Redeeming and using gift cards

Your customer can use gift cards to make purchases from your storefront. If you have the Shopify POS sales channel, then your customer can also use gift cards in person. Learn more about redeeming a gift card on Shopify POS.

Considerations for redeeming gift cards

Review the following considerations for redeeming gift cards:

  • The balance on a gift card can be spent on more than one order, as long as there is still a balance on the gift card.
  • Gift card balances are applied to the total value of an order, which can include taxes and shipping.
  • Gift cards can be used together with discount codes.
  • Multiple gift cards can be used on a single order.
  • A gift card can be used on an order that includes the initial delivery of a subscription, but it can't be added as a payment method for a subscription. The customer must add an eligible payment method to the checkout to be billed for future subscription payments.
  • A gift card can't be used to buy another gift card.
  • If a customer wants to buy a gift card for someone else, then you can customize your theme to allow customers to send a gift card to another recipient when placing their order. Learn more about adding recipient fields to your gift card product.

Redeeming a gift card online

When making a purchase in your store, your customer can redeem the value of a gift card by entering its unique code in the appropriate field at checkout. Gift card codes aren't case sensitive. The option to add a gift card for payment is displayed on checkout only when there are active gift cards in your Shopify store.

When a customer redeems a gift card, the checkout displays one of the following options:

  • If the balance available on the gift card is greater than or equal to the order total, then the customer can click Complete order.
  • If the balance available on the gift card is less than the order total, then the customer is prompted to choose an additional payment method for the balance before placing the order. This includes adding another gift card.

Checking a gift card balance

Your customer can check the gift card balance on the gift card page of your online storefront. You can also check the balance, and then send the information to your customer.

Adding a gift card to Apple Wallet

You can activate Apple Wallet Passes in your gift card settings. This setting lets your customers to add gift cards to the Apple Wallet.

When you activate Apple Wallet Passes, the gift card notification email includes the following additional information:

  • a link to download Apple Wallet Passes to an iOS device
  • an Add to Apple Wallet button, which your customer can use to open the gift card automatically in Apple Wallet

The gift card pass displays your store information, the gift card's active balance, and a unique QR code.

When a customer presents a gift card using Apple Wallet, you can scan the QR code with a 2D scanner, or the camera on an iPad when you're using the Shopify POS app.

If a customer has downloaded gift card passes and is near your store, then they can receive notifications on their iOS device. Your customer can deactivate these notifications from within Apple Wallet on the gift card pass's details screen. The details screen also displays your store's terms of service.

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