11 Secret Couponing Hacks Online Stores Don’t Want You to Know

13 5 minutes read

Coupons and promo codes are great ways for stores to lure customers and increase sales. But at the same time, stores don’t want you to get too much discount. They want you to pay full price. That’s why they offer limited time discounts or better deals for in-store buyers.

Fortunately, these are sites where you can find digital coupons for online stores. Still, many online buyers miss the opportunity to save more. So here we are, with our pro tips and secret couponing hacks. We are revealing secret couponing hacks that will help you maximize savings—even when stores try to prevent it. Let’s dive in!

Table of Contents

1. Use Price-Matching with Coupons

Many major retailers offer price matching, whereas some like Macy’s match their own prices in-store and online. But surprisingly, most stores don’t tell customers that buyers can combine this with coupons. This means you can price match a competitor’s lower price and still apply a promo code on top of it.

How to use it:

· Find a lower price at a competing store.

· Contact customer service to request a price match.

· Once the price is adjusted, apply a coupon code to save even more.

This is especially effective at stores like Best Buy, Target, and Home Depot that have price-matching policies.

2. Decode Discount URL Tricks

Many online stores have hidden discount URLs that they send only to select customers. These URLs often follow a pattern, and with a little creativity, you can find them yourself.

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How to do it:

· Look for past promo links in your inbox, such as www.store.com/sale30

· Try adjusting the discount percentage (e.g., www.store.com/sale40)

· Test variations like /exclusive-offer, /vip-deal, or /special-coupon

Stores don’t publicly list these, but if you find the right one, you could score hidden discounts!

3. Use VPNs to Unlock Region-Specific Discounts

Some websites offer different prices and promo codes depending on your location. By using a VPN (Virtual Private Network), you can access these discounts easily.

How it works:

· Connect to a VPN and change your location to another country.

· Browse the store and check if the prices or discounts change.

· Apply promo codes available in that region.

Many brands offer cheaper deals in certain countries, and this trick helps you unlock those hidden savings.

4. Reverse-Search Expired Coupon Codes

Stores frequently disable old coupon codes, but sometimes they only change a small part of the code. If you find an expired coupon, you can modify it slightly to discover new working versions.

What to do:

· If a code was SAVE15, try variations like SAVE20, SAVE25, or SAVE10

· Add or remove numbers: SUMMER2024 → SUMMER2025

· Change single letters: FALLDEAL → FALLDEALS

This simple method often leads to unexpected working coupons that most people overlook!

5. Exploit Referral Loopholes

Many stores offer referral discounts where both the referrer and the new customer get a discount. For example, you can use reference code on Shein to get a discount as a buyer or an affiliate marketer.

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You can use this system for other brands as well to refer yourself and earn coupons.

How to do it:

· Use a second email address to sign up as a new customer.

· Refer your main email account and get the discount.

· Apply both your referral and welcome discount at checkout.

Retailers are tightening restrictions, but this still works on many sites, especially smaller e-commerce stores.

6. Trigger Automated Discounts

This one is obvious and has become a classic practice among extreme coupons. Online stores track abandoned carts and often send special promo codes to encourage you to complete your purchase.

How to trigger this:

· Add items to your cart and log in to your account.

· Close the website and wait 24-48 hours.

· Check your email—many retailers will send a discount code as an incentive.

Stores do this because they know abandoned carts cost them sales. Use this trick wisely!

7. Use Auto-Renewal Loopholes for Subscription Discounts

Many online services and subscriptions (like streaming, software, and meal plans) offer retention discounts when you try to cancel.

How to get it:

Step 1: Go to your account settings and initiate a cancellation request.

Step 2: If a discount offer appears, accept it and continue using the service for less.

Step 3: If no discount appears, fully cancel and wait for a follow-up email. Many brands send exclusive renewal offers within a week!

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This works well for platforms like Spotify, Audible, and even meal kit services like HelloFresh.

8. Check Hidden Coupon Code Pages

Some online brands have hidden promo pages that aren’t linked from their homepage. These pages are meant for affiliates, VIP members, or email subscribers, but they are often accessible to anyone who knows where to look.

How to find them:

· Google: “[Brand Name] exclusive discount” or “[Brand Name] coupon site”.

· Look for customer service pages that list ongoing promotions.

· Check their blog—some brands post discount codes in older articles.

9. Use Misspelled Promo Codes

When setting up promo codes, brands sometimes create backup versions in case customers enter them incorrectly. You can take advantage of this by testing misspelled versions of existing coupons.

Try these variations:

· If a code is FREESHIP, try FR33SHIP, FREESH1P, or FRSHIPPING.

· If a code is SAVE10, try SAVETEN or SAVE-10.

· Swap letters for numbers: DEALFOUR → DEAL4.

It takes a few tries, but you may discover a hidden working code!

10. Combine Cash-Back Deals with Coupons

Most shoppers use cash-back websites or coupon codes, but few know that they can be combined to double their savings. This is one of the most effective extreme couponing tips.

How to do it:

· Use a cashback site like Rakuten or TopCashback.

· Select a retailer and click through their cashback link.

· Apply coupon codes at checkout for additional discounts.

Since cashback works independently of promo codes, this lets you save in two ways at once!

Final Note

Top brands and online stores want customers to believe that discount coupons are hard to find. However, with the right strategies, you can unlock hidden savings that most shoppers miss. Referral codes, recently expired coupons, and abandoned cart discounts are some secret hacks that will help you maximize your couponing game.