What Is the Sales by Discount Code Report?
The Shopify Sales by Discount Code Report groups sales results by discount code, showing how much sales activity is associated with each promotion. Rather than checking codes individually, merchants can compare them in one report for a selected period.
It includes gross sales, discount amounts, returns, net sales, and total sales alongside each code. These values make it easier to review revenue outcomes after reductions and returns, without treating discount-code sales as a measure of profit or proof that a promotion caused an order.
Report Overview
- Report period
- Choose the date range to review.
- Included fields
- Discount Code, Gross Sales, Discount, Returns, Net Sales, and Total Sales.
- Best for
- Comparing codes, checking discount impact, and reviewing returns alongside sales.
- Export options
- Excel, CSV, TXT, or PDF, depending on report settings.
- Delivery
- Save the premade report and schedule email delivery daily, weekly, or monthly.
What Can You Learn from Discount Code Sales?
1. Which codes are linked to the highest sales
Compare Total Sales across codes to identify the largest recorded sales totals in your selected period.
Example: Code SPRING10 has higher Total Sales than WELCOME5 in the same month.
Review the stronger code before deciding which promotions to repeat.
2. How discounts change the sales picture
Read Gross Sales and Discount together to see the size of reductions attached to each code. High gross sales may come with substantial discounting.
Example: Two codes show similar Gross Sales, but one has a larger Discount amount.
Compare the reductions before judging code performance.
3. Whether returns weaken a code’s results
Use Returns alongside Net Sales to see where returned sales reduce the recorded outcome.
Example: A code has strong Gross Sales but noticeably lower Net Sales after returns.
Review the affected promotion and investigate return reasons in a separate report.
4. How code results change between periods
Run the report for comparable date ranges to see whether a code’s sales contribution rises or falls.
Example: A seasonal code shows less Total Sales this week than last week.
Check timing and campaign context before changing the offer.
What Should You Check First in This Report?
Start with the figures that distinguish a high-activity discount code from one that produces a stronger recorded sales result.
- Total Sales by code: Sort to identify the largest recorded totals.
- Discount relative to Gross Sales: Look for codes with substantial reductions.
- Returns: Check whether returned sales materially affect a code’s result.
- Net Sales: Compare the sales outcome after the reported reductions and returns.
When Should You Use This Report?
| When to Use It | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Reviewing sales from active or past discount codes | Compares reported sales from active or past codes. |
| Summarizing discount code results after a campaign | Reviews discount reductions and sales outcomes by code. |
| Comparing seasonal offer performance | Checks which seasonal codes have recorded stronger sales. |
| Investigating returns associated with discount codes | Spots codes whose sales outcomes are affected by returns. |
| Preparing a monthly discount code sales export | Exports code-level sales figures for review, without replacing accounting reconciliation. |
How to Create This Report in Data Export
Use the premade Sales by Discount Code report to start with the six relevant fields already selected.
- Open Data Export and find the premade Sales by Discount Code report.
- Open the report and review the Discount Code, Gross Sales, Discount, Returns, Net Sales, and Total Sales columns.
- Choose your reporting period; apply available filters or sort by Total Sales to focus the view.
- Select Save to keep the report for future use.
- If useful, configure scheduled delivery to your email or team recipients on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Make the Most of This Report
A few small choices make discount code comparisons more useful.
01 / PERIODS
Use equivalent date ranges: Compare similar campaign durations to avoid misleading totals.
02 / COMPARISON
Read discounts with sales: A code with the most gross sales may also carry the largest reductions.
03 / RETURNS
Check returns separately: A large return value is a signal to investigate, not a complete explanation of customer behavior.
04 / SHARING
Share only what is needed: Schedule the report with relevant team recipients and review export permissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Sales by Discount Code Report show?
It displays Discount Code, Gross Sales, Discount, Returns, Net Sales, and Total Sales so you can compare recorded sales outcomes by code.
Can I compare two discount codes?
Yes. Review their rows in the same reporting period and compare Total Sales, Discount, Returns, and Net Sales.
Does a high Total Sales value mean a code is profitable?
No. This report does not contain product costs, advertising costs, or margin fields, so it does not calculate profitability.
Can I export the report for further review?
Yes. The supplied report guidance lists Excel, CSV, TXT, and PDF exports. Availability may depend on the selected report settings.
Can Data Export send the report automatically?
Yes. Save the premade report and configure a daily, weekly, or monthly email schedule for the intended recipients.
