Noctern supports two types of discount codes: event-level codes (attached to a specific event) and venue-level codes (apply to all events at the venue).
Two scopes
Event-level codes are created on the event edit page under Discount Codes. They appear in the public checkout only for that event. If an event code and a venue code share the same name, the event code takes priority.
Venue-level codes are created at AdminVenues[venue]Promo Codes and apply to every event at the venue unless you restrict them. Use venue-level codes for recurring promotions like a member discount or newsletter code.
You don't have to remember that URL: the venue hub's Promo Codes card (Money row) links here, and the event edit page's Discount Codes section links here too, since venue-level codes silently apply to every event even when they're only managed from this page.
Code types
| Type | How it works | |---|---| | Percentage | Discounts by a % of the base ticket price (for example, 20% off) | | Fixed | Subtracts a flat dollar amount (for example, $10 off) | | Max price | For All-In events only — caps the buyer's price at a maximum amount per ticket |
Free-ticket codes
A code can grant free tickets instead of, or in addition to, a discount. In the promo code editor, toggle on Benefit and configure:
- Unlimited free tickets — every eligible seat in the order gets a free ticket, with no per-order count limit
- Free tickets per redemption — a number of free tickets granted per order, not a lifetime total. It resets every time the code is redeemed (unlike a membership's free-events allowance, which is a term budget that draws down over the membership period)
- Max free ticket price — a dollar ceiling on a seat's base price for it to qualify as free; seats priced above the ceiling are never eligible. Leave blank for no ceiling
- Max free per event — caps how many free tickets one order can claim at a single occurrence, on top of the per-redemption count or unlimited toggle
Combining a benefit with a discount: if a code carries both a free-ticket benefit and a discount (percentage, fixed, or max price), free tickets are allocated first, applied to the highest-priced eligible seats in the order up to the configured caps. The discount then applies to whatever tickets are left over.
A free ticket only zeroes out the ticket price itself. The day-of-show upcharge and the ticket delivery fee are separate line items and still apply on a free ticket unless a staff member waives them separately at the point of sale.
Rules
When creating or editing a code, configure these rules:
- Active switch — enable or disable without deleting
- Starts / Ends — optional date-time window; buyers see "Code expired" outside it
- Max uses (total) — caps total redemptions across all patrons; shows "N used" read-only; cannot be overridden
- Max uses per patron — caps redemptions by one patron, matched by their account id, or by lowercased email if they don't have one; shown alongside the total cap as "N of M used"; also cannot be overridden
- Per-order limit — maximum tickets discounted in one order
- Min tickets — buyer must purchase at least N tickets for the code to apply
- Applies to tiers / categories — restrict the discount to specific sections or pricing categories
Promo report
The promos list shows:
- Status — Active, Scheduled (window not open yet), Expired, Exhausted (cap reached), Inactive
- Remaining — max redemptions minus used
- Scope — Event or Venue
- Free tickets granted — running total of free tickets issued by the code, shown per code and summed across the report
A code that hits its redemption cap is flagged "Exhausted" and stops working immediately. Buyers who attempt it see "Code limit reached." Staff cannot override this — increase the cap or create a new code.
Patrons cannot stack two codes. If a patron's active membership benefit applies, the promo code is automatically blocked for that order.
Creating a venue-level code
- Go to AdminVenues[venue]Promo Codes.
- Click New promo code.
- Enter a Code (case-insensitive; buyers type this at checkout), choose a Type, and set the Value.
- Optionally set a sale window, redemption cap, and tier restrictions.
- Toggle Active on and click Save.
Create a venue-level code "FRIENDS10" for 10% off, set a max redemption of 50, and test it in a public checkout tab. Then disable it from the promo codes list and confirm the checkout rejects it.