I have a voucher code site which has been up and running for a few months now. Recently I had one of those light bulb moments as I realised something which I do when shopping online could be something that is causing me to lose conversions on my discount shopping site.

When I'm shopping around for something I will generally find what I want and from where, then I proceed to checkout and go right up to the page where they ask for a promotional code. It is at this point I generally start looking round for a suitable voucher code. I find one, copy and paste it across to the checkout page and hey presto, discount applied. While this works well for a consumer it's not so good for the discount shopping site owner. Visitors to my site may not be clicking through to the retailers site as they are simply copying and pasting the codes and consequently that all important tracking cookie isn't being dropped and I'm losing out on commission.

Should I be thinking about adding a click to reveal script to my site? Is there anything I should be considering if I add this to my site? Do you think a click and reveal link would likely improve conversions as a visitor would have to click to get the code and the javascript could then automatically open the target url in the process? I think there were some recent guideline updates regarding this practice, is it best avoided or would it need strictly policing? Suggestions and views appreciated.

I don't particularly like this method but have been told by one merchant that whenever I do a code for them could I click to reveal it because it makes their life easier with a certain exclusive code.

I do however try and get the click if a user uses the mouse to copy a code. Andy, I'd also look at other ways to get the user through your links: simple 'Visit Site: url[dot]com' and 'click here to visit ...' seem to work well, even if no codes are present.

A Simple Click To Reveal Button


Open Site On Attempted Copy

This is what I use in my comments which serve as the code listings. Probably bad coding - but it works for me.

I think the IAB guidelines view 'click to reveal' and 'open when attempt to copy' as similar, so if using either method ensure you fully comply with other guidelines....

There is a way around the cookie problem of ensuring you get your conversion even if there is an existing cookie from another shopping site. Therefore you would ensure all click through to the merchants would more or less geniune a sale.