Gift certificates let someone buy a session as a gift for a third party. ApptOnly handles the purchase, the code generation, the redemption at booking time, and the accounting wrinkles that come with selling something now and delivering it later.
How a purchase works
A client visits your gift page (linked from your booking page) and picks one of the certificate options you offer. Options can be:
- A fixed dollar amount.
- A specific service (a "60-minute massage" gift).
- Custom amount within a range you set.
They pay with a card through Stripe. The recipient gets an email with a redemption code. The buyer gets a receipt. The recipient does not need an ApptOnly account.
How redemption works
The recipient comes to your booking page, picks a service, and enters their code at checkout. ApptOnly applies the value automatically. If the certificate covers the whole appointment, the client owes nothing. If it covers part (a $100 cert against a $135 service), they pay the difference.
If you redeem a service-specific certificate against a different service, ApptOnly converts the value at the certificate's face amount, not the service's current price. This protects you against price changes between purchase and redemption.
Expiration
You set the expiration policy per certificate type. The most common patterns:
- No expiration. Easiest for the buyer; counts on your books forever.
- Five-year expiration. Aligns with most US state rules. Some states require longer or prohibit expiration entirely. Check your state's gift-certificate law.
- One-year expiration. Sometimes used by venues with high turnover; harder to defend in client relations.
ApptOnly does not enforce a specific policy. It honors whatever you set.
Accounting
Gift certificates are interesting accounting-wise: you receive money now for a service you have not delivered. In your dashboard, the purchase shows as a gift certificate sale on the day of purchase. The redemption later shows as a service revenue event with a "redeemed from certificate" note.
If you use a CPA or bookkeeper, the standard treatment is to recognize the certificate sale as a liability on your books until redemption (you owe a service), then convert it to revenue when the service is actually delivered. Your CPA can advise.
Refunds
Gift certificates are non-refundable to the buyer by default. You can override this and process a refund manually from the certificate's detail screen if a situation warrants it. Refunds go back through Stripe to the original purchaser's card.