How can customers load value onto a physical gift card?

[wyndrose]

We just received our physical gift cards from Shopify. But we cannot figure out how to actually add the value onto the card?? We have them in our products already. How can the customer load the amount they want to give onto the actual card?

[Miles]

Hi, @wyndrose!

I'm Miles from the Social Care team at Shopify. Great question! When you issue the gift card, an automatic gift card code will populate. Instead of using this, you can simply scan the barcode or manually enter the 16-digit code on the back of the gift card. Then, choose the amount to be added to the gift card and issue it as normal. The customer will then be able to use that gift card at the checkout of your online store, or in-person at your retail location.

Please note; gift cards cannot be reloaded and the balance can only be accessed by you. If your customer wishes to check their balance, they'll need to contact you.

You can check out more FAQ's on selling gift cards here: https://bit.ly/3wz6vhM.

[wyndrose]

Hi Miles -

Thanks for your answer but it is still not very clear...

When we go to issue the gift card a code is not populating. Does it do this
after the sale is complete? All our system is doing is adding the gift card
to the cart and asking for payment. At what stage do we enter the 16 digit
code and add the amount?

Thanks

[wyndrose]

Hi - 

I responded several days ago that this did not solve our problem or answer our question but no one has gotten back to me yet. 

Thanks

[Miles]

Hi, @wyndrose!

Apologies for the delay in replying. The Shopify Community is not a live support channel, and replies are not always monitored. If you do require urgent assistance and answers, I recommend contacting our live support team. If that is more suitable, please visit https://bit.ly/3cJkx8V and log in to your account to create a support request.

To answer your question, I just want to make sure your POS app is set up correctly to accept physical gift cards. Follow these steps to make sure both gift card payment AND physical gift cards are activated:

1. From Shopify POS, tap ≡ > Settings > Payment settings.
2. Tap Gift Card.
3. Tap to toggle the following options:

Note: Accept gift card payments for gift cards that you can print and email to customers. Accept physical gift cards for physical gift cards.

Once that is turned on, when you add a gift card to the cart in the POS app, you will be prompted to scan the barcode or manually enter the gift card code.

If after activated the payment method you're still not able to load the gift cards, please let me know here, or chat with our live support team.

[HKJ · Accepted solution]

Nevermind my previous post, @Miles' way is more straightforward.

[BTO2]

THIS IS THE ANSWER THAT WORKS!  THANK YOU.  (Works on POS, but still can't sell physical gift cards in on-line shop without creating a separate "product" - i.e. physical gift card verses e-card.)

[HKJ]

If you are loading the amount onto the card as the customer is purchasing the gift card, you will collect payment from the customer (you can do a custom sale, or have various denominations as variants under a physical gift card product listing).

Then issue a card from the Shopify app, under products-gift cards-issue new gift card or + sign).

You will delete the code which populates automatically, and replace it with the code on the card. 

Then issue the card to the email address the customer wants you to, for the amount he/she requests.

If you wish to preload the cards, you will need issue the cards to yourself (an email address you have access to), and mark the cards with the $ amount you have issued them for.

This has the added advantage of allowing you to have online access to the codes (you can do this instead of using the customer's or recipient's email address even when loading at the time of sale).