Gift Cards
In this page you will find all the knowledge you'll need about our Gift Cards
Solution Overview
Appfront platform has 2 options for implementing Gift Card.
E-Gift card ONLY
Implementation for Online and Mobile App only, meaning customers can buy and use the gift card only online (with no physical and in-store presence)
This option is available for online use only - i.e. via Appfront's mobile Apps and/or Appfront's online ordering solution. This option will NOT be available for redemption in-store and can't use Physical gift cards. The solution is provided fully by Appfront.
Physical AND E-Gift
An end to end gift card solution - all options are available!
Buy Online - use online (same as before)
Buy Online - use in Store
Buy In-store - use Online
Basically allowing you to link and physical card with your Mobile App and Online ordering.
For the end-to end Solution - Appfront partnered with the leading Gift Card provider in the US - Valutec (Worldpay company).
Digital Customer Facing
The customer experience on digital is on both on Appfront's Native Mobile Apps along side the online ordering platfrom. In this section, we cover the experience from the buyer and recipient points of view separately.
Buyer Experience
The buyer experience is composed of the following (images will follow):
Online Ordering Home Page:
Send a Gift Card / Check Balance:
Confirmation Page:
Email Receipt:
Recipient Experience
Once the gift card has been purchased, the recipient's experience is composed of the following:
SMS Notification instructing the recipient to check email:
Personalized Gift Card email: with content and gift card number + PIN code
Redemption Process
Customers can easily redeem their gift on the check out page - both on Mobile and Online ordering. The balance will be available for usage automatically:
Check out page - use balance
Link Gift Card to your account
There are 2 options to link you card - during the checkout process, or under the customer's profile page
Checkout linkage:
Under the customer's profile:
Check balances
Customer can check on the check out page and/or under their profile
End to End Solution with Valutec
In-Store Redemption
This should be the same experience you are used to. See below - for further information, please connect Valutec.
Click Gift card
Swipe / enter gift card number:
Check / use balance:
Sending E-Gift card via POS
Setup your e-Gift card in your POS
Create an e-Gift Card item on your menu, make sure to mark it as deferred and without tax. Make this item visible to both POS and Partners / Toast (whichever Appfront is pulling from), publish the menu.
Once the item appears in the Appfront portal (under Configure > Menu), be sure to hide its category (by clicking on the hidden eye):
Now go into Configure > Applications > Gift Card and choose the e-Gift card item from the menu:
Sending $20 gift card
Sending a gift card from the POS
Watch this video which explains how to send a gift card from the POS:
Choose the e-Gift card item from the menu.
Add special requests to this item with the details of the gift card, choose any of the following to add to the gift card:
Adding the phone number links the gift card automatically to the recipient's loyalty account. If the phone number isn't added, the customer will have to add it manually to his account via online ordering.
to: phone number *MANDATORY
to: email@email.com *MANDATORY
to: receiver name *Optional
from: phone number . *Optional
from: fromemail@email.com . *Optional
from: from name *Optional
message: a message to add to the gift card . *Optional
Using/Link Physical Gift Card Online
Linking card into the online / mobile Apps - read more in previous paragraph
Money Flow (multi units)
A card is purchased at location A for $50.00 – that money stays with location A (in their bank account).
The following week, that $50.00 card is redeemed at location B - they need the funds from that card since they gave up product.
Around the 20th of the following month, Valutec will ACH debit location A $50.00, and credit location B $50.00 to reconcile.
Reporting: Pooling reports go out on a monthly basis as well at a corporate level as well as location level.
The POS reporting will show the Activations (sales) and Redemptions of the gift cards, but they will not have the Pooling (reconciliation) reports.
Each merchant has 24/7 access to the Valutec reporting dashboard where they can pull any reports on their gift activity.
Pooling reports are also emailed monthly
Valutec FAQ
Please find below everything you need to know about Appfront/Valuetec solution
What features will be supported in-store and online ? All gift card functionalities you had until now will be supported (and more). Appfront handles the customer facing pages from which the customer can:
Buy an e-gift card - buying e-gift card
Check balance - for the e-gift card and physical gift card
Redeem - physical and e-gift card online via App and/or online ordering system is done via Appfront customer facing
Linking Physical cards with online system - For physical cards the customer will have the option to link the card number to the online profile. The card sync automatically and real time with Appfront
How do we access the platform? web, on premises, etc? is it a separate platform? The solution is fully integrated with your POS. i.e, you can access the same report you have today directly in your POS. In addition, the Valuetec back office has more detailed information, which you can access directly online with your account credentials.
How does the conversion plan/ roll out process looks like? Once the agreement is signed with Valuetec, we'll start the roll out process that includes the following steps:
1) Establish Valutec account set up Valutec will take your Liability Report with all Active card numbers / balances and Inactive cards still in boxes and upload to the Valutec host so we can process those “converted” cards.
2) Update Gift Card from POS/previous gift card provider to Valutec engine At this point, all existing cards will be supported and linked to Valutec host.
3) Test existing physical cards Valuetec will test you existing cards to make sure everything is working as expected.
4) Valuetec conversion Valuetc will set up a conversion date where they will convert your existing database to Valutec host. From this moment on, you are using Valutec.
5) Enable Appfront Gift Card module - after the conversion, Appfront will enable the gift card both online and mobile app.
What about new cards?
Moving forward, you would order your card inventory from Valutec that is printed and encoded with our Valutec sequencing to work on our processing platform.
What is the process to sunset the active balances in the previous gift card platform? Once we have scheduled a date for the conversion of your cards to Valutec, and you have provided the data needed for the conversion, you would want to put a halt on gift sales and redemptions until we have completed the upload to Valutec - typically a 2-4 hour process to complete the conversion. At that point, you can cancel your existing gift program.
What card level information can be imported for the opening balance? Does Valutec platform allows other information to be uploaded (if available), such as: original issue date, original balance, card type (Gift Card vs Promo Card, vs Manager Perks), guest information such as emails, names etc?
The full card numbers
PIN or security code
Activation Amount
Activating location name and or ID*
Current Card Balance
Card Status (active, deactivated or inactive)
Add Value: Do you want to be able to reuse converted cards by adding value to them
Card program type (default is gift)
Date of activation (FORMATTED AS MM/DD/YYYY) optional, the first four are required data fields
Date of Last Use (FORMATTED AS MM/DD/YYYY) optional, the first four are required data fields
What kind of reporting is available with regards to balances, card types, transaction history, guest ticket tracking? You have 24/7 access to the Valutec reporting portal at corporate level as well as location level reporting. For more detailed info, ask your Valutec rep.
Is the platform able to manage multiple gift card types? E.g. gift, promo, employee? Depends on the POS. Valutec does have Promotional card programs and can set up an Employee allowance program where the cards reset value each month.
How is activity transacted through POS? From a Valutec standpoint, we have a direct integration with POS for processing. We provide the VAR (parameters) for the POS to connect to Valutec.
Does Appfront use the same post type as the native POS gift cards or are they new menu items and payment methods For virtual gift card purchasing, Appfront will connect to a Gift Card menu item defined in Toast. This item will be sent in an order when purchasing a gift card. Payment will process just like a regular online order (through Toast processing in the selected general virtual gift card purchase location). When redeeming a gift card in an order, Appfront will use a newly defined payment method in Toast for “Appfront / Valutec Gift Card Payment”
Can we expire balances on currently issued promo cards? We cannot add an expiration date to promotional cards already in circulation. Going forward, we do have the option of adding expiration dates to card ranges. You would have the option of deactivating (killing) any older promotional cards in circulation so they can no longer be used.
How are user access rights maintained? Is there a read-only access to the platform? On the Valutec reporting portal, there is Merchant Level (corporate) access where you can view reporting for all locations, and Location Level access where the location(s) can only see their gift card data.
Can balances be updated manually in the platform? can this be limited to certain access rights? Valutec will provide our web-based Virtual Terminal so you have access to log in and run transactions / update balances from the office.
What security features are present? Is there any sort of fraud prevention feature? From a gift card perspective, Valutec does have fraud alerts for phishing of gift card numbers, or if a gift card number has been swiped multiple times in a short time period.
Does the platform assist with deactivating gift cards that were purchased where the credit card activity is later charged back with the credit card processor? With Valutec, you do have the option of deactivating gift cards which means they can no longer be used.
QR Code on card? Currently not supported.
Only one location receives the money from purchasing the online gift cards. How the other locations would receive the money from customers using gift cards in them?
Everything that was purchased online, thru Appfront, is attached to the "Appfront Gift Card" menu item.
This item is available in one location only.
eGift Cards, purchased in-store, are attached to each location separately using the "eGift Card" menu item.
Both items are deferred from the reports - this means that purchasing the gift cards is not showing as a revenue in the reports.
However, the orders that were payed using a gift card (online or egift card) - will show in the reports as a revenue, and will be associated with the relevant location and with the "Appfront Gift Card" payment option. This way, you'll be able to track actual revenue from gift cards.
On a time basis you prefer, you'll just need to transfer money to the relevant locations - according to their income from the "Appfront Gift Card" payment option, as showing in the reports. E.g. if location A is the location receiving the money from gift card purchasing online, and Location B has $500 income from "Appfront Gift Card" payment option, Location A would need to transfer $500 to Location B.
The formula is "Revenue of selling e-gift cards from POS (e-gift card item) minus ("Appfront Gift Card" + "Gift Card" ) payment options."
Gift Card Portal
Gift Card Tab
The 'Gift Cards' section in our new (beta) portal allows you to view all relevant information regarding your customers' gift cards.
This includes; card issuing date, card number and PIN, as well as sender and recipient contact details. You can view the initial amount that was loaded into the gift card, the amount that was paid (in case there was a discount at the time it was issued), and its current balance.
The 'POS Order #' column represents the gift card's transaction check number in Toast, and the 'Platform' column determines which platform was used to issue the gift card (Online Ordering or POS).
Lookup Gift card
You can look for a specific gift card by clicking the 3-vertical dots next to any column, and filtering by any value.
Card view
Clicking any gift card in this table will open a new pop-up window that includes the gift card's details, as well as a link to the sender's and recipient's customer profiles. You can also disable gift cards via this screen:
Gift Card Promotions
There are 3 gift card promotions -
"Get %20 discount on any gift card amount" - most recommended
Buyer promotion - Buy $50 - get $10 for yourself
Recipient promotion - Buy $50 - get $60 for recipient
Gift card % Promotion
"Get 15% (for example) discount on any amount you choose to gift" You can set it up easily from Appfront Back Office
Buyer Promotion - Cashback
This option will allow you to incentivize the person that actually BUY the gift card! Meaning, if I'm (Sam) buying a $50 gift card to my friend (Shawn), you can incentivize Sam by pushing him $10 to his account for every gift card Sam buy.
Recipient Promotion - Cashback
Same thing - need to change the "multi gift" option
Set Up
Gift cards balances are linked into Open item in the POS. In this section we'll show you the set up on both Appfront and the POS side.
IMPORTANT - please notice - ANY change in the open item (deletion / name changing will create errors / problems in the gift card redemption. Do NOT change it without connecting Appfront
Appfront Set up
Go to: Configure -> Applications -> Gift Cards.
Heading - the header above the gift card in the email.
Text - the text below the gift card
Disclaimer URL - a link that refers to a disclaimer for the gift cards
Location for payment - the main location that will process the transaction for the gift cards
Gift Card Item - the item that has been set up above
It is also possible to add a background image (top right section). The icon on the left is derived from the main business icon.
POS Set UP
The Open Item name - "Gift Cards" or "Appfront Gift Cards".
The Gift Cards item is set as an "Open Price" item:
Then, under "Other Payment Option" in Toast, add Appfront Payment (it may already exist):
In case "Appfront Payment" hasn't been set up previously, please create a new payment option and configure it as follows:
Require Manager Approval - Yes
Treat as Discount - No
Tax Exempt - No
Tips Enabled - No
Show Thank You Dialog - Yes
Show Receipt Dialog - Yes
Show Rewards Signup Dialog - Yes
Allow Rewards Card - Yes
Contact our Support team - support@appfront.ai in order to finish the setup.
Approval Manager Only
There is a way to set it up that only a Manager can approve the gift card usage in the POS (i.e. - dine in).
Reports
Appfront
POS
Toast
On Toast's back end, look for the "Deferred (Other)" sales category inside the "Sales Summary" report.
Creating a Gift Card sales report on Toast
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