less likely to buy. Free shipping is a substantial factor for many and over half of respondents are bothered when a website does not offer it.

According to one mom, free shipping and good customer service help her decide where she buys her product of choice. “Low threshold free shipping is the number one factor for me when it comes to deciding where and if to purchase. I also like it when a brand’s website sells its products for slightly less than Amazon. When it costs the same as Amazon, but Amazon offers free shipping at $25 and good customer service, I don’t often see a reason to buy from the brand website.”

Survey results show that Moms Meet is the most influential in a mom’s purchase decision, offering exposure, education, and trusted reviews from other moms. One mom noted, “Most products sampled through Moms Meet have become my family’s favorites.” Other influential factors for sale include, getting it at a discount, free shipping on online stores, recommendations from friends and family and lastly, social media.

It’s clear that moms do use promotional codes and discounts often when they are offered on products they like and need at that particular time. Free shipping has also proven to be a powerful determinant. If a brand combines a Moms Meet sampling program with promo codes and free shipping, it’s a sure way to lead to a sale.