If a student reports that your coupon isn't applying at checkout, or you're testing it yourself and the discount isn't showing, work through this checklist.
1. Is the code typed exactly right?
Coupon codes are case-sensitive and must match exactly. Common issues: extra spaces, uppercase/lowercase mix, "0" vs "O". Ask the student to copy-paste rather than retype.
2. Has the coupon hit its Max Credits limit?
Each coupon has a Max Credits setting — the number of times it can be used in total. Once used up, the coupon is inactive. Check Products → Coupons → View Coupon Detail to see usage vs. limit. If it's at the limit, increase Max Credits or create a new coupon.
3. Is today within the Redeem Start / Redeem End window?
Coupons only work between the start and end dates you set. Check those fields in the coupon settings. Coupons with past end dates show as Inactive in your Coupons list.
4. Is the coupon linked to the product being purchased?
Coupons are tied to specific products. If a student tries to use a coupon on a product it isn't linked to, the code won't apply. Open the coupon → confirm the correct product(s) are listed under "Link the Coupon to a Specific Product."
5. Is the student trying to use it on a product type that doesn't support coupons?
Coupons don't work on:
Daypass products
Payment Plans
If a student needs a discount on these, see Adding a Coupon Manually in Stripe or consider a different product structure.
6. Using PayPal? The duration is always "forever"
PayPal doesn't allow price changes on recurring subscriptions, so coupons applied to PayPal memberships are permanent discounts — they don't expire after N months like on Stripe. If you wanted a limited-duration discount and you're on PayPal, you'll need a different approach (see Trials vs Coupons).
7. Is the coupon field auto-filling correctly?
You can generate direct purchase links that pre-fill the coupon code, so the student never has to enter it manually. See Auto-filling the Coupon Field. This eliminates typo issues.
8. Did the student already use the coupon?
If your coupon's Max Credits is 1 and the same student is trying to use it twice, it won't work the second time.
9. Free trial + coupon conflict
If the product already has a Free Trial and a customer tries to apply a coupon, the behavior can be confusing. See Trials vs Coupons for how they interact.
Still stuck? We're here to help
Click the chat icon at the bottom right of your Marvelous dashboard, or email team@heymarvelous.com. Please include:
The coupon code
The product the student was trying to buy
Your payment processor (Stripe or PayPal)
A screenshot of the error or checkout screen
We'll dig in and reply quickly.
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