POS Discounts, Promotions & Loyalty in Odoo 18

Running a retail store means constantly finding ways to bring customers back and encourage bigger purchases. The challenge? Managing multiple discount programs, tracking loyalty points, and handling promotional campaigns across different sales channels can quickly become a logistical nightmare. A coffee shop owner recently shared how she was losing track of which customers had loyalty cards, which coupons were still valid, and why her promotional discounts sometimes applied twice on the same order.

Odoo 18 Point of Sale transforms this chaos into a streamlined system where discounts, promotions, and loyalty programs work together seamlessly. Whether you're running a retail store, restaurant, or service-based business, the integrated promotional engine handles everything from simple percentage discounts to sophisticated "Buy 2 Get 1 Free" offers and multi-tier loyalty rewards. This comprehensive approach means your cashiers spend less time figuring out which discount applies and more time serving customers.

Enabling Discount and Loyalty Features

Before creating any promotional programs, you need to activate the discount and loyalty functionality within your POS settings. This single configuration step unlocks the entire promotional toolkit.

Once enabled, a new menu option appears under Products → Discount & Loyalty. This becomes your central hub for creating and managing all promotional programs.

Understanding Program Types

Odoo 18 POS offers six distinct program types, each designed for specific promotional scenarios. Choosing the right type determines how discounts are applied and when customers can redeem rewards.

Creating Coupon Programs

Coupons provide personalized discounts through unique codes assigned to specific customers or campaigns. Think of them as digital vouchers that offer percentage discounts, fixed monetary deductions, or complimentary shipping.

Setting Up a Coupon Campaign

For this example, we'll create a "SUMMER15" coupon offering 15% discount for purchases over $75 during the summer season.

1. Navigate to Discount & Loyalty:
   • Go to: Products → Discount & Loyalty
   • Click New to create a program
2. Configure Program Details:
   • Program Name: Summer Sale 15% Off Coupon
   • Program Type: Select Coupon from dropdown
   • Currency: Choose appropriate currency (USD, EUR, etc.)
   • Start Date: Set campaign start (e.g., June 1, 2026)
   • End Date: Set campaign end (e.g., August 31, 2026)
3. Set Availability:
   • Available On: Check Point of Sale
   • Point of Sale: Select specific POS shops or leave empty for all
   • Website: Optionally enable for online store
4. Configure Usage Limits:
   • Limit Usage: Set maximum redemptions per customer
   • This prevents customers from reusing the same coupon multiple times

Adding Conditional Rules

Rules determine when the coupon can be applied. Click the Rules & Rewards tab to configure conditions.

Configuring Rewards

Under the same Rules & Rewards tab, configure what discount customers receive:

Generating and Managing Coupons

After configuring rules and rewards, generate the actual coupon codes:

1. Click Generate Coupons button at the top of the form
2. Select Customer Type:
   • Anonymous Customers: Codes usable by anyone
   • Selected Customers: Assigned to specific customers
3. Enter Quantity: Number of coupons to generate
4. Set Validity Until: Expiration date
5. Click Generate Coupons

Generated coupons appear in the Coupons smart button on the program form, showing code, remaining balance, expiration, and assigned customer.

Distributing Coupons

Setting Up Discount Codes

Unlike coupons that generate unique codes per customer, discount codes use a single shared code for mass campaigns. They're ideal for social media promotions, email marketing blasts, or printed flyers.

Creating a Welcome Discount Code

1. Create New Program:
   • Navigate to Products → Discount & Loyalty → New
   • Program Name: New Customer Welcome Offer
   • Program Type: Select Discount Code
2. Configure Program:
   • Set currency, start date, and end date
   • Limit Usage: Define maximum total redemptions
   • Assign to correct company and POS locations
3. Set Rule:
   • Click Add under Conditional Rules
   • Minimum Purchase: $50.00
   • Save the condition
4. Configure Reward:
   • Reward Type: Discount
   • Discount Value: $10.00 (fixed amount)
   • Apply On: Order
   • Description: "Welcome $10 Off"

Applying Discount Codes in POS

When a customer presents a discount code at checkout:

1. Cashier clicks Enter Code button in POS interface
2. Types the discount code (e.g., WELCOME25)
3. Confirms entry
4. System validates code against rules
5. If valid, discount applies automatically to the order

The discount appears as a line item on the order, providing transparency for both customer and cashier. Our team at Odoo implementation services frequently helps businesses configure these discount workflows for optimal customer experience.

Configuring Automatic Promotions

Promotions differ from coupons and discount codes because they apply automatically when conditions are met. Customers don't need to enter any code—the system handles everything.

Real-World Example: Spend $100, Get 10% Off

1. Create new program with Program Type: Promotions
2. Configure basic details (name, dates, availability)
3. Add Conditional Rule:
   • Minimum Quantity: 1 (at least one item)
   • Minimum Purchase: $100.00 (including tax)
4. Add Reward:
   • Reward Type: Discount
   • Discount: 10%
   • Apply On: Order
5. Save the promotion

Applying Promotions in POS

When customers add qualifying products to their cart:

1. Select products meeting promotion criteria
2. Click the Action button in POS
3. A popup shows available promotions
4. Click the Reward button
5. Select the applicable promotion
6. Discount reflects immediately on the order total

Buy X Get Y Programs

"Buy X Get Y" promotions encourage customers to purchase more by offering free or discounted items. This is excellent for moving inventory while increasing average order value.

Example: Buy 2 Shirts, Get 1 Accessory Free

1. Create program with Program Type: Buy X Get Y
2. Configure conditional rule:
   • Minimum Quantity: 2
   • Product Filter: Category = "Shirts"
   • Points granted: 1 credit per 2 units purchased
3. Configure reward:
   • Reward Type: Free Product (auto-selected)
   • Free Product: Select accessory item
   • Quantity: 1
   • Points Required: 1 credit

When customers add qualifying products in POS, a popup displays available Buy X Get Y programs. Selecting the promotion adds the free item automatically.

Loyalty Card Programs

Loyalty programs reward repeat customers by accumulating points with each purchase. These points can be redeemed for discounts, free products, or other rewards on current or future orders.

Setting Up a Points-Based Loyalty Program

1. Create program with Program Type: Loyalty Cards
2. Configure earning rule:
   • Minimum Quantity: 1 item
   • Points Granted: 10 points per $1 spent
   • Optionally limit to specific products or categories
3. Configure redemption reward:
   • Reward Type: Free Product or Discount
   • Points Required: 500 points (example)
   • If Free Product: Select the reward item

For businesses looking to integrate loyalty programs with inventory management, our inventory management system solutions ensure seamless stock tracking for reward products.

Next Order Coupons

Next Order Coupons encourage return visits by providing discounts that can only be redeemed on future purchases. The customer makes a qualifying purchase today and receives a coupon for their next visit.

Example: Spend $100 Today, Get 15% Off Next Purchase

1. Create program with Program Type: Next Order Coupon
2. Configure qualifying condition:
   • Minimum Quantity: 1 item
   • Minimum Purchase: $100.00
3. Configure next-order reward:
   • Reward Type: Discount
   • Discount: 15%
   • Apply On: Specific products (optional) or entire order

After completing the qualifying purchase, the system generates a coupon code that the customer can use on their subsequent order. This creates a compelling reason to return.

Best Practices for Promotional Programs

Effective promotional management directly impacts customer retention and revenue. For comprehensive Odoo consulting services, our team can help design promotional strategies tailored to your business model.

Tracking Promotional Performance

Measuring the effectiveness of your promotional programs helps optimize future campaigns. Key metrics to monitor include:

• Redemption Rate: Percentage of generated coupons actually used
• Average Order Value with Promotion: Compare to orders without promotions
• Customer Return Rate: Especially important for Next Order Coupons
• Margin Impact: Total discount given versus revenue generated
• Program Participation: Which promotions drive the most engagement

The Coupons smart button on each program shows usage statistics, while accounting reports reveal the financial impact of your promotional activities.

Summary

Odoo 18 Point of Sale provides a comprehensive toolkit for managing discounts, promotions, and loyalty programs. From simple coupon codes to sophisticated Buy X Get Y offers, the system handles complex promotional logic while keeping the checkout experience smooth for both staff and customers. The key is choosing the right program type for each scenario: coupons for targeted campaigns, discount codes for mass marketing, promotions for automatic application, and loyalty cards for building long-term customer relationships.