Store Credit

Does the weather cast a big cloud over your business? Whether it’s due to a major storm, unexpected cancellations, or a guest simply not being able to make it, Xola gives you the flexibility to issue refunds in the form of store credit rather than processing a full refund.

With store credit, your customers can apply the value of their original purchase toward a future reservation, helping you retain revenue while offering guests a convenient way to rebook. The customer can simply enter the store credit code during checkout when making a new purchase, making the process quick, easy, and self-service.

This approach helps businesses maintain cash flow, improve customer satisfaction, and encourage repeat bookings — even when unexpected situations arise.

What's covered in this article:

• Issuing Store Credit
• Customer Communication
• Customer Record
• Adding a Store Credit Code Before Checkout
• Adding a Store Credit Code in a Back Office Purchase
• Adding a Store Credit Code to an Existing Purchase

Issuing Store Credit

• Navigate to the customer purchase in the Purchases tab.
• If the customer is canceling the reservation, click Cancel Reservation in the action bar near the top.
  • If the customer is just getting a refund but not canceling, click Refund in the action bar near the top. Then, select Reduce Booking Value and Return Payment. 
• Ensure the number shown in the Amount field reflects the amount you'd like to issue to a store credit.
• Choose Store Credit in the Payment Method section.
• Now click Save.
• Your customer will be sent an email with their Store Credit code, which they can apply at checkout when making the next reservation. 
• You will see the Purchases tab, Customers record, and Gifts/Store Credit report updated to reflect this credit and the store credit code they were given. 

Customer Communication

As soon as you issue the credit to your customer, they'll receive an email very similar to a gift certificate email. Instructions on how to use the store credit are included, and the customer will be taken right back to your website upon clicking the Book Now button.

Customer Record

The Purchases tab, Customers record, and Gifts/Store Credit report will all update to reflect this store credit.

• In the Purchases tab, you can click on the customer credit to Adjust Funds, Refund, or Adjust Balance just like with a gift certificate.

Adding a Store Credit Code During Checkout

• The customer will proceed with checkout as usual.
• Under the payment summary, click Have a code?.
• Enter the store credit code. 
• You'll see the store credit break out as its own line item and the price of the purchase reduced accordingly.
• The customer will finish checkout as normal.

Adding a Store Credit Code in a Back Office Purchase 

• Proceed with Making a Purchase.
• Under the payment summary, click the Choose a Code dropdown.
• Enter the store credit code and hit Apply.
• You'll see the store credit break out as its own line item and the price of the purchase reduced accordingly.
• Proceed with the purchase as normal. 

Adding a Store Credit Code to an Existing Purchase

With an outstanding balance: 

• In the Purchases tab, navigate to the customer purchase. 
• Below the Payment Summary, click Apply Code. A window will open with a drop-down menu and the customer’s payment summary.
• Type in the recipient's store credit code that was generated. 
• Select the code from the list, or if you've typed it in, hit Enter on your keyboard. The code will be applied and appear in the payment summary.
• Click Apply.
• Depending on the amount of the purchase and the store credit, you will either see a Collect Balance button or the purchase will reflect Paid with no further actions. 

No Outstanding Balance: 

If your customer has already paid and wants to add a store credit to the purchase, you will need to return payment to them, and then apply the store credit. 

• In the Purchases tab, navigate to the customer purchase. 
• In the action bar, click the Refund button. 
• Choose the Return Payment Only option.
• Follow the steps in the pop up to return the payment. 
• Once that is complete, below the Payment Summary, click Apply Code. A window will open with a drop-down menu and the customer’s payment summary.
• Type in the recipient's store credit code that was generated. 
• Select the code from the list, or if you've typed it in, hit Enter on your keyboard. The code will be applied and appear in the payment summary.
• Click Apply.
• Depending on the amount of the purchase and the store credit, you will either see a Collect Balance button or the purchase will reflect Paid with no further actions.