---
title: "Shopify Store Credit: How to Use It to Drive Repeat Orders"
slug: "shopify-store-credit"
url: "https://joy.so/updates/shopify-store-credit/"
kind: "update"
author: "Thomas Nguyen"
author_url: "https://joy.so/author/thomas/"
published_at: "2026-09-14T07:01:03.000+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-08T08:57:56.000+00:00"
description: "Shopify store credit explained: what it is, five use cases that drive repeat orders, how to set it up in Joy, and the operational rules that keep it clean."
category: "Product Updates"
tags: ["Product Updates"]
reading_time: 2
feature_image: "https://cdn-web.joy.so/cdn/image/2026/09/Shopify-Store-Credit_-How-to-Use-It-to-Drive-Repeat-Orders-b10337.png"
---

# Shopify Store Credit: How to Use It to Drive Repeat Orders

## Why this matters

Put store credit to work on repeat orders. [Store credit in Joy](https://help.joy.so/reward-programs/store-credit) is a cash-value balance tied to the customer's account and applied at checkout, so what you give out funds their next order.

### Reward orders, milestones and referrals in credit

Attach a store-credit reward to Place Order for cashback, to Milestones for spending goals, or to Referrals. Every program feeds the same balance, which customers see on your storefront and apply at checkout.

### Set an expiry that brings customers back

Set one global expiry and override it per program, so referral credit and cashback run on different clocks. Customers see the expiry date in their activity history, a reason to order before it passes.

### Keep balances accurate through refunds and migrations

When an order paid with store credit is refunded, Joy returns the credit used to the customer's balance and logs the change. A CSV import brings balances over from another loyalty or gift-card app.

> **Try this**
> Turn on cashback on Place Order as store credit and set a six to twelve-month expiry. Then watch your redemption and repeat rate before adding another program.

---

## How to access and use

### Step 1: Open the Place Order program

In Joy, go to **Reward programs** and open the Place Order program.

### Step 2: Choose Store Credit

Choose **Store Credit** as the reward type. Click **Grant Access** in the banner, then **Confirm**.

### Step 3: Set the earning rate

Enter the percentage of each order that returns as credit.

### Step 4: Set an expiry

Go to **Reward programs → Point Expiration**, turn on **Store credit expiration** and set the duration.

## Setup guides

[Store Credit](https://help.joy.so/reward-programs/store-credit)

## Good to know

Outstanding store credit is a liability on your books until it is spent or expires. If you sell across markets, confirm how your setup handles currency before turning it on for international customers.

## Frequently asked questions

### Does turning on expiration affect existing balances?

No. Expiration applies only to store credit granted after you turn it on, so balances customers already hold are never affected.

### Is store credit the same as a discount code?

No. Store credit sits in the customer's Shopify account balance and applies at checkout as a payment method, with no code required.

### Can I adjust a customer's balance by hand?

Yes. Adjust one customer at a time on the **Customer detail** page, or in bulk with the **Import** action, which updates only customers who already exist in your store.