Perksmith · points wallet credit and gift cards
Points, credit or gift cards: what should you offer?
Start with the promise you want to make. Points recognize participation under your program’s rules. Wallet credit gives the customer a balance stated in money with specified uses. A gift card holds value for a gifting or purchase journey under its own terms.
Customers can hold all three. Keep them distinct so staff can explain what each balance means and where it can be used.
Explain what each balance is for.
Points need an earning rule and a spending rule. “300 points” means little until the customer knows what those points can buy and when they qualify. Explain the conversion and restrictions, and decide whether points also count toward reward levels, called tiers, or other participation goals.
Wallet credit needs a source and spending conditions. Purchased value, a promotional credit and a refund credit may have different rights and restrictions. Tell the customer where the credit came from and what they can do with it. Do not assume every credit can be withdrawn as cash.
Gift cards need a clear route from purchase to recipient to use at checkout. Explain who can use the card, where it works and how to check the remaining value. Include the help available if the recipient cannot use it.
Put the three balances beside one bill.
A customer has 300 points, ₹200 of promotional wallet credit and a ₹500 gift card. Those are three separate records. The points require the merchant's conversion rule; the credit requires its spending conditions; the gift card carries its own spending terms.
Before applying them to a ₹900 purchase, the merchant must define which balances can be used together, which items qualify and the order in which value is applied. The numbers illustrate the decision. They do not describe a Perksmith default or a customer result.
Write the refund rule before you need it.
Decide what a cancelled or refunded purchase means for earned points, redeemed points, promotional credit and gift-card value. The appropriate action depends on the original transaction and applicable rules. Preserve a clear record of the original effect and its reversal rather than hiding the change in a single edited balance.
Separate reward spending from outstanding obligations in reporting. An unused balance and a reward already used answer different business questions.
Make the rule easy to repeat.
Define the source of value, earning or funding rules, permitted uses, conversion where relevant, combination rules, expiry, refund handling and customer-support path. Check the terms for your jurisdiction and the actual product setup. Staff and customers should be able to explain the same rule.
Common questions.
Are points the same as money?
Their value follows the program's conversion and spending rules. A points total alone does not establish a cash entitlement.
Can a customer cash out wallet credit or a gift card?
Do not assume so. The funding source, applicable terms and legal requirements determine the permitted action.
Which should I choose?
Start with the purpose: recognition and participation, credit stated in money, or gifting. Then test the purchase and refund journey.
Everyday sales. Lasting relationships.