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The discount_negotiator skill

Written by Joseph Russo, Principal Architect, Networks and Tech, AskVault · Reviewed by Allison Chan
Last updated: · 5 min read

What the skill does

Discount negotiation is the riskiest mutating action a chatbot can take. Mis-applied discounts hurt margins immediately and can cascade if the bot starts giving everyone the maximum allowed code. discount_negotiator guards against that: every offer is capped by the maximum discount (15% by default) and by a per-workspace rate limit.

When a customer asks for a discount, the skill checks two limits before anything happens:

  1. The maximum discount. Anything above 15% is refused, whatever the AI asks for.
  2. Your written discount policy. The discount must match a rule you wrote in your knowledge base; if no rule covers it, the skill refuses.

Only then does it apply the coupon through your connected Stripe account. The same request is not applied twice, and the skill is rate-limited per workspace. See the Stripe setup page for what completes from chat today.

The skill is on Business and above. Business+

Setup

  1. Connect Stripe on the Integrations page. See Stripe setup.
  2. Write your discount policy in your knowledge base: who qualifies and for how much. The skill refuses any discount your policy does not cover.
  3. Turn the skill on on the Skills page.
  4. Test it in the chat playground by asking for a discount.

When the bot offers a discount

The AI decides from the conversation, for example when a customer asks for a coupon or says the price is the problem. AskVault does not watch page pauses, carts or repeat visits.

Before anything is applied, the request must be 15% or less and match your written policy. If either check fails, the skill refuses and the bot can offer to connect the customer with your team.

Limits

  • Plan availability. Business and above.
  • Maximum discount. 15%.
  • Payment provider. Stripe only; Shopify discount codes are not supported.

Common pitfalls

Bot offers codes to everyone. Your written discount policy is too broad. Narrow it to the cases where a code is allowed.

Code applied but not honored at checkout. Code expired in Stripe/Shopify after AskVault offered it. Sync code state via webhook to keep AskVault's view fresh.

Repeat discount seekers. There is no per-customer lifetime limit, so write your policy to say who qualifies, for example first orders only.

FAQ

Can the bot create new discount codes?

No. The skill only applies codes you've created in advance. Creating codes on the fly would require write scope to your payment processor, which we don't grant by default.

Can I give different customers different discounts?

Not as a separate setting. Write the segments into your discount policy, for example VIP customers up to 15% and everyone else up to 5%. The 15% maximum applies to everyone.

Does this work with subscription discounts?

It depends on the Stripe coupon you connect. The skill hands out the coupon you configured, so whether it applies once or repeats follows that coupon's own duration setting in Stripe.

How do I prevent the bot from offering discounts to non-paying-intent visitors?

Say so in your written discount policy, for example that discounts apply only to customers ready to order. The skill refuses any discount the policy does not cover.

What's the typical lift from this skill?

A code can win back a hesitant buyer, at the cost of margin on that sale. We have no conversion data to share, so measure the net effect on your own store.

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