Wildberries is testing promo codes from sellers: discount by code, up to 10 active promotions and reusable

A new promotion tool has appeared on the site — promo codes from sellers, which give the buyer an additional discount directly from the store. The functionality is currently available to a test group of sellers from Russia, but an extension to all partners has been announced. The seller can set the expiration date, discount percentage and choose which products or assortment the promotion applies to.

The key value of the tool is in control. If classic discounts are often tied to the internal mechanics of the showcase, then the promo code allows the seller to manage the buyer's "entry point": give a discount to those who came from an external channel (social networks, blogger, customer base), or carefully stimulate repeat purchases without spreading the discount across the entire audience.

How does this work for the buyer and where can the seller post the code?

The mechanics are simple: the buyer adds the product to the cart, enters the code in a special field and receives a discounted price. At the same time, the seller can distribute the code both inside the site (for example, through media campaigns) and outside it — that is, in fact, turn the promo code into a universal tool for performance marketing and CRM.

Key quote (no translation required, source code in Russian):

" You can generate a promo code automatically or enter your own manually. The seller will be able to place the promo code wherever the buyer sees it — both inside the marketplace in WB Media campaigns and outside it — in any channels of interaction with customers. The buyer who noticed the promo code will only need to add the product to the shopping cart on the site, enter the code in a special field and purchase the product at a reduced price," said Ivan Osipov, head of commercial projects at RVB.

Important parameters that change the promotion economy

• The promo code is reusable: you can use it an unlimited number of times before the end of the promotion.
• Up to 10 active promotions with promo codes for one seller at a time.

And this is where the application part for the seller begins. Reusable means that it is convenient to distribute the code to a wide audience, but "leaks" are inevitable: if the promo code goes to discount aggregators or chat rooms, it may start to "eat up" margins not where you planned. Therefore, the tool requires discipline — either do it in a short time, or use codes for a specific product/selection, or combine them with channel restrictions (through your own mailing lists and closed communities).

Expert review: how to use promo codes without falling margins

1. The code for external advertising. The most understandable scenario is a promo code as a "tag" for evaluating the payback of external traffic. You can immediately see how many orders came from a particular placement and what discount was the price of attraction.
2. The code for repeat purchases. For products with a consumption cycle (cosmetics, household chemicals, consumables), promo codes can be a soft alternative to constant sales: the discount is given only to those to whom you have shown it.
3. The code for unloading the warehouse. If you need to quickly reset the balances for specific SKUs, a promo code is more convenient than a mass discount: you do not change the "base" price on the showcase for everyone, but manage the sale on a point-by-point basis.

What does this mean for foreign economic activity and supplies

For sellers who are focused on imports, the tool is important because it helps to manage turnover more flexibly with the volatility of purchase costs and logistics. When the exchange rate, freight, or delivery dates are running out, promo codes make it possible to accelerate sales at the right positions and release working capital faster — without waiting a long time for the next campaigns and without destroying price positioning.