Gift cards and certificates: make one to print for a raffle, an auction or a gift

A gift certificate is a printed page with a dollar amount, your shop name and logo, a QR code and a gift card number. You can make one yourself for a raffle basket, a school auction or a thank-you. Shoppers can also buy a gift card from your shop page during the holidays. It prints as the same kind of certificate.

To use a gift card or certificate, the person types its number in the Gift card box when they order from your shop. The amount comes off their order automatically.

Make a certificate for a raffle or an auction

1. 1
   Click Gift cards in the menu on the left.
2. 2
   Under Make a gift certificate, pick an amount ($25, $50, $75 or $100), or type your own amount in whole dollars from $10 to $500.
3. 3
   Leave Who it's for empty if you don't know who will win. The certificate prints a line to write the winner's name on. If the certificate is a gift for one person, type their name.
4. 4
   From starts as your shop name. Change it if the certificate should say something else.
5. 5
   In What it's for you can type a line like "Donated to the Lincoln School auction". It prints on the certificate and shows in your list. You can leave it empty.
6. 6
   Click "Make it and open it to print". The certificate opens.

Print it so it looks good

Full page fills one sheet of letter paper turned sideways. It fits an 8.5 x 11 frame or a document folder for a raffle or auction table. Card size is 7 x 5 with a dotted line to cut along. It fits inside a greeting card or an A7 envelope.

White matte cardstock looks best. Use 65 lb for most home printers, or 80 to 110 lb if yours takes thick paper.

1. 1
   On the certificate's page, pick Full page or Card size, 7 x 5.
2. 2
   Click "Print this gift certificate".
3. 3
   In the print window, set Layout to Landscape for the full page, or Portrait for the card size. Set Paper size to Letter.
4. 4
   Open More settings. Set Scale to 100 or Actual size, and set Margins to None.
5. 5
   Check Background graphics so the colors print, and uncheck Headers and footers.
6. 6
   If you don't have a printer, change the printer to Save as PDF in the print window. A copy shop or an office supply store's print counter can print the file.

What the winner does

They scan the QR code on the certificate with their phone camera. It opens a page that shows the certificate, how much is left on it, and a button to order from your shop. They can also go to the shop address printed on the certificate.

On your order form they type the gift card number in the Gift card box. If the certificate covers the whole price, the order is marked paid. If the piece costs more, they pay the rest the way your other customers pay. If it costs less, the rest stays on the certificate for their next order. A certificate doesn't expire.

If they put more than one piece in their cart, they type the number in the cart's Gift card box. If they already typed the number on the order form, it's filled in for them in the cart. The certificate pays for one piece at a time until the balance runs out.

See what is left on every gift card

The Gift cards page lists every gift card a person could be holding: the certificates you made and the gift cards shoppers bought. Each row shows the amount, the gift card number, who it was for, and how much is left. Click "Open and print" on any row to open its certificate again.

If you take cards when someone orders, a customer can pay part of an order with a gift card and the rest by card. Until they pay, the Gift cards page shows the gift card as waiting for the customer's card payment. If they leave without paying, the money goes back on the gift card within 30 minutes.

To cancel a certificate you made, click "Turn it off" on its row. Nobody can use it on an order after that. You can't turn it back on. To cancel a gift card a shopper paid for, refund its order.

Sell gift cards on your shop page

During the holidays your shop page can sell gift cards from its holiday banner. Shoppers pay by card through Stripe and get the certificate by email to print. To turn that on, open Production and check Sell gift cards on my shop in the Holiday planner. The Christmas cutoff and waitlist guide has the details.