Give store credit without a gift card code.

For years, "store credit" on Shopify meant emailing a gift card code. Shopify now has native store credit: a balance on the customer's account that shows up at checkout when they sign in. It's quicker to issue, impossible to lose in an inbox, and refunds can go straight to it.

How it works

Store credit belongs to a customer account, so it only works where the customer can sign in.

• Your store needs new customer accounts, with sign-in set to customer accounts. It isn't available for legacy customer accounts. See Shopify customer accounts.
• It's on by default. The switch is the Store credit toggle under Settings > Customer accounts.
• Customers spend it on your online store, Point of Sale and Shop. It can't pay for draft orders, edited orders or recurring subscription bills.
• At checkout, a signed-in customer selects Apply store credit in the Payments section. The full amount applies; they can't pick part of it.
• When credits have different expiry dates, the one that expires first is used first.
• For stores created on or after May 12, 2025, orders paid with store credit carry third-party transaction fees on that amount.

Issue store credit

Use this for goodwill: a late parcel, a missing freebie, an apology.

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Customers and click the customer.
2. In the Store credit section, click Edit. If an Adjustment field shows, select Credit.
3. Enter the Amount, and pick a currency if you sell in several.
4. Optional: set an Expiration date.
5. Optional: select Notify customer to send them an email.
6. Optional: click Add note to record why. Staff see it; the customer doesn't.
7. Click Issue credit, or Adjust credit if the customer already has a store credit account.

Staff need the Store credit and Edit store credit permissions.

Refund to store credit

Store credit works on full refunds, partial refunds, returned items and canceled orders.

1. Open the order in Orders and click Refund.
2. In the Refund method menu, choose Store credit, or Original payment & store credit to split it.
3. In the Refund amount section, click the icon to choose whether the credit expires.
4. Click Refund.

If the customer changes their mind and wants the money back on their card, you can over-refund to the original payment method from the same screen by clicking the lock icon next to Total available to refund. It doesn't reverse the credit already issued, and staff need a separate over-refund permission. To debit a balance, use Store credit > Edit and choose Debit.

Store credit vs gift cards

Both are a balance to spend later. The difference is where the balance lives.

• Store credit sits on the customer account. There's no code to forward or lose, refunds can go straight to it, and you see every transaction on the customer profile. The customer has to sign in, or use Shop Pay, to spend it.
• Gift cards are codes. You create one under Products > Gift cards > Create gift card, up to $2,000 USD, and email or text it. Depending on your region's laws, you may not be allowed to put an expiry date on one.

Use a gift card when your store still runs legacy customer accounts, where store credit isn't available. Otherwise store credit is the cleaner refund alternative.

Offer it before a refund

Store credit keeps the sale in your store, but only if it's offered as a choice. Offer it once, with a reason to take it, and refund straight away if the customer says no.

I can refund the $36.00 to your card, which takes a few business days, or add $36.00 in store credit to your account right now. To use it, sign in at checkout with the email on your order. Which would you prefer?

Keep the wording in your store credit instead of refund reply, and say in your return policy whether exchanges and refunds can go to credit. Exchanges are covered in how to do an exchange on Shopify.

Where Aide helps

The Aide AI Agent answers refund requests in chat on your store, by email, and inside Zendesk, Gorgias and Front, with each customer's orders, totals and refunded amounts beside the conversation. Write an Instruction such as "Offer store credit before a refund" and it holds in every conversation, so the offer is made the same way at 3am as at noon.

When the customer still wants their money back, refunds Aide offers wait for a teammate to approve them by default, and each one is capped at what the order can still refund, counting earlier refunds and store credit. Your team issues the store credit itself in Shopify. More on Shopify refunds with approval.