On credit card portals, we can create gift cards and discount codes. While there are functional differences between these features, both can be used as an incentive for purchasing or to reward employees. You can track the redemptions via reporting.

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Gift cards

Gift cards can be used multiple times until the balance reaches zero. These are great for employee stores for reasons like anniversaries, birthdays, births, etc. 

• Gift cards are considered a form of payment, applied to the total order cost (including tax and shipping)
• Program admins can create unique gift card codes with or without a special naming convention
• An expiration date can listed, if needed 
• If the value of the gift card does not cover the entire order, it will prompt the user to put in credit card info.   
• Tax differences of a gift card vs a discount code: Here’s how a $50 discount or gift card will appear at checkout:
  • Discount code: $50 items - $50 discount = $0 subtotal + $0 tax = $0 paid  
  • Gift card: $50 items + $4.80 tax = $54.80 total - $50 gift card = $4.80 paid
• The remaining gift code amount will be shown at checkout, as well as the amount used towards the current order.  

  

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Discount Codes

These codes have a one-time use and can be issued either as a percentage off an order, a dollar amount off of an order, and/or enable free shipping. 

• Program admins can create the unique codes 
• An expiration date can be tied to a code
• 1 code can either have unlimited uses (for instance, issuing a discount code for free shipping to be used by multiple ppl.) OR, we can set a number of uses for 1 code if you want to restrict use.
• Discount codes are typically one-time use

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How to track redemptions

Using the Sales Report > Item Level Detail, you can see orders that have used a discount code or gift card. It will also show the order discount applied to tally the total discount amount. 

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Sales vs. Gift Cards

Portal sales are net of any refunds, gift cards, or discounts

• When sales are less than the total amount of gift cards redeemed, the difference will be added to your quarterly invoice as a balance due.
  • Example:  The total of gift cards redeemed is $23,775.65 but the actual sales were $21,832.27.  The amount owing is $1,943.38 ($23,775.65-$21,832.27).
  • Why?:  More gift cards were redeemed on the portal than actual sales