---
name: shopify-admin-gift-card-issuance
role: conversion-optimization
description: "Issue Shopify gift cards (store credit) to customers as a goodwill gesture, post-return incentive, or loyalty reward."
toolkit: shopify-admin, shopify-admin-execution
api_version: "2025-01"
graphql_operations:
  - customer:query
  - giftCardCreate:mutation
status: stable
compatibility: Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, Gemini CLI
---

## Purpose
Issues Shopify native gift cards to customers programmatically — as goodwill for a delayed shipment, as store credit instead of a cash refund, or as a loyalty reward. Uses Shopify's built-in gift card system; no 3rd-party app required. Gift cards issued here are redeemable at checkout exactly like manual gift cards. Note: `giftCardCreate` is available on all Shopify plans but may require the store to have gift cards enabled in settings.

## Prerequisites
- `shopify auth login --store <domain>`
- API scopes: `read_customers`, `write_gift_cards`
- Gift cards must be enabled in Shopify admin → Settings → Gift cards

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Default | Description |
|-----------|------|----------|---------|-------------|
| store | string | yes | — | Store domain (e.g., mystore.myshopify.com) |
| format | string | no | human | Output format: `human` or `json` |
| dry_run | bool | no | false | Preview operations without executing mutations |
| customer_email | string | yes* | — | Customer email to look up and associate with the gift card |
| customer_id | string | yes* | — | Customer GID (alternative to email) |
| amount | float | yes | — | Gift card value in the store's default currency |
| reason | string | no | — | Internal note logged on the gift card (e.g., `"Goodwill: delayed shipment #1042"`) |
| expires_on | string | no | — | Expiry date in ISO 8601 (e.g., `2026-12-31`); if omitted, gift card does not expire |
| tag_customer | string | no | — | Optional tag to add to the customer record (e.g., `goodwill-issued`) |

*One of `customer_email` or `customer_id` is required.

## Safety

> ⚠️ Step 2 executes `giftCardCreate` which issues real monetary value against your store. Gift cards cannot be deleted once created — they can only be disabled. Run with `dry_run: true` to confirm the customer, amount, and expiry before committing. Verify the amount carefully — issued value is immediately redeemable at checkout.

## Workflow Steps

1. **OPERATION:** `customer` — query
   **Inputs:** Look up by `customer_email` (using customers search) or directly by `customer_id`
   **Expected output:** Customer `id`, `firstName`, `lastName`, `email`; confirm customer exists before issuing

2. **OPERATION:** `giftCardCreate` — mutation
   **Inputs:** `input.initialValue`, `input.customerId`, `input.expiresOn` (optional), `input.note` (reason)
   **Expected output:** `giftCard.id`, `giftCard.code`, `giftCard.balance`, `giftCard.expiresOn`, `userErrors`

## GraphQL Operations

```graphql
# customer:query — validated against api_version 2025-01
query CustomerByEmail($query: String!) {
  customers(first: 1, query: $query) {
    edges {
      node {
        id
        firstName
        lastName
        defaultEmailAddress {
          emailAddress
        }
        tags
      }
    }
  }
}
```

```graphql
# giftCardCreate:mutation — validated against api_version 2025-01
mutation GiftCardCreate($input: GiftCardCreateInput!) {
  giftCardCreate(input: $input) {
    giftCard {
      id
      code
      balance {
        amount
        currencyCode
      }
      expiresOn
      note
      customer {
        id
      }
    }
    userErrors {
      field
      message
    }
  }
}
```

## Session Tracking

**Claude MUST emit the following output at each stage. This is mandatory.**

**On start**, emit:
```
╔══════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║  SKILL: gift-card-issuance                   ║
║  Store: <store domain>                       ║
║  Started: <YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM UTC>             ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════╝
```

**After each step**, emit:
```
[N/TOTAL] <QUERY|MUTATION>  <OperationName>
          → Params: <brief summary of key inputs>
          → Result: <count or outcome>
```

If `dry_run: true`, prefix every mutation step with `[DRY RUN]` and do not execute it.

**On completion**, emit:

For `format: human` (default):
```
══════════════════════════════════════════════
OUTCOME SUMMARY
  Customer:        <name> (<email>)
  Gift card code:  <code>
  Amount:          <amount> <currency>
  Expires:         <date or "Does not expire">
  Errors:          0
  Output:          none
══════════════════════════════════════════════
```

For `format: json`, emit:
```json
{
  "skill": "gift-card-issuance",
  "store": "<domain>",
  "started_at": "<ISO8601>",
  "completed_at": "<ISO8601>",
  "dry_run": false,
  "steps": [
    { "step": 1, "operation": "CustomerByEmail", "type": "query", "params_summary": "email <email>", "result_summary": "customer <id>", "skipped": false },
    { "step": 2, "operation": "GiftCardCreate", "type": "mutation", "params_summary": "amount <amount>, customer <id>", "result_summary": "gift card <code>", "skipped": false }
  ],
  "outcome": {
    "customer_id": "<id>",
    "customer_email": "<email>",
    "gift_card_id": "<id>",
    "gift_card_code": "<code>",
    "amount": "<amount>",
    "currency": "<currency>",
    "expires_on": "<date or null>",
    "errors": 0,
    "output_file": null
  }
}
```

## Output Format
No CSV. The session summary reports the gift card code and amount inline. The support agent copies the code to share with the customer.

```
Gift card issued:
  Customer:  Jane Smith (jane@example.com)
  Code:      ABCD-EFGH-IJKL-MNOP
  Value:     $25.00 USD
  Expires:   2026-12-31 (or "Does not expire")
  Note:      Goodwill: delayed shipment #1042
```

## Error Handling
| Error | Cause | Recovery |
|-------|-------|----------|
| Customer not found | Email doesn't match any customer | Verify email; guest checkout customers may not have a customer record |
| `userErrors` from giftCardCreate | Invalid amount (≤ 0) or missing required field | Verify `amount` is a positive number |
| Gift cards not enabled | Store settings don't allow gift cards | Enable in Shopify admin → Settings → Gift cards |
| `write_gift_cards` scope missing | Auth was done without this scope | Re-run `shopify store auth` with `write_gift_cards` scope |

## Best Practices
1. Always run `dry_run: true` to confirm customer lookup succeeds and amount is correct before issuing.
2. Always include a `reason` note — it appears in the gift card record and helps your team audit issuances later.
3. Set `tag_customer: goodwill-issued` to track which customers have received goodwill gift cards — combine with `loyalty-segment-export` to monitor their subsequent purchase behavior.
4. Use `expires_on` for promotional gift cards (e.g., holiday campaigns) to create urgency; omit for goodwill issuances so the customer feels the gesture is genuine.
5. For batch issuances (e.g., a service outage affecting 100 customers), loop through a customer list using `format: json` to capture each gift card code for your records.