Shopify gift cards are a proven revenue tool — customers who receive gift cards spend 20-40% more than the card value on average, and unredeemed balances (breakage) represent pure revenue. Gift cards also drive new customer acquisition when recipients buy from your store for the first time. This guide shows you how to create, sell, and manage gift cards on Shopify.
How Shopify Gift Cards Work
Shopify gift cards are stored-value instruments. When a customer purchases a gift card, they receive a unique code (via email or printable PDF) that can be applied at checkout to reduce the order total. Gift cards never expire (in most jurisdictions), can be used in partial amounts across multiple purchases, and have a remaining balance that shows at checkout.
Are Gift Cards Available on All Shopify Plans?
Yes. Shopify gift cards are available on all paid plans including Basic Shopify ($39/month) and above. They are not available on the Starter plan. Gift cards are built into Shopify’s native functionality — no app required to create and sell them.
How to Create Gift Cards on Shopify: Step by Step
Step 1: Enable Gift Cards in Your Store
Gift cards are enabled by default on all eligible Shopify plans. To confirm, go to Shopify admin → Products → Gift cards. If you see the Gift cards section, you’re ready to proceed. If not, verify you’re on a paid plan and not the Starter tier.
Step 2: Create a Gift Card Product
Go to Products → Gift cards → Add gift card product. Enter a product title (e.g., “Store Gift Card” or “[Brand Name] Gift Card”). Add a description — explain how the gift card works: “Delivered by email instantly. Can be used for any purchase in our store. Never expires.”
Step 3: Set Denominations
Add denominations as variants. Standard denominations work for most stores: $10, $25, $50, $100, $250. Consider your average order value when setting denominations — offer one option slightly above your AOV to encourage full gift card redemption in one purchase. For higher-priced stores, include $200 and $500 options.
Step 4: Design the Gift Card
Upload a gift card image that matches your brand. This image appears in the email the recipient receives. Use your brand colors and a visually appealing design. If you offer physical gift cards, create a separate product image for the physical card design.
Step 5: Configure Gift Card Email
Go to Settings → Notifications → Gift card created. Customize the email template that recipients receive with their gift card code. Include: your logo, a warm message, the gift card code prominently, the card value, redemption instructions (“Enter this code at checkout”), and your store URL. Make this email feel like an actual gift presentation, not a transactional receipt.
Step 6: Add Gift Cards to Navigation
Make gift cards discoverable. Add them to your navigation menu — “Gift Cards” in your main menu, especially in Q4 (October-December). Also link to your gift card page from your homepage footer and from a holiday gift guide blog post. Gift cards often have their highest search demand in November and December.
Step 7: Issue Gift Cards Manually (Optional)
Beyond selling gift cards, Shopify lets you issue gift cards manually — useful for customer service resolutions (replacing damaged orders), loyalty rewards, influencer gifting, and employee benefits. Go to Products → Gift cards → Issue gift card. Enter an amount, expiration (or leave blank for no expiry), and the recipient’s email. The recipient receives the gift card email immediately.
Digital vs Physical Shopify Gift Cards
Most Shopify gift cards are digital — purchased online and delivered by email. Physical gift cards require either: a third-party gift card printing service, Point of Sale (Shopify POS) with physical gift card hardware, or a specialized gift card app. For purely online stores, digital gift cards are sufficient and much simpler to manage.
Third-Party Gift Card Apps
Shopify’s native gift cards are functional but basic. For advanced gift card features, consider these apps:
- Rise.ai — gift cards plus store credit management, automated gift card campaigns, and gift card-based loyalty. Excellent for stores that want to use store credit as a retention tool alongside traditional gift cards. Plans from $19.99/month.
- Govalo — premium gift card experience with custom design, instant delivery, gift messaging, scheduling (send on a future date), and reminder emails. Best for stores where gift card presentation is brand-critical. Plans from $29/month.
Gift Card Marketing Strategies
- Holiday campaigns: “Give the gift of [Brand]” campaigns for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and the December holidays. Gift cards perform best when positioned as a thoughtful gift option, not a last resort.
- Promotional bundles: “Spend $150, receive a $20 gift card” — increases AOV while giving customers something to return for.
- Last-minute gift messaging: Market digital gift cards explicitly as instant delivery options: “Forgot a gift? Send a gift card in 60 seconds.”
- Employee/corporate gift cards: Reach out to local businesses for bulk gift card orders as employee gifts or client appreciation. B2B gift card sales are high-value, lower-effort transactions.
FAQ: Shopify Gift Cards
How do I sell gift cards on Shopify?
Go to Products → Gift cards → Add gift card product. Set your denominations, upload a design image, and publish the product. It appears in your store like any other product and can be added to cart and purchased. Recipients receive their gift card code by email automatically after purchase.
Do Shopify gift cards expire?
By default, Shopify gift cards have no expiration date. When creating or issuing a gift card, you can optionally set an expiration date. In many countries (including all US states), gift cards cannot legally expire within 5 years of purchase — check your local regulations before setting expiration dates.
Can customers use a partial gift card balance on Shopify?
Yes. If a gift card has $50 remaining and the order total is $35, the $15 balance stays on the card for future use. If the order total exceeds the gift card balance, customers pay the difference with another payment method at checkout. Shopify handles the split payment automatically.
Can I issue gift cards for free on Shopify?
Yes. You can issue gift cards manually from Products → Gift cards → Issue gift card with any amount, at no cost beyond the card value. This is useful for resolving customer complaints, rewarding loyal customers, or running promotions where you want to give store credit.
Do Shopify gift cards work with discount codes?
Gift cards and discount codes can generally be used together at checkout unless you’ve restricted this in your discount code settings. A customer can apply a gift card code and a percentage discount code simultaneously. The discount applies first, then the gift card covers the remaining balance.
Final Thoughts
Gift cards are underutilized by most Shopify stores. They’re easy to set up, require no app for basic functionality, and provide multiple revenue benefits: upfront revenue at the time of purchase, average order value uplift when customers spend beyond the gift card value, and new customer acquisition when recipients are first-time visitors. Set up your gift card product today and promote it in your Q4 marketing campaigns — it’s one of the easiest incremental revenue opportunities available.
