How to add gift cards to your Shopify plan during coronavirus

By MixDex Article may include affiliate links

As the coronavirus starts impacting the global economy, one common suggestion is to buy gift cards from small businesses to help them maintain cash flow during these challenging times (though this claim isn’t necessarily true).

If you run a Shopify store and want to start offering gift cards, note that you’ll need to upgrade to the “Shopify” plan that costs $79 per month (in the U.S.).

If you’re on “Basic Shopify” ($29 a month), you can’t use Shopify’s gift card feature.

For stores with physical locations that use Shopify’s POS app, gift cards bought online can also be redeemed in store (and vice versa).

Upgrading to the $79 plan could be a wise investment if you anticipate customers buying more gift cards than normal during this period. Though ecommerce has the advantage of being virtual and may not take as much of a hit, some online commerce sites are reporting delivery issues — plus there might be some loyal customers willing to buy gift cards now to use later to show their support.

It might be an especially wise move to add a gift card compatible plan if you have a brick and mortar location that’s closed or running below capacity.

You can use email marketing, digital marketing or social media to encourage users to buy gift cards now to help out.