If you want each Mailchimp subscriber to get a different coupon code, you can do it with a CSV import. Add one code to each subscriber profile, then show that field in your email with a merge tag.
Mailchimp doesn't include a built-in way to assign a different coupon code to every recipient in a campaign. For a one-off send, though, a CSV import works well: export your audience, pair each address with a code, import the new field, and use that field in your email.
That's what this guide covers. If you need codes to go out automatically, such as after a new signup, an abandoned cart, or a Shopify discount code being generated on demand, use our Mailchimp integration instead. The spreadsheet method below is best for a single campaign to an existing list.
Here's the short version:
First, you need the codes you want to send. You may already have them in your ecommerce platform. If not, check whether your store admin can export a batch of discount codes.
If you just need a random list of codes, you can use our Free Code Generator →
Next, export the email addresses that should receive codes. This can be your whole audience or a segment. In this example, we'll export all subscribers.
When the export is ready, Mailchimp downloads a ZIP file that contains a CSV of your subscribers.
Open the exported CSV in Google Sheets, Excel, Numbers, or whichever spreadsheet app you prefer. In this example, we'll use Google Sheets.
Start by removing every column except "Email Address".
Next, add a new column named "Coupon". You can use a different name if you want, but "Coupon" keeps the merge field easy to recognize later.
Paste your unique codes into that column so each email address has one code on the same row. When you're done, download the sheet as a new CSV file. You'll import that file into Mailchimp in the next step.
In Mailchimp, open your audience and choose "Import contacts" from the "Add contacts" menu. Upload the CSV file you created in the previous step. It should contain two columns: "Email Address" and "Coupon".
Unless you've already created a "Coupon" field, Mailchimp will ask what to do with that column. Create a new field for it, then finish the import.
Now that the codes are saved on your subscribers, create your Mailchimp campaign.
In the email editor, insert the merge tag for the field that contains the codes. In this example, choose "Coupon" from the list of merge tags. Before sending, open the preview and enable live merge tag data so you can check what recipients will see.
The CSV method is fine when you only need to send one campaign. It gets annoying when codes need to go out whenever someone signs up, enters a Customer Journey, or qualifies for a specific offer.
Coupon Carrier handles that part automatically. Connect your Mailchimp account, choose where the codes should come from, and Coupon Carrier can add a unique code to the subscriber before Mailchimp sends the email.
