Coupon Link in SMS
The Coupon Link variable lets you insert a personalized barcode link directly into an SMS message. When a customer taps the link, a mobile-optimized page opens showing the voucher barcode, coupon name, description, expiry date, and company name — ready to be scanned at the checkout counter. No loyalty app is required.
Use Cases
| Use Case |
|---|
| → Send a "€5 off your next purchase" coupon via SMS; customer taps the link at checkout and the cashier scans the barcode directly from the phone screen. |
| → Remind customers about an expiring coupon via SMS without requiring them to open or install the app. |
| → Target customers who have no app install but have given SMS consent, giving them the same in-store redemption experience as app users. |
How It Works
- A campaign is created with a coupon or discount promotion and the SMS channel selected.
- The operator inserts
{couponLink}into the SMS template using the Add variable → Coupon link selector. - At send time, the platform generates one unique opaque short URL per recipient and substitutes
{couponLink}before delivery. No two customers receive the same URL. - When the customer taps the link, a mobile page renders the voucher barcode (EAN-13 or Code128, per company configuration), coupon name, description, expiry date, and company name.
- The page adapts its content based on the current coupon state (see Landing page states below).
- The link remains active until the coupon expires.
The character counter in the SMS editor updates in real time. When {couponLink} is present, the counter reflects the actual URL length (≤ 30 characters), not the 13-character placeholder. Keep the total within 160 characters to avoid splitting the message into multiple parts.
Prerequisites
- SMS channel enabled for the company instance.
- Campaign type: Targeted Delivery or Plans with SMS channel selected.
- Promotion type: coupon or discount assigned to the campaign.
- Barcode format (EAN-13 or Code128) configured at company level. Contact Support if this is not set up.
How to Add the Coupon Link to an SMS Template
- Open or create the SMS template — either from Campaign Personalization → Channels → Content Designer or from the channel step inside a Targeted Delivery or Plans campaign.
- Place the cursor in the Message field at the position where the link should appear.
- Click Add variable to open the Select Variable modal.
- Select Coupon link. The placeholder
{couponLink}is inserted at the cursor position. - Check the character counter. Ensure the total message length (copy + URL) stays within 160 characters.
- Save the template and link it to the campaign.
Only one {couponLink} is supported per SMS message. Including it more than once is not a valid configuration.
Landing Page States
The landing page adapts its content to the current state of the coupon at the moment the customer taps the link.
| State | What the customer sees |
|---|---|
| Valid | Voucher barcode, coupon name, description, expiry date, and company name |
| Already redeemed | Informative message: coupon has been used |
| Expired | Informative message with expiry date |
| Invalid token | Generic error message |
Configuration Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Barcode format | EAN-13 or Code128; configured at company level and applies to all campaigns for that company |
| URL length | Platform-enforced maximum of ≤ 30 characters |
| Link lifetime | Active until the coupon's expiry date |
Limitations
{couponLink}is only available in SMS templates for campaigns with a coupon or discount promotion. Campaigns with no promotion do not generate a valid link.- Only one
{couponLink}variable is supported per SMS message. - The landing page does not require the loyalty app — it works in any mobile browser.
- Generated URLs use the platform-owned domain. No third-party URL shorteners are used.
- No click analytics (tap-through rate, link open rate) are tracked in this version.
- No retailer branding (logo, custom colors) is shown on the landing page in this version.
- Apple Wallet / Google Wallet pass generation is not supported in this version.
- The barcode format is set at company level and cannot be configured per campaign.
FAQs
Can I use {couponLink} in email campaigns?
No. Email campaigns use a barcode or QR element embedded directly in the template. {couponLink} is only available for SMS.
Does the customer need the loyalty app to open the link? No. The landing page opens in any mobile browser. No app is required.
What if a customer shares the SMS link with someone else? The link is unique per recipient-coupon pair. Another person can open the same link before redemption and see the barcode. However, the coupon itself can only be redeemed once in-store. After redemption, the page shows the already-redeemed state.
How long does the link stay active? Until the coupon expires. After the expiry date, the landing page shows an expiry message instead of the barcode.
Why does the character counter change when I insert {couponLink}?
The counter reflects the actual URL length (≤ 30 characters), not the length of the {couponLink} placeholder text. This gives an accurate count of the final SMS length before send.
The "Coupon link" option is not visible in the Select Variable modal. Verify three conditions: (1) the campaign type is Targeted Delivery or Plans, (2) the promotion is a coupon or discount, and (3) the channel is SMS. All three must be set for the variable to appear.