Shopify store credit lets stores issue monetary value to a customer’s profile through the Shopify admin or Shopify POS. Scenarios for issuing store credit include promotions, loyalty rewards, refunds, and exchanges.
Store credit keeps the value of a return or exchange with the business and gives the customer a reason to buy again. Every adjustment and redemption appears in the customer’s profile. Learn how store credit works on Shopify, how to issue it, and how customers redeem it.
What is store credit?
Store credit is a set monetary balance that a retailer gives a customer to use on a future purchase.
In Shopify, credit is linked to a customer’s profile. It’s separate from gift cards and discount codes, which may need to be entered by customers manually. Staff can issue credit through the Shopify admin or Shopify POS, including as a refund, with or without an expiration date.
Issuing store credit has a number of advantages:
- Customer-specific. The balance belongs to the customer profile that received it.
- Easy to manage. Staff can add or remove value and review transaction history from a customer’s profile.
- Refund option. Staff can issue store credit during a refund.
- Online and in-store use. Customers can redeem credit through Shopify POS or at online checkout after signing in with customer accounts or Shop Pay.
What are the benefits of using store credit?
Store credit gives customers a balance they can spend on a later purchase, and can provide a number of benefits.
Keep returned revenue in the business
The National Retail Federation (NRF) estimated that shoppers would return $849.9 billion in merchandise in 2025, including 19.3% of online sales and 15.8% of sales overall. A store credit refund keeps that value available for a later purchase with the same retailer.
Credit also satisfies customers’ value of speed. In the same NRF study, 76% of consumers said they’re more likely to choose a return option with an instant refund or exchange. Shopify POS staff can select Refund to store credit, and Shopify adds the amount to the customer’s balance.
Encourage another purchase
Store credit gives customers a reason to buy again. It can also reward repeat purchases or help resolve a service issue.
A meta-analysis of 71 papers published in the Journal of Retailing in 2024 found a small but significant association between cashless payment methods and higher consumer spending. Store credit results will vary by business, but an available balance can contribute to an order that exceeds the credit amount.
Track balances and transactions in Shopify
Shopify can record each customer’s store credit balance and transaction history in their profile. Staff with the right permissions can manage store credit and expiration dates.
Shopify has reports for store credit transactions and outstanding balances. Stores can track issued credit and redemptions, and see how much credit remains available.
How store credit works
Shopify store credit lets businesses issue and manage balances in the admin or POS system. Credit can be issued to online, in-store, and B2B customers. Here’s how the process works:
Apply store credit at checkout
Customers can apply store credit to purchases at checkout online when they’re signed in through customer accounts or Shop Pay, or in-store via Shopify POS. Store credit isn’t available with legacy customer accounts.
For B2B orders, customers can apply the shared balance for their company location when signed in.
Issue store credit directly from your Shopify admin
Staff members need the Store credit and Edit store credit permissions to issue credit from the Shopify admin:
- From the Shopify admin, go to Customers.
- Select the customer profile.
- In the Store credit section, click Edit.
- Under Adjustment, select Credit.
- Select a currency when applicable. Enter the credit amount.
- Choose No expiry date or Set expiry date.
- Click Review changes.
- Select Notify customer if desired.
- Click Credit.
When a customer has credits with different expiration dates, Shopify uses the credit that expires first. Each transaction appears in the customer timeline.
For B2B, go to Customers > Companies and select the company location.
In Shopify POS, staff can open the customer’s profile, select Store credit under Wallets, add an amount, and set an optional expiration date.
Refund orders to store credit
You can refund eligible orders to store credit from the order’s refund flow. You can also refund to store credit even if the customer used a different payment method, or split the amount.
Store credit on Shopify POS
Activate store credit online before enabling it as a payment method on Shopify POS. Staff with the right permissions can view balances and issue credit from customer profiles, including in person.
Credit issued online can be redeemed in store. Credit issued through Shopify POS may also be available online.
Track and analyze store credit
Authorized staff can select the Store credit balance in a customer’s profile to view the current balance and transaction history. Shopify can also display credit with an upcoming expiration date.
The Store credit transactions report displays activity across all customers. The Outstanding store credit balance report shows the total balance over time.
Tips to get the most out of store credit
Store credit can reward customer actions and create a reason to shop again. The tips below cover creative ways to issue credit and Shopify tools for reminding customers to use their balance.
Get creative with store credit
Store credit can reward an action customers already value. At an NYC Marathon pop-up, Endorphins Running let runners earn up to $60 in credit by matching a target pace on a treadmill. The activation drew 646 participants. Of the treadmill sessions, 67% led to an immediate purchase and 94% of participants were new to the brand’s Shopify store.
Culture Kings used a Black Friday free-throw game to award store credit to high-value customers. Staff scanned mobile wallet passes in Shopify POS to apply the credit at checkout. The event attracted 100 participants and issued more than $1,000 in credit.
Find apps to manage loyalty and referral programs that issue store credit in the Shopify App Store.
Create marketing campaigns around store credit
Use Shopify customer segments to group customers by credit balance, expiration date, or last credit date. Send personalized marketing messages through Shopify Messaging to customers in each group, such as a reminder their balance will expire in the next seven days.
Shopify store credit FAQ
What is store credit on Shopify?
Store credit on Shopify is a monetary balance issued to a customer account. Stores can add it through the Shopify admin or Shopify POS as a refund, reward, or goodwill gesture. Customers can use the balance online, in Shop, or at a retail location.
How does store credit work on Shopify?
Staff select a customer profile, enter the credit amount, and choose an optional expiration date. Customers can redeem their credit at checkout. Shopify updates the balance and records each transaction in the customer profile.
How do customers redeem store credit?
Online, customers sign in through customer accounts or Shop Pay and can apply store credit at checkout. In store, staff add the customer to the Shopify POS cart and tap Apply store credit from the customer details section.
Can you refund an order to store credit?
Yes. Staff with the required permissions can select store credit as the refund method in the Shopify admin or Shopify POS. The refund can go entirely to store credit or be split with the original payment method. Shopify adds the credit to the customer’s profile.
Does store credit expire?
Store credit can be issued with or without an expiration date. When a date is set, the credit expires at the end of that day in the store’s time zone. Shopify applies the balance with the earliest expiration date first.
