If you run an online store, you’re probably familiar with the concept of store credit. It’s essentially a virtual currency that customers can use to make purchases on your site. There are a few reasons you might offer store credit. It can be a way to reward loyal customers, issue refunds without having to process a payment reversal, or even promote sales by offering credit instead of a straight discount.
But how do you actually manage store credit in WooCommerce? In this article, we’ll walk you through the steps.
Table of Contents
Step 1: Install a Store Credit Plugin
First and foremost, you’ll likely want to install a plugin to help you manage store credit in WooCommerce. This will make things much easier than trying to keep track of credits manually.
There are several plugins available, such as:
- YITH WooCommerce Points and Rewards
- Store Credit for WooCommerce
- WooCommerce Store Credit
Do some research to find the one that best meets your needs and budget.
Step 2: Configure the Plugin Settings
Once you’ve chosen and installed a plugin, you’ll need to configure its settings. This will likely involve:
- Setting up the value of store credit. How much is each credit worth? Will you offer different values for different actions (e.g. a referral bonus versus a purchase reward)?
- Deciding when and how credits are given. Will they be automatically awarded for certain actions (such as making a purchase), or will you manually add them to customer accounts?
- Choosing whether to cap the amount of credit a customer can earn or hold at one time.
- Customizing how credits are displayed on your site (e.g. as a dollar value or a number of points).
Make sure you test out the functionality of your plugin settings thoroughly before offering store credit to customers.
Step 3: Set Up Terms and Conditions
It’s important to establish clear terms and conditions for your store credit program. This will help prevent confusion and disputes later on. Consider outlining:
- How store credit can be earned (e.g. by making a purchase, referring a friend, leaving a review, etc.).
- When store credit will be awarded, and whether there are any restrictions (e.g. must spend a minimum amount to redeem).
- Whether store credit can be transferred or used in combination with other discounts.
- How store credit is redeemed (e.g. automatically at checkout or by entering a coupon code).
- The expiry date of store credit.
You may also want to consult a legal professional to ensure your terms and conditions are compliant with relevant laws and regulations.
Step 4: Manage Store Credit Balances
Once customers start earning store credit, you’ll need to keep track of their balances. The plugin you installed in Step 1 should make this relatively easy; typically, you’ll be able to see a customer’s balance on their account page in your WooCommerce dashboard.
If a customer contacts you asking about their store credit balance, double-check to ensure the balance is accurate before letting them know.
Step 5: Process Store Credit Redemptions
When a customer wants to use store credit to make a purchase, they may be able to do so automatically at checkout (depending on your plugin settings). Alternatively, they may need to enter a coupon code or manually select to use their store credit balance.
Make sure your plugin is correctly deducting the appropriate amount of store credit from the customer’s balance. Keep in mind that you may need to manually adjust the balance if an order is cancelled or refunded.
Conclusion
Managing store credit in WooCommerce can be a great way to incentivize purchases and reward loyal customers. By following the steps outlined above, you can set up a store credit program that’s beneficial for both you and your customers – without adding too much extra administrative work to your plate.