3. Make the most out of coupon codes
I could write an entire newsletter about the versatility of Ravelry coupon codes and how to use them. For now, I will just highlight a few new (and exciting) features that I am enjoying!
i. Generating coupon codes before a pattern is published
Until recently, when setting up unique, single-use coupon codes, you had to set up your offer terms when you created the promotion. So if you wanted to create a percentage discount coupon, you would need to select the eligible patterns at the time you created the promotion.
For me, the problem with this workflow was that when I wanted to set up a percentage discount coupon code for my mailing list in advance of a pattern release, my yet-unpublished-pattern wouldn't be available to select from the list, so I would have to make the coupon code valid for another pattern (or, *gasp*, all my patterns!) and then remember to go back and add the correct pattern to the promotion before activating it once the pattern was published. While this workaround wasn't *terrible*, it wasn't ideal, either.
Ravelry Pro now allows you to generate the codes without specifying the offer terms in advance. This means you can set up the rest of the promotion details (such as the start and end times and other requirements), and even generate the coupon codes themselves before the pattern is published without having to fake which patterns the promotion applies to.
ii. Creating coupon codes exclusive to Patreon subscribers
This one is a bit of niche integration, but I know at least a few of you have creator accounts on Patreon, so I thought it was worth including.
You can now create promotions that are limited to Patreon supporters. You can even specify the tier level(s) for which the promotion is valid!
As a Patreon creator, I was struggling to find a way to provide pattern rewards to my supporters in a way that was convenient for my patrons, convenient for me, and didn't require too much admin/maintenance.
First, I tried simply uploading the pattern PDF to a post on my creator page that was visible to the tier levels entitled to the reward (this is how Patreon recommends providing rewards). However, as a Ravelry user, I knew that personally, I would much prefer to have patterns delivered through Ravelry so that I could re-download them from my library whenever I liked without having to worry about saving (and keeping track of) the PDF files on my computer. I then tried just creating a regular coupon code and only sharing it on Patreon. This solved the Ravelry library issue, but I was afraid the code would get shared with non-subscribers. Next I tried generating unique coupon codes and emailing/messaging them to my supporters individually. This solved both the Ravelry library and sharing issues, but was too labour-intensive.
Now that Patreon creators can link their Patreon accounts to Ravelry, both of my problems have been solved. I can create a single coupon code, post it to Patreon (or anywhere!) and only users who support me on Patreon can use it. This is another seemingly minor improvement to Ravelry Pro that has drastically improved my workflow and saved me tons of time.
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