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Use Store Credits as Gift Cards/Refund Options in WooCommerce

Last updated on November 23, 2023

With the store credit feature provided by Smart Coupons for WooCommerce plugin by WebToffee, you can enhance your customers’ shopping experience by offering them the option to purchase gift cards for themselves or send them as thoughtful presents to friends and family via email. This versatile tool provides you with a wide array of template options to choose from, allowing you to create attractive store credit vouchers that fit your brand’s style perfectly. Moreover, it’s not just about gift cards; you can also use store credit as a hassle-free refund method for returned orders, without incurring any actual sales losses. The plugin allows you to:

  • Provides different varieties of gift card templates to choose from.
  • Displays gift card templates based on inbuilt category.
  • Upload new gift card templates.
  • Setup credits with custom or predefined choice of denomination.
  • Apply the coupon either before or after taxes.
  • The coupon discount is reflected in all order elements (items, taxes, etc), not just the order total.
  • Customize coupon code format, emails, etc.

Set up store credit as gifts

  • Firstly, install and activate the plugin, navigate to the Smart Coupons > Store Credit
  • It consists of the following sections:
    • General settings
    • Send store credit
    • Gift card templates

General settings

Purchase settings

  • Use templates for store credit – Choose yes to override the default coupon layout with templates. The same template will also be used for email.

If you have chosen No, the gift card view will be as shown below:

  • Display templates by category – You can display templates by category on the purchase page.
  • Associate a product – Select a zero-priced simple product from the available list. You will have to create a zero-priced simple product prior to this setting for it to be available for selection.

The given below is an example of the configuration of a zero-priced product

  • Credit purchase options – Decide whether to offer predefined amounts or let customers enter their desired store credit value.
  • Minimum credit purchase – Enter a minimum value of the store credit that can be purchased using the associated product.
  • Set amount – Specify the predefined denomination values that must appear at the user end while purchasing store credit. You can set up store credits with customers’ choice of denomination.
  • Maximum credit purchase–  Enter the maximum value of the store credit that can be purchased using the associated product.
  • While purchasing the store credit the minimum value and the maximum value by which the voucher can be purchased will be displayed at the front end of your store as seen in the preview.
  • Email store credit for order status Emails store credit only for the selected order statuses.
  • Set amount – Specify the predefined denomination values that must appear at the user end while purchasing store credit. You can set up store credits with customers’ choice of denomination.
  • Calculate order total tax – You can choose to apply tax to order value with or without discount.

Coupon code format

Smart coupon for WooCommerce-Coupon format
Smart coupon for WooCommerce-Coupon format

The store credit email preview will be as shown below:

Purchasing store credit/gift card

Let us see the purchase of store credit done at the customer end. The store credit as a gift card will appear as shown below if the template options are chosen as Yes:

Smart Coupon for Woocommerce-Store Credit Product Preview
Smart Coupon for Woocommerce-Store Credit Product Preview
  • Choose a template design.
  • Select the denomination: Customers can either pick a predefined amount or enter a custom value.
  • Provide recipient details, a personal message, and the sender’s name.
  • Choose the delivery date.

Finally, move the store credit to the cart. Proceed with the payment as to how a normal product is purchased. Soon after you will receive an order confirmation email.

Redeeming a store credit

Recipients can redeem their store credit by using the provided coupon code to make purchases on your store. They can use the credit in single or multiple transactions and even pay the difference if the order exceeds the store credit amount.

Store Credit as Gift Card in email
Store Credit as Gift Card in email

Managing Store Credit:

The customer can view the store credit history from My Account > My Store Credit section.

Smart Coupon for WooCommerce-My Store Credit Preview
Smart Coupon for WooCommerce-My Store Credit Preview

Email store credit/return refund to a customer

Navigate to the Email store credit section of the store credit window panel. YYou can manually email store credits to customers, making it a convenient method for refunds, product returns, or exchanges.

Smart Coupon-Store Credit-Email Credit

Email credit consists of:

  • Email Address – Key in the email addresses of the recipients in this field to send store credits individually.
  • Amount -Enter the store credit amount in this field.
  • Caption – A small sentence to display above the gift card.
  • Description: Optionally, add a message in the email voucher sent to the customer. You will also get the preview of the mail here.
  • Individual use only: Make the store credit voucher to not use in conjunction with other coupons by enabling the option.

Click on the preview to take a look into how the mail will appear. Finally, click on send email to mail the store credit vouchers to specified recipients.

The customer will receive an email that has the store credit coupon code in it. He will just have to use the code as they would with any other coupon code to redeem it for a refund.

Gift templates

Select one or more templates from the available options and add/delete custom templates for store credit. The templates will appear on the store credit purchase page.

Available templates
Available templates

Add/delete templates

Click on the ADD button to create a new gift card template. A new window opens up as shown below:

Add template
Add template
  • You can upload a template image of your choice to use as gift cards. Recommended size for the template is 852x400px.
  • Assign a category for the template. You can choose a category from predefined ones from the drop-down.
  • Pick a top and bottom color that will appear on the template. Finally, click on the Add new button to save the template.
  • You can also Delete a custom template if you don’t want that to appear at the front end.

Conclusion

To sum up, customers can purchase store credits for themselves or gift them to others for special occasions. One can redeem store credits in single or multiple purchases. Also, the store owners can use it for return refunds also.