The discount ladder: start at 10%, cap at 20%

The short version

Lead with a question, not a discount. If price is what stopped them, offer a small single-use code first. Go up to your cap once, and only if they still hesitate. Never go past the cap, and never offer a code nobody asked for.

Why a ladder and not one big code

A big code in the first reply teaches customers to wait for the next big code. It also gives away margin to people who would have bought at a small one.

Most people who hesitate over price only need a nudge. A ladder lets you find the smallest nudge that works, one step at a time, inside limits you choose.

How it works in a conversation

The assistant asks what stopped them. If the answer is shipping, sizing or “is it strong?”, it answers from your store data and no code is needed at all.

If the answer is price, it offers your first step:

hey Vivian, it’s Mia, Venom Scents’ text assistant. anything i can help with on your cart?
just the price tbh
fair. want a personal code?
yes pls
VIVIAN10 is 10% off for 24h: venomscents.com/c/VIVIAN10

If she still hesitates, the assistant can go to your cap, once:

still a lot for 3 i haven’t smelled
i can do 20%, that’s my max: venomscents.com/c/VIVIAN20X

That is the whole ladder. There is no third step, and the assistant says plainly that the cap is the cap.

Find the smallest nudge that works. The cap is there for the few who still need more.

The rules behind it

Your numbers, not ours. You set the first step and the cap per store. The defaults are 10% and 20%, and you can change both any time in Settings.
Single use, short life. Every code is made for one customer and expires, so it can’t end up on a coupon site.
Earned, not pushed. Codes only come after the customer replies and only when price is the reason. The first message never has a code or a link.
One step at a time. The assistant waits for an answer before it moves up the ladder.

Picking your steps

Start with the defaults for the first couple of weeks, then read the conversations. If most price objections close at the first step, leave it. If your margins are thin, lower the cap. If you sell high-ticket items, a smaller first step often works just as well.

You will see every code that was sent, which step it was, and whether it was used, right next to the conversation that sent it.