About Gift Cards and Vouchers

The difference between gift cards and vouchers and how they can be created

Rebecca avatar
Written by Rebecca
Updated over a week ago

In this article:

  • About

  • The Difference between Vouchers and Gift Cards

  • The Types of Vouchers and Gift Cards

  • Gift Card and Voucher Reporting

About

In Abacus' Loyalty Marketing module, vouchers and gift cards can be made.

IMPORTANT: It is your responsibility to ensure that your vouchers and gift cards abide by the laws of your country. Australian businesses must adhere to ACCC rules for gift cards, e.g. A gift card/voucher must be redeemable for at least 3 years after the date of purchase.

The Difference between Vouchers and Gift Cards

The main difference between vouchers and gift cards is their reusability:

Vouchers

Vouchers are non-reusable. The whole amount must be used in one transaction. If the amount due exceeds the amount loaded onto the voucher, the voucher holder must forfeit the remaining amount.

A voucher can have an expiry date set if desired. Vouchers cannot be reloaded.

Gift Cards

Gift cards are reusable. They begin with a set balance (eg. $50) and can be used several times for payment (eg. $25 first time, $10 second time, $15 third time), until the balance reaches $0.

A gift card holder can choose how much of the balance they wish to use in one transaction. For example, a card may have $50 loaded, and the card holder may have purchased goods to the value of $50, but decide to only spend $20 of the gift card in that transaction. $30 will remain on the gift card.

A gift card can have an expiry date set if desired. Gift cards cannot be reloaded.

The Types of Vouchers and Gift Cards

Gift cards and vouchers can be manually, instantly, or automatically generated.

Manual

A "manual" gift card has to be first created in the backend. This is ideal for businesses that wish to have their gift cards to be physical cards available at the counter. They have to be scanned at the counter when they are bought in order to be activated.

To create, sell, and use a manual gift card, follow:

Automatic

An "automatic" gift card/voucher is generated at the POS on the spot when it is purchased. It is printed at the bottom of the receipt, so it requires less setting up.

To create, sell, and use an instant gift card/voucher, follow:

Triggered

A "triggered" voucher is an automatically created voucher that will print at the bottom of the receipt when specific criteria are filled, eg. if $200 has been spent in one transaction, the customer can acquire a $20 voucher. This kind of voucher is not purchased.

Note:
only one-use vouchers, not gift cards, can be created this way.

To configure and use a triggered voucher, follow:

Gift Card and Voucher Reporting

Go to Loyalty Marketing > Vouchers and Gift Cards > Transactions to see when each gift card or voucher was either purchased or redeemed.

Cancelled gift cards and vouchers

If your customer changes their mind at checkout, i.e. applies a gift card and then cancels it, two listings will appear where the voucher/gift card is "redeemed" (one with a negative amount, one with a positive amount).

Invoices

In your Invoices page, you can filter Payment Method by "Gift Card" to narrow down the invoices where a gift card was redeemed.

Multi-site businesses

If you have multiple company stores/sites where a gift card/voucher may have been purchased:

  1. Log into your HQ account

  2. Go to Loyalty Marketing > Vouchers and Gift Cards >  Vouchers and Gift Cards 

  3. Refer to the Site column on the very right column to see where a voucher/gift card was purchased.

Vouchers and Gift Cards page

If you have a multi-site business:

  1. Log into your HQ account

  2. Go to Loyalty Marketing > Vouchers and Gift Cards >  Vouchers and Gift Cards 

  3. Refer to the Site column on the very right column to see where a voucher/gift card was purchased.

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