- Before checkout, open live chat with your cart ready and ask a polite one-liner: “Any chance for a small coupon or free shipping?”
- Use quick scripts: price-match nudge, bundle/save-the-sale, or “new member/teacher/student/military”
- After you buy, watch for a price drop and request a chat price adjustment with your order number
Paying full price online is my personal horror movie. But sometimes you just can’t find a coupon code for a particular store, and there aren’t any sales happening. But wait…I have one more trick to try before you complete your order at full retail.
Open up a live chat window and start a conversation with the retailer. In many cases, their AI chat assistant or actual human customer service rep has coupons to hand out to those who politely ask.
They know if you’re asking for a discount, you probably have items in your cart and are about to complete the purchase. So often they’re happy to throw you a bone for 15-20% off your purchase or even free shipping.
The websites where this tends to work best
Keep in mind that this isn’t a guarantee. But over the years I’ve consistently had good luck with live-chat discounts with the following retailers.
And yes, many stores actually have coupon codes available but bury them on their site and they’re impossible to find. So, by asking in a live chat, you cut through the hunt and quickly find whatever coupons they currently have.
Apparel & shoes
- Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic (I’ve gotten free shipping and 10–20% off)
- J.Crew, Madewell (small % off or free ship)
- Levi’s, Columbia, Eddie Bauer (one-time codes)
- Adidas, Reebok, Under Armour (free shipping)
- Zappos, Famous Footwear, DSW (free shipping or $10 off)
Beauty & personal care
- Ulta, The Body Shop, Kiehl’s (free samples + free shipping; occasional % off)
- Function of Beauty, Native, Harry’s (DTC brands often have “save the sale” codes)
Home, bedding & furniture
- Wayfair, Overstock, Ashley (free shipping or $ off thresholds)
- Brooklinen, Parachute, Buffy (DTC bedding: 10–15% “new customer” codes via chat)
- Bed Bath & Beyond (the new version): free shipping or small % off
Electronics & gadgets
- Best Buy (bundle discounts especially for open-box items)
- Verizon/AT&T/T-Mobile (accessory discounts added via chat at checkout)
- Etsy sellers (politely ask a seller for a shop coupon, works more than you’d think)
Places where this rarely works: Apple, lululemon, Costco, Amazon, luxury labels (Gucci, LV), and hard-priced brands like Dyson. Doesn’t mean don’t try, just keep expectations low.
Pro Tip: Ask for a human when chatting with an AI assistant as they often have no idea what you’re talking about. Simply type “speak to a human” (sometimes you have to type it a 2-3 times) and you should finally get connected.
Here are 7 actual scripts you should use
Feel free to copy and paste these live chat scripts right into the chat window, or tweak them however you like.
Keep in mind that this tip is not just for “regular” shoppers. Many online retailers offer specific discounts for veterans, teachers, and even students. And surprisingly they don’t always advertise them. So, start a live chat and ask if they have any discounts specifically for you.
Below you’ll find a bunch of different scripts that have proven to work when asking for a discount.
1. Simple pre-purchase ask - “About to complete my purchase—any chance there’s a coupon for a little extra savings or maybe free shipping?”
2. Shipping-only angle - “I’m all set to order, but shipping is pushing me over budget. Is there a free-shipping code you can apply?”
3. Price-match nudge - “I’m seeing this for $___ at [Store]. If you can match or get me close, I’ll order here right now.”
4. Bundle/save-the-sale - “I’m buying [X + Y]. Do you have a discount if I grab both today?”
5. Loyalty/new-customer - “I just joined your rewards list. Are there any member or first-order codes you can add for me?”
6. Student/teacher/military - “I’m [student/teacher/military]. Can you verify and apply that discount on my order?”
7. Soft escalation (if they say no) - “Totally understand. If there’s any one-time code you’re allowed to offer, I’d really appreciate it and I’d place my order right now.”
Push for a discount “exception”
I was recently shopping for shoes on Zappos.com and was about to pay full price when I pulled up a chat window (screenshot above) and inquired about a discount.
The chat rep informed me that they only had a 10% discount available and it was only good for new members.
On a whim I asked, “I’m not a new customer, can I have an exception 10% coupon?”
They got right back to me and said, “Here’s what I will do, I will issue you a $10 promo on your account towards your order.”
Moral of the story: Sometimes all you have to do is ask.
After you buy: chat for a price adjustment
If the price drops within a week or two of your purchase, hop back on chat and say this:
“Hi! I ordered [#____] on [date] and noticed the price is now lower. Could you adjust the difference or offer store credit?”
You’ll be surprised how often they'll give you some money back.