New Feature - Gift Certificates
Just in time for the holidays. Create and/or sell Gift Certificates directly from your Highwire store.
We are very excited to let you know that we have just released the ability to create and sell Gift Certificates from your Highwire store. You asked for it - and we delivered - just in time for the holidays.
How does it work?
It's very simple to offer Gift Certificates to your customers. From the 'Marketing' tab inside your Highwire admin, you will see the 'Gift Certificates' option (Marketing-->Gift Certificates). From here you can activate Gift Certificates for your store. Once activated, your customers will immediately see a 'Gift Certificate' link on your storefront. This will allow them to purchase Gift Certificates and check their certificate balance.
Can I create my own Gift Certificates as the store owner?
Absolutely, you can create your own certificates as well. From the same admin section, you have the option create a Gift Certificate and send it to anyone of you wish. This is a great way to help promote your store.
Below are some screenshots of the Gift Certificate administration.
Visit our tutorials to learn more about how it works and how to activate this new feature.
We hope this feature really helps you and your business.
Comments
99 comments
This is a fabulous new feature! One of the very best Xmas presents ever.... and just in time for Xmas shoppers, too!!
I have a question... For those of us who are absolutely stoooopid about html and coding, I read this in one of the intro posts:
** Custom Template Design Notes: You can use the "giftcertificate" boolean variable in your cart collection to determine if the item is a gift certificate. You can use this variable to display a custom product photo and hide the quantity form.
Does that mean that if a customer purchases a gift certificate that by default it will display the quantity option... but that we have the option of disabling the quantity for GC and replacing it with a graphic or custom product photo? What size should the image be? And would it be possible to show us a screen shot of exactly what the customer would be seeing?
Sorry to be so dumb.... but color me confused
Thanks Guys, Im sure my customers can use this.
Please add ability to delete a code as well, dont see that feature
Stonehillcollectibles - By default the quantity option is ignored except for the dollar amount. The variable mentioned is to allow further customization on the cart page - such as changing the default image. The size will depend on your template and preferences. This tutorial displays the gift certificate as seen by the customer: http://support.highwire.com/entries/20696947-gift-certificates-how-to-purchase
Thanks Tim! I think it's actually starting to come clear to me now!!! I'm not sure why someone would want to set an expiration date for a Gift Certificate... but what works for me might not work for someone else...lol
I am soooooo excited about this feature! What an incredible marketing tool!!!
Please add ability to delete a code as well, dont see that feature
There should be no reasons to ever delete a purchased gift certificate from the system. You can however update the balance to 0 to make it "inactive".
In my case, I was just testing the system out, making a Test certificate, thus found there was no way to remove it... just like a test order
Shirley --- I might use them as merchandise credit sometimes... and I might want an exp date on that.
Looking forward to setting this up, thanks!
I enabled the gift certificate settings and I don't see it on my homepage www.FloridaGiftsOnline.com
Seems so simple which is my problem! LOL
"I enabled the gift certificate settings and I don't see it on my homepage www.FloridaGiftsOnline.com "
This is because you are using a very old custom template which isn't using the menu builder system. If you don't have any customizations , just update your store template by re-selecting it. If you do have some customizations to your template you wish to keep, you'll need to manually add links to "/giftcertificates/".
Hi!
Where is the code that creates the page? I expected to see an HTML template for it (like "terms" and "contact", etc) but I do not see it there.
I wanted to fiddle with the text/look of the page a little. Can you provide the code? (And, if I have the code, I can include it on a custom page, right?)
I like it how it is, but Id like to show what the certificate is going to look like, and also suggest "if you want to give the gift in person, enter your own email address rather than the recipient's"
Where is the code that creates the page?
The Gift Certificate form inherits the Account Wrapper template. All elements on that page can be styled using CSS. The content of the form can not be edited.
"I like it how it is, but Id like to show what the certificate is going to look like"
There is a preview button that will loads a window and shows just that..a preview. :)
Right, but the person cannot see what they are buying until they buy it, right? (Just to show that its "suitable for printing" rather than an email that just says "You have a received a Gift Certificate from Tomas to www.BlahBlahBlah.com for 30$. Your code is ABC-123-JHG"
Actually, I don't use the account wrapper, so I could get tricky with that, huh???? :))
Sorry... I didn't want to be one of those people who are always asking for more... get an inch, ask for an inch and a quarter...
I have to get rid of that custom template. The only reason I had it was to get the store categories on my item pages which I think the regular templates do now.
Thanks
Have no fear, I figured it out (I think so... anyway)
http://www.girlshorseclothes.com/product/gift-certificate
Cindy,
All that will do is treat the item as a product and it won't add it to the Gift Certificate system. For automated emailing and generation of gift certificates, it must be added using the Gift Certificate form.
This option will work if you want to manually add a gift certificate from the admin at a later time.
Ahh, I see what you did.. You just created a link to the gift certificate form. This will work too, but I'd suggest removing the add to cart button and pricing on that page.
{{ #if($producturlhandle != "gift-certificate") }}SHOW ADD TO CART BUTTON
{{ #end }}
AWESOME, thanks, I knew it could be done, but would have needed a I would have needed quite a bit of time to figure it out.
When I initially set it up, I didnt have it bolded and larger font to CLICK to create the Gift Certificate. I even "added it to cart" myself. I will be using the code you gave me so the add to cart does not show in a bit here... I have to head out for a meeting, but Ill get that cleaned up later tonight (and make it more prominent on my site too)
Thanks again for the code!
Tried to show my wife. When she pulled it up on her mobile she got an error. I tried on my mobile and got the same problem.
What's the error you are getting? The Gift Certificate system is not available on the mobile template at this time, so I'm not sure what type of error you'd be receiving.
I was just coming to report the mobile error. It gives the Oops! page.
Also, can you give an example of using the variable on the cart page to display a different image?
Are you viewing the site in "standard view" on your mobile? There should be no way to currently reach the gift certificate system from the mobile template.
Also, can you give an example of using the variable on the cart page to display a different image?
{{ #foreach ($cartitem in $cart) }} {{ #if($cartitem.giftcertificate) }} <img src="YOUR_CUSTOM_IMAGE_URL" alt="Gift Certificate" /> {{ #else }} <img src="{{ $cartitem.imageurl132px }}" alt="{{ $cartitem.title }}" /> {{ #end }} {{ #end }}Thanks for that example code!
And yes, I was viewing in standard view to see how everything would display for anyone who chooses to view it that way ;-)
I really really REALLY like what Cindy has done. Can the "add to cart" button be disabled selectively??? For a listing that we add to our Product Categories for Gift Certificates??? I note that Cindy said she does not use the Account Wrapper template and I have no clue if that makes any difference or not... hence the question.
Tomas gave the code to turn off the add to cart button:
I believe that gift-certificate is because the title of my item is "Gift Certificate"... so if you used a different title, you would need to put the words from that title instaed (whatever shows up as the "url handle" in the product edit form.
--- This code would just go in your "product details" template.
ACTUALLY, another way to do it is to create a custom page and add it to your menu builder, maybe call it "gift certificate information" and use text like I used, the link to the gift certificate page like I have, and insert a photo if you like. THEN, you would not have to deal with adding the code to get rid of the add to cart button.
(I did not do anything at all to the account wrapper code)
{{ #if($producturlhandle != "gift-certificate") }}SHOW ADD TO CART BUTTON
{{ #end }}
I really really REALLY like what Cindy has done. Can the "add to cart" button be disabled selectively???
Sure, if you are using a product called "Gift Certificate", you can exclude the pricing and add-to cart button on the Product Details template. If you want to take it even step further with some custom coding, you can add the entire gift certificate form on the product details page using the basis of sample code I provided above.
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