The trouble with offers done by hand
A shop puts up a banner: "Buy 2 soaps, get 1 free". On a busy evening the cashier forgets it on some bills and gives it twice on another. A regular asks for the Onam discount a week after it ended, and the new helper gives it. At month end, nobody can tell what the offer actually cost.
Offers bring customers in, and an offer that customers notice is often the reason they come back. But when it lives on a banner and in the cashier's memory, it leaks money. Offers and discount software puts the rule into the billing, so it applies the same way on every bill.
The offers Cartix Prime can run
Offers are part of Cartix Prime from the Gold plan. These are the offer types:
| Offer type | Example in a shop |
|---|---|
| % off items | 10% off all biscuits this week |
| ₹ off each item | ₹5 off every packet of a new tea brand |
| Buy X get Y | Buy one get one free on a shampoo |
| Cheapest free | Buy any three snacks, the cheapest is free |
| % or ₹ off the bill | ₹100 off bills above a minimum amount |
| A free gift | A free carry bag or a small item with the bill |
| Extra points | Double loyalty points on a brand |
There is no fixed combo-price offer (for example "these three items together for ₹199"). Use buy X get Y, cheapest free or an amount off instead.
Where an offer applies
An offer can be set on particular items, a whole category, a brand, a price list (for example only retail customers, not wholesale), or a branch if you run more than one shop.
When and how much
- Dates: the offer starts and ends on its own.
- Weekdays and hours: a Tuesday offer, or a discount only in the slow afternoon hours.
- Minimum bill: the offer applies only above an amount you set.
- Cap: a limit on how much the offer can give, so a large bill does not take an open-ended discount.
Coupon codes for your shop
Coupons work two ways in Cartix Prime. You can make one code for everyone, for example a code printed on a pamphlet or posted in your WhatsApp status. Or you can make a code for each customer, so one person's coupon cannot be shared around the neighbourhood.
Coupons also connect with the customer side. The automatic WhatsApp messages in the customer CRM, such as a birthday wish or a win-back message, can carry an optional coupon. On Platinum, each campaign in CRM Pro can have its own coupon.
How it works at the counter
- The owner or manager sets up the offer once: type, items or category, dates, hours, minimum bill and cap.
- The cashier bills as usual, scanning or typing items.
- When the bill meets the offer's rules, the offer is applied on the bill.
- If the customer has a coupon, the cashier enters the code and the coupon's discount is applied.
- The bill shows what was given, and the bill goes out printed or on WhatsApp.
When the offer's end date passes, it stops. Nobody has to remember to take the banner down in the software.
Keeping discounts under control
Offers are rules you set in advance. Discounts typed by hand at the counter are a different matter, and they are where money usually leaks. On Gold, Cartix Prime can send a discount for approval to the owner's or a manager's phone, so a large manual discount waits until someone allowed says yes. The Bill audit report lists cancelled, edited and discounted bills, so you can check later. See staff control at the counter and reports.
Who this suits
Offers in Cartix Prime suit supermarkets running weekly deals, kirana stores clearing slow stock, fancy and cosmetics shops with brand promotions, bakeries with an evening discount, and any shop that hands out coupons at festival time. Think of a supermarket in Kozhikode that runs a buy one get one free on a detergent only on weekends: set it once with the weekdays, and the counter does the rest.
If you mainly sell to wholesale customers at fixed rates, price lists (wholesale, retail and special rates per customer, also on Gold) may matter more than offers.
Which plan has offers
Offers and coupons are on Gold and Platinum.
- Gold: ₹8,999 a year for one computer and one phone, or ₹1,899 on a phone only. Offers, coupons, loyalty points, price lists and the CRM.
- Platinum: ₹12,999 a year, or ₹2,599 on a phone only. Adds campaigns with a coupon each, referrals and scratch cards.
Prices are before 18% GST. Every new shop gets a 7-day free trial of Silver with no card needed. See the pricing page or start with Cartix Prime.
Questions people ask
Can billing software do buy one get one free automatically?
Yes. Cartix Prime has a buy X get Y offer and a cheapest-free offer. Once set, they apply on the bill within the dates and hours you choose. Offers are on the Gold and Platinum plans.
How do I make a coupon code for my shop?
In Cartix Prime you can create one coupon code for everyone, or a separate code for each customer so it cannot be shared. The cashier enters the code at billing. Coupons are on Gold and above.
Can I run an offer only on certain days or hours?
Yes. Each offer can have start and end dates, chosen weekdays and hours, a minimum bill amount and a cap on how much it gives.
Does Cartix Prime support combo price offers?
No. There is no fixed combo-price offer. You can use buy X get Y, cheapest free, % off or ₹ off items, an amount off the bill, a free gift or extra loyalty points instead.
Can I stop cashiers giving discounts on their own?
You choose what each staff member may do with roles and PINs. On Gold, a discount can be sent to the owner’s or a manager’s phone for approval, and the Bill audit report lists discounted bills.