Hand out discount codes through Instagram DM — without exposing them in the comments
Keep codes out of public comments (where competitors and freebie hunters scrape them). Send via DM only. Stops abuse, lifts redemption.
4 steps to live
Connect your Shopify or commerce platform
Native Shopify, BigCommerce, WooCommerce. Or paste static codes.
Set the keyword
"WANT", "DISCOUNT", or your campaign tag.
Issue unique or shared codes
Unique codes per user (Shopify) or one shared code with limits.
Add a 24h urgency timer in the DM
Code expires in 24h — embed the deadline in the DM copy.
Apparel brand BFCM teaser
Illustrative scenario — not a real customer.
An apparel brand drops a Reel one week before BFCM with: "Comment EARLY for a private code 24h before public launch."
8,450 codes issued, 2,103 redemptions (24.9%), avg order $74, $156k revenue 24h before public BFCM launch — captured demand from competitors.
Ready-made flows
BFCM early-access code
Keyword "EARLY"
Unique 24h code + free shipping
Loyalty tier discount
Keyword "VIP"
Code only for tagged repeat customers
Influencer-collab code
Keyword from collab post
Tracked code + influencer attribution
Common mistakes
Public reply with the code in the comment thread
Public reply only confirms ("Sent via DM ✓"). Code stays private.
One shared code with no limits
Use Shopify unique codes — each commenter gets a personal code.
No urgency window on the code
Add 24h or 48h expiration. Redemption rate doubles.
FAQ
Codes in public comments get scraped by aggregator sites and burned by non-fans within hours. DM keeps them private and audience-targeted.
Set this up in 5 minutes
7-day free trial. No credit card. Free forever tier (50 msgs/mo).