Gift Card and Store Credit at the POS

Gift cards and store credits are accepted as payment methods at the AccuArk Point of Sale. From the cashier's perspective, both work the same way — enter the card number, verify the PIN if required, and the system deducts the payment from the card's balance. This guide covers every step of the process, from selecting the payment method to handling partial payments and issuing store credit on refunds.

Using a Gift Card as Payment

To pay for a sale using a gift card, follow these steps during the checkout process:

Step 1: Open the Payment Screen

After all items have been added to the invoice, click Pay or press the payment shortcut key to open the payment screen. The payment screen shows the invoice total and the available payment methods.

Step 2: Select Gift Card as the Payment Method

Click the Gift Card button in the payment method panel. This opens the gift card payment entry form.

Step 3: Enter the Card Number

Type the gift card number into the card number field, or scan the card's barcode using the POS barcode scanner. If the card has a magnetic stripe, swiping it will also populate the field automatically.

The system immediately looks up the card and displays a brief status summary:

• Card found / not found — Whether the card number exists in the system
• Active / inactive — Whether the card is currently active
• Current balance — The amount available on the card

Step 4: PIN Entry

If the gift card has a PIN set, the system prompts for the PIN before proceeding:

• A PIN entry field appears on the screen.
• The cardholder (or the cashier, if the customer provides the PIN verbally) enters the numeric PIN.
• If the PIN matches, the system proceeds to apply the payment.
• If the PIN does not match, the system displays an error message and the payment is not processed. The cashier can retry the PIN or cancel the gift card payment.

Cards without a PIN skip this step entirely and proceed directly to payment.

Step 5: Apply the Payment

Once the card is validated (and PIN verified, if applicable), click Apply or press Enter to apply the gift card payment to the invoice.

Balance Display During Payment

Throughout the gift card payment process, the current balance is displayed prominently so the cashier knows exactly how much is available on the card. This is shown:

• Before applying — The balance appears next to the card status when the card number is entered, so the cashier can see whether the card has enough funds to cover the full invoice amount.
• After applying — Once the payment is applied, the remaining balance after deduction is displayed. For example, if a $50 card is used to pay a $35 invoice, the remaining balance of $15.00 is shown.

The cashier should communicate the remaining balance to the customer so they know how much is left on their card for future purchases.

Partial Payments

If the gift card balance is less than the invoice total, the gift card covers as much of the invoice as it can, and the remaining amount must be paid with another method:

1. The system applies the full gift card balance as a partial payment. For example, if the invoice is $75.00 and the gift card has a $30.00 balance, the system deducts $30.00 from the card and reduces the remaining due amount to $45.00.
2. The gift card balance becomes $0.00 after the partial payment.
3. The payment screen shows the remaining balance due and prompts the cashier to select another payment method for the remainder.
4. The cashier can complete the rest of the payment with cash, credit card, debit card, another gift card, or any other available payment method.
5. Multiple payment methods can be combined on a single invoice. For example, a customer could pay $30 with a gift card, $20 with cash, and $25 with a credit card to cover a $75 invoice.

The invoice receipt will show each payment method and its amount as separate lines in the payment section.

Store Credit on Refunds

When processing a return, the cashier has the option to issue the refund as store credit instead of returning the funds to the original payment method:

1. Process the return as normal — select the items being returned and confirm the return quantities.
2. On the refund payment screen, select Store Credit as the refund method.
3. AccuArk automatically creates a new gift card with the refund amount loaded as the initial balance.
4. The new store credit card's number is displayed on screen and printed on the refund receipt so the customer can use it for future purchases.
5. The store credit card is tagged with the Store Credit type in the system, distinguishing it from purchased gift cards in reports.

Store credit is useful when your business policy does not allow cash refunds, or when the customer prefers to keep the funds on account for a future visit.

Store Credit Usage

Store credit cards work exactly like gift cards at the Point of Sale. There is no difference in the payment workflow:

• The cashier selects Gift Card as the payment method.
• The store credit card number is entered (typed, scanned, or swiped).
• The system validates the card, checks the PIN if set, and applies the payment.
• Partial payments and balance display work identically to regular gift cards.

The only distinction between a store credit card and a regular gift card is the card type label in the back-office management system and reports. At the register, they are interchangeable.

Handling Common Scenarios

Customer Wants to Check Balance Only

If a customer asks about their gift card balance without making a purchase, the cashier can:

1. Open the Gift Card payment form from the payment screen (even with an empty invoice, or from a quick-action button if available).
2. Enter the card number.
3. The current balance is displayed without any payment being processed.
4. Cancel out of the form without applying a payment.

Card Is Declined

If the gift card is rejected (inactive, expired, wrong PIN, zero balance, or invalid at the current location), the system displays a specific error message. The cashier should:

1. Communicate the reason to the customer.
2. Offer an alternative payment method.
3. If the customer believes the rejection is an error, a manager can look up the card in the Gift Card management screen to investigate.

Multiple Gift Cards on One Invoice

A customer can use more than one gift card on a single invoice:

1. Apply the first gift card as described above.
2. If a balance remains on the invoice, select Gift Card again as the payment method.
3. Enter the second gift card number and apply it.
4. Repeat as needed until the invoice is fully paid or the customer switches to another payment method for the remainder.

Tips for Cashiers

• Always announce the remaining balance — After applying a gift card payment, tell the customer their remaining card balance. This is a courtesy that customers appreciate and it reduces follow-up inquiries.
• Scan when possible — Scanning a gift card barcode is faster and eliminates typing errors. Encourage customers to bring the card rather than reciting the number from memory.
• Handle PINs discreetly — If the customer provides a PIN verbally, enter it promptly and do not repeat it aloud. For customer-facing displays, let the customer enter the PIN themselves.
• Offer store credit proactively on refunds — When processing a return, let the customer know that store credit is an option. Some customers prefer it because they plan to shop again soon.