A wireless carrier needed a way to distribute location-specific coupons at scale without manual intervention for each store location.

Their existing coupon distribution required staff to manually create individual versions for each location, creating bottlenecks during promotional campaigns.

Challenge

The brand operated across multiple retail locations and needed each downloadable coupon to display the nearest store information based on the customer’s geographic location.

The manual creation of location-specific coupon variants was time-consuming and error-prone, especially during high-volume promotional campaigns with tight deadlines.

The team needed a system that could automatically personalize coupons with store addresses and unique barcodes while maintaining brand consistency across all materials.

Solution

We developed a dynamic coupon generation system that integrates geographic location detection with on-demand image processing.

The system automatically detects a customer’s location and generates a personalized coupon featuring their nearest store’s information, along with a unique tracking barcode.

This eliminated manual coupon creation entirely while enabling the brand to track redemption patterns across all locations through centralized analytics.

Technical Implementation

• GeoIP Integration: Maxmind API with intelligent 30-day caching reduces API costs while maintaining accurate location detection.
• Dynamic Image Processing: PHP GD Library overlays store information and barcodes onto base coupon templates in real-time with customizable positioning and styling.
• Multi-Offer Support: The admin interface manages up to 48 simultaneous coupon offers, each with individual configuration for each promotion.
• Barcode Generation: Integrated QR code and barcode generation create unique identifiers for each download, offering configurable formats and scaling options.
• Location Database: Coordinates with the companion location system to identify nearest stores using distance calculations and geocoded addresses.
• Download Tracking: Comprehensive logging captures IP addresses, user agents, timestamps, and selected locations for campaign analysis.
• Threshold Alerts: Automated email notifications are triggered when barcode pools fall below configurable thresholds, preventing inventory depletion.
• Referrer Security: Request validation prevents direct downloads and blocks bot access while allowing Facebook in-app browser traffic.
• Customizable Typography: RGB color controls and font positioning allow precise brand alignment for each store’s information overlay.

Results

The system transformed coupon distribution from a labor-intensive manual process into a fully automated personalization engine.

Marketing teams now launch multi-location campaigns instantly without technical intervention, while the integrated analytics provide visibility into geographic redemption patterns across all store locations.

The automated barcode management and threshold monitoring eliminated coupon inventory issues that previously required constant manual oversight.