Expiration Dates
Configure and manage store credit expiration policies
You can optionally set expiration dates for store credit. When enabled, credit that isn't used by the expiration date becomes void.
Before Enabling Expiration
Important Legal Considerations
Before setting up expiration dates:
Check local laws: Store credit expiration may be prohibited or restricted in some jurisdictions
Review regulations: Some regions require minimum validity periods
Consult legal: When in doubt, seek legal advice for your specific market
Regional Considerations
US (varies by state)
Some states prohibit expiration
EU
Generally allowed with notice
Canada
Varies by province
UK
Generally allowed
Australia
Minimum 3-year validity required
How Expiration Works
Timezone Handling
Store credit expires at the end of the day in your store's timezone, regardless of where the customer is located.
Example:
Store timezone: EST (New York)
Credit expires: March 10
Actual expiry: March 10, 11:59:59 PM EST
Multiple Credits with Different Dates
When a customer has multiple credits with different expiration dates, the system uses First Expiring, First Out (FEFO):
Example:
This ensures:
Oldest credits are used first
Customers don't lose expiring credit
Fair and transparent usage
Configuring Expiration
Enabling Expiration
Go to Settings → Store Credit
Enable Credit Expiration
Set default expiration period
Save changes
Expiration Options
No expiration
Credit never expires (default)
30 days
Credit expires in 30 days
60 days
Credit expires in 60 days
90 days
Credit expires in 90 days
6 months
Credit expires in 6 months
12 months
Credit expires in 12 months
Custom
Set specific number of days
Per-Credit Expiration
When adding credit manually, you can set custom expiration:
Add credit to customer
Toggle "Set Expiration"
Choose specific date
Credit expires on that date
Customer Communication
Balance Display
When expiration is enabled, customers see:
Current balance
Expiration date (if applicable)
Warning when credit is expiring soon
Widget display:
Expiration Reminders
Send automated reminders:
30 days before
"Your credit expires soon"
7 days before
"Use your credit this week"
1 day before
"Last day to use your credit"
Post-Expiration
After credit expires:
Balance is reduced
Transaction logged as "Expired"
Customer notified (optional)
Managing Expired Credit
Viewing Expired Credit
In transaction history:
Type: "Expiration"
Amount: Negative (debit)
Notes: Original expiration date
Reinstating Expired Credit
If you need to restore expired credit:
Go to customer details
Add new credit manually
Note reason: "Reinstated expired credit"
Set new expiration (if applicable)
Reporting
Track expiration metrics:
Total credit expired (period)
Customers with expiring credit
Average time to expiration
Redemption rate before expiry
Best Practices
Setting Expiration Periods
Cashback earned
12 months or no expiration
Promotional bonus
30-90 days
Referral credit
60-90 days
Service recovery
6-12 months
Communication
✅ Do:
Clearly state expiration at time of issue
Send reminders before expiration
Make policy visible in terms
Allow customer service exceptions
❌ Don't:
Set very short expiration without notice
Hide expiration terms
Refuse all reinstatement requests
Ignore legal requirements
Customer Experience
Transparency: Always show expiration dates
Fairness: Give reasonable validity periods
Flexibility: Consider exceptions for loyal customers
Reminders: Notify before credit expires
Troubleshooting
Credit Expired Unexpectedly
Check the expiration date set
Verify store timezone settings
Review transaction history
Reinstate if error found
Wrong Expiration Date
Can't change existing credit expiration
Void the credit with adjustment
Issue new credit with correct date
Document the correction
Customer Complaints
Review transaction history
Check if reminders were sent
Consider goodwill reinstatement
Document outcome for records
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