How to Run a Code Word Sale
Post a code word on your story, let people comment it on whatever they want, and the Sales Assistant sends each of them a checkout link with the discount already applied. It’s the fastest way to clear a lot of stock in an evening.
- You pick a code word, a percentage off, and which items it works on.
- You announce it however you like — a story, a post, a broadcast channel.
- A buyer comments the code word on one of your posts.
- The Assistant spots it and DMs them a checkout link at the discounted price.
Why sellers like this one
A normal clearout means re-pricing everything, re-posting everything, and hoping people come back. A code word sale needs none of that. The posts you already have stay exactly where they are — the code word is what changes the price.
It also creates urgency in a way a quiet price drop never does. People see the story, they go comment, and because the checkout arrives within seconds, they buy while they’re still excited.
Setting it up
- Open Run a sale
Go to the Sales Assistant and choose Run a sale, then pick the code word option.
- Choose your code word
Short and hard to type by accident. 20OFF or SPRING work well. Avoid anything a person might say in a normal comment.
- Set the discount
A percentage off, taken from the item’s starting price.
- Choose which items it applies to
Everything unsold, or just the ones you select.
- Announce it
Tell people the code word and tell them where to put it — in the comments of the item they want, not in your DMs.
What the buyer sees
- They comment the code word
On the post for the item they want, like any other comment.
- The Assistant picks it up
It recognises the code word, checks the item is eligible, and works out the discounted price.
- A checkout link arrives in their DMs
Already discounted. They fill in the form and pay exactly as normal.
- The order lands with you
It shows up in Orders like any other sale, ready to ship.
A few things worth knowing
- First comment wins. If two people comment the code word on the same item, the first one gets it. The second isn’t sold the same thing twice.
- The discount comes off the starting price set in Thryft Ship — not off whatever number is written in your Instagram caption.
- Shipping and sales tax are unaffected. They’re calculated as usual on the discounted total.
- You can run it alongside post-sale monitoring. They don’t fight each other.
Common questions
What if someone comments the code word on an item that isn’t in the sale?
Nothing happens to the price. Only the items you marked eligible get the discount.
Can I do a flat dollar amount instead of a percentage?
The code word sale works on a percentage off. If you want flat pricing, lower the prices in your Inventory and run the items in a new drop instead.
How long does the sale run?
Until you end it. Turn it off in Run a sale when you’re done so the code word stops working.
Can I use it on items that are still in a live drop?
It’s designed for clearing stock that didn’t sell. Running it on a live auction would undercut the people currently bidding.
What if a buyer types the code word wrong?
The Assistant is looking for the code word you set. If they misspell it badly, it won’t register — so keep the word short and simple.
