Run one small test purchase with a real payment method, redeem the code on a second order to confirm the balance drops, then cancel that second order and re-check the balance. Shopify applies gift card balances to the order total, including taxes and shipping, and the remaining balance stays usable on later orders. Cancellation refunds follow your store's refund settings, not a universal rule.
This guide is for independent retailers and small ecommerce teams on Shopify in the UK and US who want to verify gift card behaviour before a seasonal push. It does not cover tax treatment, which varies by jurisdiction and is not set by Shopify.
What does a Shopify gift card test actually verify?
A gift card test checks four things: that the product can be bought, that the code reaches the buyer, that the balance can be spent, and that the balance survives a cancellation. Each is a separate step with its own failure mode.
Before you start, create a gift card product in your Shopify admin. Shopify shows the gift card payment option at checkout only when there are active gift cards in your store, so an inactive or fully spent card will not appear as a payment choice. Official source
Step 1: Buy the gift card
Place a real order for the smallest gift card value you offer. Use a payment method you can refund, and use an email address you control. Do not use a staff discount that changes the total, because you want to see the plain checkout path.
Expected result: an order confirmation and a gift card email. If the email does not arrive, check spam and your Shopify notification settings before assuming the product is broken.
Step 2: Confirm delivery
Open the gift card email. You should see a unique code and the initial balance. Gift card codes are not case sensitive at checkout, so a customer typing lowercase is not a problem. Official source
If you want to test the recipient flow, Shopify lets you customise your theme so a customer can send a gift card to another recipient. That is a theme change, not a default setting, so test it separately from the core redemption path.
Step 3: Redeem part of the balance
Add a product to the cart that costs less than the gift card value, go to checkout, and enter the code. The balance should apply to the order total, which can include taxes and shipping. Official source
Expected result: the order total drops by the gift card amount, and the gift card balance drops by the same amount. A balance can be spent across more than one order as long as value remains. Official source
Step 4: Cancel the order and re-check
Cancel the second order in your admin. Then look at the gift card balance again. This is the step most teams skip, and it is where expectations diverge.
Shopify's redemption documentation describes how balances are applied and spent, but it does not state a single universal rule for how every cancellation restores a balance. Your refund settings, the order state, and whether the card was partially spent all matter. Treat the result you observe as your store's behaviour, and document it.
Hypothetical example: a £25 gift card is used on a £10 order. The balance shows £15. You cancel the order. Depending on your refund configuration, the card may return to £25, stay at £15, or require a manual adjustment. The exact figure is illustrative only; verify it in your own store.
How do gift cards interact with discounts, multiple cards and subscriptions?
These combinations are where test purchases usually fail.
- The official source does not state that gift cards can be used together with discount codes.
- Multiple gift cards can be used on a single order. Official source
- A gift card cannot be used to buy another gift card. Official source
- A gift card can be applied to the first payment on an order containing a subscription product, but not to recurring subscription payments. The customer must add an eligible payment method for future charges. Official source
If you sell subscriptions, run a separate test with a subscription product. Do not assume the one-off path proves the subscription path.
What changes with currency and in-person redemption?
Store currency gift cards can be redeemed in any currency through automatic currency conversion at checkout. Local currency gift cards can be redeemed only when the checkout currency matches the gift card currency, unless cross-currency redemption is turned on. Official source
This matters for UK and US stores selling cross-border. If you sell in GBP and USD, decide which currency your gift cards are issued in and test a checkout in the other currency.
If you have the Shopify POS sales channel, customers can also redeem gift cards in person. If you have the Shopify POS sales channel, customers can also redeem gift cards in person.
A reusable test worksheet
Copy this into your notes and fill it in per store:
- Gift card value tested:
- Payment method used:
- Delivery email received (yes/no):
- Code accepted at checkout (yes/no):
- Balance before redemption:
- Balance after partial redemption:
- Balance after cancellation:
- Discount code stacking tested (yes/no):
- Multiple cards tested (yes/no):
- Subscription first payment tested (yes/no):
- Currency of checkout vs currency of card:
- POS redemption tested (yes/no):
This worksheet turns a vague "gift cards work" claim into evidence you can show a colleague. It also gives you a rollback point if you later change theme or checkout settings. If you are planning a broader theme change, keep it separate from a launch using the approach in Rollouts Shopify: scheduling a theme test without confusing test and launch.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Testing with an inactive gift card. The checkout option appears only when active gift cards exist. Official source
- Assuming cancellation always restores the full balance. Verify per store.
- Testing only the one-off product path when you sell subscriptions.
- Ignoring currency. A local currency card may not redeem when the checkout currency differs.
- Forgetting that a gift card cannot buy another gift card.
If you are preparing a paid test alongside this, the product-readiness checklist in ChatGPT Ads in Shopify: which products to prepare before a first test is a useful companion.
Follow-up questions
Can a customer use a gift card and a discount code on the same order?
The official source confirms that multiple gift cards can be used on a single order, but it does not state that gift cards can be used together with discount codes.
Does cancelling an order always put the gift card balance back?
The official redemption guidance does not describe a single universal rule for cancelling a test order or refunding a gift card balance. The result can depend on your store settings and order state, so cancel a test order and record what your store actually does before you promise a customer anything.
