Coupons and deals are Amazon's main seller-funded promotion types. A coupon shows as a green badge on the search tile and product page that the shopper clips for a percentage or fixed amount off; the seller pays the discount plus a per-redemption fee. Deals are time-limited: Lightning Deals run for a few hours on the Deals page, 7-Day Deals and Best Deals run for a longer window, and Prime Exclusive Discounts show a strikethrough price to Prime members. Deals carry a fee, need a minimum discount off the recent price, and require the ASIN to meet rating, price-history and stock conditions.
Why it matters
Promotions move two numbers at once. The badge raises click-through rate on the search page, because a tile with a coupon or deal label stands out from its neighbors, and the lower price raises conversion on the page. That combination makes them the fastest lever for a sales push, a launch or clearing excess stock, and the one Amazon's algorithm responds to quickly because it reads the extra sales velocity.
They are also easy to lose money on. The fee, the discount and any stacking with Subscribe & Save or Brand Tailored Promotions come off a margin that may already be thin, and a deep deal resets the reference price Amazon uses for future deal eligibility and strikethrough displays.
What moves it
- Discount depth and reference price. Amazon judges deals against the recent lowest price, so frequent discounting shrinks what counts as a deal.
- Event calendar. Deals scheduled for Prime Day and Black Friday cost more and need submission weeks ahead.
- Stock. Amazon requires enough committed units for a deal and can cancel one that runs out.
- Fee structure. Coupon redemption fees are per unit; deal fees are per deal and are higher during events.
How we use it
Promotions are planned on the seasonal calendar, with stock confirmed and margin modeled before anything is scheduled. We favor coupons for steady click-through gains and reserve deals for events and defined pushes. Every promotion is measured on profit per visitor during and after, so the discount can be judged against what it actually bought.