# Gift cards

> Sell gift cards as a product or issue them by hand. Shoppers pay with them at checkout, partly or in full, and what they don't spend stays on the card.

Source: https://docs.bifrostorbit.com/commerce/everyone/gift-cards/

Gift cards are in the Growth and Enterprise plans. After a move to Starter, cards already sold or issued can still be spent, but you can't sell or issue new ones.

A gift card is money on a code. Shoppers type the code in the cart or at checkout and it pays for the order, partly or in full. Whatever they don't spend stays on the card for next time. You find every card under **Gift cards**, with what is left on it and its history.

## Sell gift cards

1. Make a product such as **Northwilds gift card**, with a variant for each value: 500 kr, 1,000 kr and 2,000 kr. The variant's price is the card's value.
2. On the product, under **Gift card**, switch on **This product is a gift card**.
3. Choose how long it is **valid for** in days, or leave it empty for no end date. Some countries require gift cards to last several years, so check the rules where you sell.
4. Save the pricing and make the product active.

When the order is paid, each gift card gets its own code, emailed to the buyer to pass on. The gift card lines count as sent. An order of only gift cards needs no delivery, so checkout doesn't ask for an address or a shipping choice.

Discount codes and offers don't take anything off a gift card, and a company price list doesn't change its value.

## Issue a card by hand

For a competition prize or to say sorry for a late delivery, Admins can select **Issue a gift card** on the **Gift cards** page:

1. Enter the **value** and currency.
2. Add the **email** and **name** of the person it is for, and a **message** for the email if you like.
3. Set a **use by** date, or leave it empty.
4. Keep **Email the code** on to send it, or switch it off to hand it over yourself.

The whole code is shown once, when the card is made, so copy it if you need it. After that you only see its last four characters.

## Paying with a gift card

- A shopper can use up to five cards on one order. The first pays as much as it can, then the next.
- If the cards cover everything, the order is paid straight away with no card payment.
- If not, the shopper pays the rest by card. The amount on the gift cards is held when they check out, so it can't be spent twice. If they don't finish paying, it goes back on the card.
- A card only works for orders in its own currency.
- Gift cards can't be used for orders on invoice.

When a code can't be used, the cart says why, such as "The gift card ending 7KQ2 has expired", and checkout waits until the shopper removes it.

## VAT

Selling a gift card carries no VAT: it is a way to pay, not something bought. VAT is charged on the goods it pays for, at checkout, as usual. The invoice and receipt show the gift card line at 0% with a note, and the gift card payment under the total.

## Change, turn off or check a card

- **Change balance** adds money or takes it off, with a reason that goes in the card's history. Admins can do this.
- **Turn off** stops the card working, for example when it was lost or refunded. Turn it on again at any time. Editors and Admins can do this.
- **History** lists every change: issued, spent, given back, refunded and changed by hand, with who did it.
- Search by the customer's email or the last four characters.

Signed-in shoppers see the cards sent to their email address, and what is left on each, on their account page.

## Refunds

A refund goes back the way the order was paid: first to the bank card, up to what it paid, then onto the gift cards. See [Refunds and cancellations](https://docs.bifrostorbit.com/commerce/everyone/refunds-and-cancellations/).

Refunding an order that bought a gift card doesn't stop the card. Turn the card off first if it shouldn't be spent.