How to Add Gift Cards to Shopify

Gift cards are one of the easiest products to add to a store. There's no inventory, no shipping and no sizing problems, and they bring in new customers when the recipient comes to spend them. Here's how to set them up properly.

Step 1: Create a gift card product

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Products > Gift cards.
2. Click Add gift card product (or "Sell gift cards" if it's your first).
3. Add a title like "Gift Card" or "[Brand] E-Gift Card."
4. Write a short description: what it can be used for, how it's delivered and whether it expires.
5. Upload an image that looks giftable. A branded card design works better than a plain logo.
6. Set denominations. Shopify creates these as variants, such as $25, $50, $100 and $200.
7. Make sure the product is published to your Online Store channel.
8. Save.

Picking denominations

Look at your average order value. If it's $60, offer $25, $50, $75 and $100 so a gift card covers a typical purchase. A very high top tier rarely sells, but one slightly above your AOV encourages the recipient to spend a little more.

Step 2: Set gift card settings

Go to Settings > Gift cards (the exact location can vary as Shopify updates the admin). Here you can:

• Choose whether gift cards expire and after how long. Many regions restrict expiry, so check local consumer law before turning it on.
• Customize the gift card email and the gift card page template the customer sees.

You'll find the notification template under Settings > Notifications too, where you can add your logo and change the wording.

Step 3: Let customers send it as a gift

By default, the buyer receives the gift card email and forwards it. Shopify's checkout supports sending a gift card directly to a recipient with a message on many stores, and gift card apps add features like:

• Scheduled delivery on a birthday
• Printable PDF cards
• Custom amounts
• Group gifting

Start with the built-in feature and add an app only if customers ask for something it can't do.

Step 4: Promote it

Gift cards sell when people see them at the right time.

• Navigation: Add "Gift Cards" to your main menu in November and December. See how to add a drop-down menu.
• Shipping cutoff emails: When it's too late for physical delivery, gift cards save the sale. Send an email the day after your last shipping date.
• Cart page: A small "Not sure what to get? Send a gift card" link catches undecided shoppers.
• Corporate gifting: Businesses buy gift cards in bulk for staff and clients. A simple contact form can bring in larger orders.

Issuing gift cards manually

You can also create gift cards without a purchase:

1. Go to Products > Gift cards.
2. Click Issue gift card (or "Create gift card").
3. Set the value, optional expiry and assign it to a customer.
4. Save and send.

This is useful for store credit refunds, apology gestures after a shipping problem and giveaway prizes. Store credit keeps the revenue in your business, unlike a cash refund.

Accounting note

A gift card sale isn't revenue until it's redeemed. It's a liability on your books. Most accountants want gift card sales tracked separately from product sales, and Shopify's finance reports show gift card sales and redemptions. Ask your accountant how to handle unredeemed balances, since rules differ by country and state.

For more detail on how customers redeem codes and what happens to remaining balances, read how Shopify gift cards work. And if you're planning a holiday push, our Shopify marketing strategies help you get gift cards in front of the right people.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an app to sell gift cards on Shopify?

No. Gift card products are built into Shopify. Apps add extras like scheduled delivery, custom amounts or group gifting.

Can I issue a gift card for free, for example as a refund?

Yes. From Products > Gift cards you can issue a gift card manually to a customer without them buying one.

Do Shopify gift cards expire?

You choose whether gift cards expire, but local laws often limit or prohibit expiry dates, so check the rules where your customers are.

Sources and further reading

• help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/gift-card-products
• help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/gift-card-products/manage-gift-cards

Platform features, prices and policies change. Check the official help pages linked above before you act on a detail that matters to your store.