Introduction
You can now set an expiration date for refund resolutions including Gift Cards, Discount Codes, and Store Credits. This feature helps you control how long refund resolutions remain valid, motivating customers to use them sooner and encouraging repeat purchases.
Access this feature
Navigate to /settings/policies in your application.
Feature Overview
Supported Refund Resolutions
You can now set an expiration date for the following resolutions:
- Gift Cards
- Discount Codes
- Store Credits
Benefits
This feature provides several advantages for your business:
- Control how long refund resolutions remain valid
- Motivate customers to use them sooner
- Encourage repeat purchases within a timeframe
- Greater flexibility in refund policies
- Improved revenue predictability
Where to Find This Setting
Configuration Locations
You can set expiration rules in two places:
- Default Settings – to define the behavior for all future refunds
- Individual Refund Orders – to adjust or override expiration for a specific refund
1. Set Expiration for All Future Refunds (Default Settings)
Configure Default Expiration Settings
You can configure default expiration settings for each refund type.
- 1Go to Settings → Refund to Gift Card (or Refund to Discount Code, or Refund to Store Credit)
- 2Find the "Set expiration date" option
- 3Toggle the setting ON or OFF based on your preference
How It Works
Understanding the expiration settings:
When "Set expiration date" is OFF
→ Refund codes never expire. (This is the current default behavior.)
When "Set expiration date" is ON
→ A new field appears: "Issued days after"
- 1Enter how many days the refund code should remain valid after being issued
- 2Example: If you enter 30, the refund code will automatically expire 30 days after it's created
2. Set Expiration for a Specific Refund Order
Review or Adjust Expiration
You can review or adjust expiration when processing a refund for a specific order.
- 1Go to Management → Select an Order
- 2Click Refund
- 3Choose refund type: Gift Card, Discount Code, or Store Credit
- 4Review the expiration settings
How It Works
The expiration settings are pre-filled but can be customized:
- 1The "Set expiration date" checkbox and value are automatically filled based on your default settings
- 2You can uncheck it → No expiration date will be applied
- 3You can check it → You can manually select or modify the expiration date using a date picker
Example
If your default setting is 30 days:
- 1The expiration date will auto-fill as 30 days after issue
- 2You can still change this date manually before finalizing the refund
- 3Use the date picker to select a different expiration date if needed
3. After the Refund Is Created
Order Timeline Display
Once the refund is issued, the Order Timeline will display the expiration details.
Customer Notification Email
The Customer Notification Email will include the expiration date.
- 1Example: Credit Details: Discount Code: REFUND352000 (expires at 2025-11-01) with Value: $97.97
Notes and Tips
Important Notes
Key information about the expiration feature:
- Expiration only applies to newly created refund codes after enabling this feature
- You can change or disable expiration anytime in your refund settings
- If a refund code expires, the customer will see it as invalid upon checkout
Key Features
Three Refund Types Supported
Set expiration for Gift Cards, Discount Codes, and Store Credits
Default Settings
Configure global expiration rules for all future refunds
Order-Specific Override
Customize expiration for individual refund orders as needed
Automatic Date Calculation
System automatically calculates expiration based on days after issue
Customer Notifications
Expiration dates included in customer notification emails
Timeline Tracking
Expiration details visible in order timeline for easy reference
Important Notes
Set Reasonable Timeframes
Choose expiration periods that give customers enough time to use their credits (30-90 days is common) while encouraging timely purchases.
Communicate Clearly
Make sure your refund policy clearly states that codes have expiration dates. This sets proper customer expectations.
Different Timeframes for Different Types
Consider setting different expiration periods for Gift Cards (longer, e.g., 90 days) vs Discount Codes (shorter, e.g., 30 days) based on their value and use.
Check Legal Requirements
Some regions have laws about gift card expiration dates. Verify compliance with local regulations before setting short expiration periods.
Monitor Redemption Rates
Track how expiration dates affect redemption rates. Adjust timeframes if too many codes expire unused.
Only Applies to New Codes
Remember that expiration only applies to newly created refund codes after enabling this feature. Previously issued codes are not affected.
Related Articles
Reserve stock on request
Automatically hold inventory when exchange requests are submitted
Return fee condition: Item quantity
Apply return fees based on the number of items being returned
Return/Exchange Fee
Set up and manage return/exchange fees based on return reason or refund resolution
Allow same-variant exchange at current price
Use current store pricing for same-variant exchanges instead of original price