First-order codes vs codes for returning customers: what is the difference?

Who is a promo code for? The three groups you will find in the terms

Every promo code is aimed at a group of customers. You find this in its terms, or in the name of the offer itself. There are three groups:

• First order: the store accepts it only from someone who has never ordered from it. Its purpose is to get a new customer to try the store.
• Returning customers: meant for people who already have past orders with the store, and some of these codes are not accepted on a first order.
• Everyone: works for new and returning customers alike, as long as its other conditions are met.

The group does not decide the kind of saving. A first-order code can be an instant cut or cashback depending on the store, so read both in the terms.

See also: Types of promo codes

How does a store know you are a new customer?

Stores do not usually publish the details of how they check. What follows are common signs a store may use to tell whether you have ordered before. They are general examples, not any one store's stated policy, and each store picks the ones that suit it:

• Account: whether this account has past orders. This is the simplest sign.
• Phone number: a store may link the number to older orders, even if you sign up with a new email.
• Device: a store may recognise the device or app you ordered from before.
• Card: your payment card may show that you have bought from the same store with it.
• Address: the delivery address may reveal an earlier order to the same place.

If you have ordered from the store before with another account or another number, treat yourself as a returning customer and look for a code that fits.

See also: Code not working? Reasons and fixes

Does opening a new account get you the first-order code?

Usually not. A store may look at more than one sign, so a first-order code may be refused even on a new account if the store recognises your number, card or address.

Some stores forbid it outright. Temu's terms rule out multiple accounts opened to benefit from offers, and let Temu cancel any rewards or orders linked to them. So you could lose the order itself, not just the discount.

At Namshi, a step comes before the code: you enter the code texted to your phone to confirm your number, and only after that do codes show in the order summary. So order with your real number, since you will need it on every order.

If you really are new, make the most of the store's welcome. Sephora gives a new MY SEPHORA member one welcome present when they first buy, and people subscribing to noon One for the first time get their first seven days free.

See also: Namshi: how codes are entered

How can you tell who a code is for before you copy it?

On Couponatcom, every code card carries a label that tells you who the code is for: "First order", "Returning customers" or "Everyone". We take it from the code's own terms. Read it before you copy the code, so you do not try a code you can't use.

The card also shows the end date when it is known, the "Checked on" date and the trust score. If the terms do not say whether the code is for a first order or not, the checkout will tell you.

On the page with all codes, buttons let you show first-order codes only, or codes for returning customers only. Pick what fits you, then open the store's page.

See also: All codes, filtered by who they suitHow we check codes

You have ordered from the store before: what is left for you?

Plenty. A first-order code is not the only way to a lower price. These options suit people who have ordered before:

• Codes for "Returning customers" and "Everyone": you find them on each store's page on our site.
• Rewards programmes: Sephora's MY SEPHORA gives you one point for every SAR 10 you spend, Styli lets you collect Styli Cash, and you can pay with Shukran points there.
• Subscriptions: with noon One you pay nothing for delivery on noon Express orders over SAR 50, and the ToYou subscription waives the delivery fee when you order from selected stores.
• Inviting friends: at ToYou you share your invite code with a friend, and when they order with it for the first time, you each get credit in your wallet.
• Bank card offers: Namshi sometimes posts offers for cards from Saudi banks, each with its own period and terms.
• Sale seasons: such as the 11.11 offers and the late-November sales, which are among the biggest seasons at noon, Styli and Mumzworld.

If you hold a code for everyone and a bank card offer, work out what each saves on your cart. Some stores, Nice One among them, do not combine a code with a card discount.

See also: White Friday: how to get ready

Why does the same code give new and returning customers a different value?

Some codes carry two values: one for a first order and another for returning customers. A store wants to win a new customer, so it usually gives a bigger discount on the first order. With a returning customer it settles for a discount that encourages them to come back.

So two people can copy the same code and one of them gets a bigger discount than the other. Both values are usually in the code's terms. On our code pages we list both values when we know them, along with the group the code is for.

The amount can also change for a reason other than the group. At ToYou, a code may be open to one user or one order and closed to another, and the final discount depends on the actual delivery distance.

Before you compare two codes, make sure you compare the value that applies to you, not the value written in large letters.

See also: All stores