Daily deals are nothing new: Woot was founded back in 2004. But because they've been around for so long, something else has become clear: They are no gimmick, and they work. If you're looking to generate buzz around your store and move significant amounts of products, there are some tried-and-true tactics you should be aware of.

That's the first rule of daily deals, really. You would think the "daily" part takes precedence (and it is very important), but the "deal" part is the clincher. If you offer an iPad 2 for $495 as a "daily deal", it just won't sell all that well, because its retail price is $499. A four-dollar discount won't get you very far.

So, first and foremost, you need to figure out what is the deepest discount you could possibly offer on the item you are selling. If you usually have a profit margin of 50%, think of slimming it down to 15% or less (for example). People love deals, and a great daily deal will spread like wildfire.

A part of what makes a daily deal so appealing is that it's for a product you know and love. You've always wanted this TV, piece of software, or gadget, but could never justify the expense. Now that it's suddenly on such a deep discount, of course you're going to snap it up, because you already know what it is.

Fortunately, Shift4Shop has partnered with online dropship broker Doba, which means you can offer world-class brands on your daily deal website. This should make it easier for you to pick attractive products that people already want to buy.

A daily deal should be just what it is: Daily. If a customer comes to your website today and sees you offer an exclusive offer on a Panasonic TV "today only", that's impressive. If they come back tomorrow and see the exact same offer, with the same countdown timer, you just lost all credibility.

Customers sometimes return several times before making the order. Daily deals work because they generate a sense of urgency: The item just won't be here tomorrow! It's here now, the customer must make up their mind right now.

Daily deals are exciting, and people want to talk about them. Open a Twitter account for your store and make it very visible on your Shift4Shop store, and make sure to monitor that account and respond in a timely manner when customers ask questions or make comments about your daily deal.

Since we're talking daily deals, you should do your best to respond within a few hours. If a customer asks something about today's deal and you only reply two days later, that customer may later harbor ill will towards your store.

Shift4Shop has a feature that allows you to integrate your storefront right into a Facebook page. Daily deals right on Facebook can be a winning combination: People are often on Facebook looking for something interesting to do or something to talk about, and having a product they love for a great price can make for some excellent conversation and raise awareness to your brand (not to mention, make sales).