Hi,
If you do not use the virtual coupon mode, it means you use the plugin as a payment method.
So the customer has to choose the payment method and validate to create a discount coupon.
I will recommend you to use the plugins "user points" and to activate the new checkout step in the joomla plugin configuration part of the plugin "hikashop | userpoints".
At this moment you will be able to use the "virtual coupon" with a "yes/no" for the activation.
Regards,
Jerome - Obsidev.com
HikaMarket & HikaSerial developer / HikaShop core dev team.
Also helping the HikaShop support team when having some time or couldn't sleep.
By the way, do not send me private message, use the "contact us" form instead.