With unexpected costs like shipping, taxes, and fees driving 39 percent of that abandonment, many shoppers are looking for a deal that could push them over the finish line.

This is where coupon and deal publishers come in. These sites have built massive audiences of deal-motivated shoppers actively looking for savings. When a consumer searches for your brand plus “promo code” or “coupon,” they’re signaling high purchase intent. 

Despite the demand, many brands remain hesitant to partner with coupon publishers. But the reality is that 96 percent of shoppers look for coupons before making an online purchase. Black Friday research by impact.com also shows that 43 percent will definitely use a code if they come across one easily. 

Consumers will search for deals. The only question is whether they’ll find your brand or your competitors when they do. 

Source: 2025 Black Friday consumer report: How brands can prepare for Holiday shopping 

Dispelling the myths: What brands get wrong about coupon partners

Skepticism about coupon partnerships often stems from a few persistent misconceptions. Let’s examine the most common objections—and how reality shapes up in comparison.

Myth 1: “They just poach sales we would’ve gotten anyway” 

The moment a shopper sees an empty promo code box, your brand has already triggered their deal-seeking instincts. You’ve invited them to go looking for a discount.

“I think consumers are pretty savvy. So if you do have a coupon box at checkout, they’re obviously going to know that you have coupons, so they’re going to go looking for them,” says Tiara Rea-Palmer, Director of Partnerships at CouponFollow.  

Increasing customer loyalty through coupon power

Go behind the scenes with Tiara Rea-Palmer to explore how coupon and cashback platforms are perceived in the realm of partnerships and the concept of attribution.

Listen to the podcast

Coupon publishers capture those shoppers’ buying intent and guide them back to complete the purchase. 

“Coupon and deal guys are closers,” says Vern Rodriguez, Senior Director of Customer Success at impact.com.

Without that intervention, many of these shoppers would abandon their carts entirely. These sites aren’t poaching sales—they’re completing sales that would otherwise be lost, converting browsing into buying.

Myth 2: “They attract low-value, discount-obsessed customers” 

The assumption that coupon users are primarily low-income shoppers who only buy at a discount doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.

According to CouponFollow, 86 percent of households making over $200,000 a year had used a coupon in the last 12 months. “It’s not just people who can’t afford the thing you’re offering,” says Rea-Palmer. “It’s literally everybody. Even if you’re making a million dollars, you’re still going to look for a coupon.” 

Promo codes and discounts are effective both in customer acquisition and retention. 73 percent of customers say that discounts make them more loyal customers, while 66 percent say they discover new brands through promo codes. Once they experience great products, many become repeat customers who purchase without a discount.

Myth 3: “We can’t control what they promote” 

Brands that avoid coupon publishers often worry about rogue promotions or inaccurate information appearing on deal sites. However, when you work proactively with coupon publishers, you gain substantial influence on what promotional content looks like. Direct relationships mean you can provide accurate deal information, set clear guidelines, and address issues quickly if they arise. 

Joanie Demer, co-founder of Krazy Coupon Lady, told impact.com about a scenario where a manufacturer contacted her site after unexpected sellouts from coupon promotions. They initially budgeted for 85,000 coupon redemptions, but when Krazy Coupon Lazy featured the deal, they received 400,000 redemptions. “And now you’ve blown your budget for the year,” she recalls. 

The deal with coupons with Joanie Demer

Discover how The Krazy Coupon Lady drives significant sales for brands and retailers.

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But rather than severing the relationships, these manufacturers saw an opportunity, asking Demer to help them plan ahead in the future so they wouldn’t sell out of product. 

The key here is that shift from reactive to proactive. Publishers want to promote accurate information because their audience trusts them. Brands want to convert deal-seekers into customers. When brands provide the most up-to-date, accurate information, publishers have every incentive to help them sell as much as possible without leaving shelves empty. 

Myth 4: “We don’t have budget for more promotions” 

This objection conflates two different things: the cost of the discount itself and the cost of the partnership. Coupon partnerships typically operate on a performance-based model where you pay commissions only when a sale occurs, making testing new publishers a relatively low-risk proposition for a promotion that funds itself.

You’re not necessarily losing any more profit margin than you wouldn’t have given anyway. If shoppers are already searching for your promo codes, they’ll find those deals through other channels. Working with coupon publishers gives you more control over what offers are available and ensures that when shoppers find a deal, it comes through a tracked, measurable partnership. 

How to successfully collaborate with coupon or deal websites

Coupon partnerships are valuable, but executing them well requires intentionality. Here’s how to build a coupon partnership program that drives results. 

1. Find the right partners

Your customers are already searching for your coupons right now. Want to see which publishers they’re finding? Open an incognito window and search for your brand name plus “promo code” or “coupon.” Those results are exactly what your shoppers see when they hit your checkout page and go looking for a deal.

Don’t just chase the biggest names. A publisher with 10 million monthly visit