A reward for returning. If your customers tend to buy once and never return, offer them an e-coupon towards a future purchase. You can do this after checkout or send the coupon by email when you confirm the order.

Incentives. E-coupons are a great way to encourage "on the fence" shoppers to purchase from your online store now, instead of waiting for a better deal or shopping elsewhere. Instant e-coupons can be used for free shipping or for a percentage discount. Are There Differences Between Major Shipping Companies?

First-time customer benefit. Many online businesses convert browsers into buyers by offering them a special deal. However, you will need to be able to keep track of your customers to make sure that no one abuses this system.

Increasing add-on sales. If you have several related items, you can use e-coupons to upsell or cross sell these items to your existing customers. For example, if a customer purchases a digital camera from you, you can include an e-coupon towards the purchase of an extra flash or media card.

Subscriber incentives. If you send an e-newsletter to keep in touch with your customers, you can use e-coupons as a reward for signing up for your publication. Newsletters are a proven way to increase your sales and allow you to offer special "subscriber-only" e-coupons to increase sales and build your subscriber database.

These are just a few of the ways that you can use e-coupons to increase your sales. Be creative with your e-coupon options. Each company will have different needs, but the vast majority can benefit by adding e-coupons to their marketing arsenal.