Gift cards and store credit solve different customer jobs. A gift card is usually purchased or issued for later spending; store credit often compensates an existing customer. A new store build should define both flows before checkout and refund rules are finalized.
Decision framework
| Decision | Practical check |
|---|---|
| Separate origins | Record whether value comes from a purchase, promotion, refund or goodwill adjustment. |
| Map balances | Decide where issuance, redemption, expiry and reversals appear in the customer account. |
| Test combinations | Try partial redemption with a second payment method, returns and abandoned checkout. |
| Confirm controls | Review fraud, customer support, accounting and UAE legal or tax treatment with the relevant specialists. |
How to use the result
Keep a ledger of why stored value exists and what happens at redemption. A gift card sold for cash, a promotional voucher and a refund credit may need different accounting and support treatment. The product team should approve the customer journey, while finance and legal specialists confirm the policy. Test the complete balance history in the real checkout configuration.
Worked example
Illustrative fashion store: a customer buys a AED 200 gift card, spends AED 120 and later returns one purchased item. The implementation brief must state whether the remaining balance is AED 80, how the return is credited and what the customer sees in email and account history.
What can change the decision
Do not copy another market’s expiry or tax rules into a UAE store. Platform availability and features can differ by plan and configuration.
Review checklist
Use a small test matrix: issue, redeem partly, redeem fully, refund a purchase made with stored value and attempt an invalid code. Reconcile the customer balance and finance record after each step.
Common question
Can store credit replace refunds?
Only where your policy, applicable law and customer agreement support it. Agree the policy before building the workflow.
Next useful step
Put stored-value flows into the release scope and test plan: Planning an Ecommerce Minimum Viable Release Without Dead Ends. For help applying this to a live UAE business, see Megvi’s ecommerce website service. Bring the existing store or campaign record and the decision you want to make.
Platform reference: Shopify Help Center: Gift cards considerations and overview, checked 24 October 2026. Features and interface labels can change; check the current account before implementation.
The worked example is illustrative, not a claimed Megvi client result.
Ahmed Elneil
https://megvidigital.comAhmed Elneil is a certified digital marketer and entrepreneur with over 5 years of experience helping brands grow through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), paid advertising, and CRM automation.