Gift Cards

Feature: Gift Cards
Editions: Cloud

Fusion POS supports several functions enabling you to implement a gift card program. Gift cards can be traditional physical cards, or digital cards that integrate with the Fusion Shopping Cart mobile app.

a) Function Summary

The following is a summary of the functionality available with POS gift cards:

• Fusion POS Admin
  • Import printed cards, with physical codes and optional PINs
  • Adjust funds on any card
• Fusion Register
  • Add funds to printed card
  • Use funds from printed card
  • Add funds to digital card (scan Cart App)
  • Use funds from digital card (scan Cart App)
• External Systems
  • Import printed cards, with physical (and optional PIN) and external codes
  • Add funds to printed card
  • Use funds from printed card
  • Add funds to card with external code
  • Use funds from card with external code

b) Gift Card Codes

In Fusion POS, the simplest way to describe a gift card is that it is a dollar balance that can be represented (and accessed) multiple ways. These ways include physical access – e.g. through a physical, printed card – or electronic codes that are accessed in other ways.

Each type of access is made possible through gift card codes. Codes allow the same logical card to be accessed in a wide variety of scenarios.

A summary of when and how the codes are created and used is as follows:

Physical Code

A physical code is the number that is printed on a physical, printed card. The person that physically possesses the printed card has the ability to use and top-up the funds on the underlying gift card. Possession of the printed card implies that the person has the right to use it.

The process to create cards with physical codes is:

• The client designates a range of physical codes that they want printed.
• The client may optionally specify a PIN for each physical code (see below).
• The client sends the codes to a printer, along with instructions for the cards’ graphic layout.
• Upon receipt of the printed cards, and before sending them to stores, the client must import the codes into POS.
• Import creates Fusion gift cards, and assigns the physical codes (and optional PINs) to each card. The card has a $0 balance.

As the cards have a zero balance, they are not usable until they are topped up at a Register. The clerk:

• Selects the gift card type (i.e. the gift card SKU & definition, behind the scenes).
• Enters the gift card purchase amount.
• Scans the physical code to identify the gift card.
• Even if the card has a PIN, the clerk does not enter the PIN at this time.
  • PINs are only entered when a card’s funds are used.
  • This requirement ensures that a clerk can’t secretly record the PIN number to fraudently use the card’s funds later.

Upon tender, the funds are applied to the gift card. Once funds are available, the physical code can be used to access the funds on the gift card:

• The clerk typically verifies that the printed card appears to be valid (i.e. not counterfeit).
• The clerk scans the physical code on the printed card.
• If the card also has a PIN, the clerk enters the PIN.
• The register contacts POS to authorize funds on the gift card.
• After successful tender, the register captures the fund authorization.

PIN

A PIN is a number that is distributed on a printed gift card – accompanying a physical code – but is hidden from public view by a security sticker or opaque film.

A PIN provides additional security to physical card usage at register, and helps reduce certain fraud scenarios:

• Employee theft/fraud: without a PIN, it’s possible for a clerk to copy a printed card’s physical code and attempt to use it later. Clerks can’t copy PIN values as they are never shown in POS admin screens or at the register.
• Customer fraud: if a customer claims that they did not receive a printed card that was sent via mail to them, but it was used, the PIN provides evidence that either the mail was stolen or the customer is not telling the truth.

The import process and card usage at the register are described above as an option to physical codes.

Personal Code

A personal code is a digital code for a gift card that is generated on-demand by POS. A personal code is intended for usage by POS mobile apps only, and is directly tied to a POS member account. Outside of a QR code that can be scanned at the register – via the Cart App – the personal code is otherwise never displayed to customers or clerks.

POS creates personal codes when:

• A new card is created while redeeming loyalty points.
• A Physical Code and PIN is used by the member to tie an existing (printed) gift card to the member’s account.
• Optionally: when a member ID is provided during an import or API request.

Personal codes can be used at a register through the following process:

• The personal code is displayed in the customer’s Cart App as a QR code.
• The register clerk scans the QR Code.
• The register contacts POS to authorize funds on the gift card.
• After successful tender, the register captures the fund authorization.

External Code

An external code is generated, managed and used by an external system such as a third-party ecommerce integration.

The external system is entirely responsible for securing and distributing this code.

Topics

• Gift Cards
• Transactions
• Adjustments
• Settings
• Integrations