[SOLVED] Vouchers - what are they?

[jdmorrisn]

Ok, maybe I am stupid - maybe this is American language - but what exactly is a voucher? I have searched everywhere and nowhere explains what it is and how it works.

Is it a gift card (as we call it in English) and how is it handled?

Plain English speak please - no tech stuff. I'm a business owner, not a programmer

Thanks.

[Prestafan1234]

I don't think it's an American word. Also, I do not believe you have searched at all. Brits may call it a gift card, but voucher is commonly used as well. Here's the definition from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voucher

[jdmorrisn]

Perhaps i was not so clear in my predilection.

No, I have not researched the word 'Voucher' (call me a Brit, I'll call you a Yank!) because I already know what the word itself means - do you?

My point is that I have searched on 'Prestashop' to find the 'Prestashop' meaning and use of the 'voucher'; to discover what a 'Prestashop voucher' entails, and how a 'Prestashop' voucher works. I am not looking for any definition of an ordinary voucher - since this has too many permutations. I am only interested in the Prestashop Voucher system.

I have not searched wikipedia, google or anywhere else, apart from Prestashop, since web descriptions of a certain e-commerce function are widespread and differential; I have an Englsh Literature Masters degree, so I know the origins of the word 'voucher' - thank you for your 'I don't think it is American' suggestion (PM me and I can explain the intricacies of the origins and language permutations). It is actually French/ English origin but the word 'voucher' is more predominant in the US (via French/Canadian collaboration) than Europe, only we accept its intrusion more than we should, as we do with a lot of French words.

My point is a very simple one - in PRESTASHOP (not wikipedia) - is a voucher the equivalent of a gift card?

Not a difficult question, was it Prestafan 1234?

[Prestafan1234]

Feel free to call me a Yank - I'm Danish. Sorry if I offended you, which I obviously did. I didn't really need the long lecture though, as I simply replied to your quesion: what is a voucher.

Anyway.....

Yes it is what you would call a giftcard. You set it up in your BO under Payment --> Vouchers. You can choose between Discount on order %, Discount on order amount or Free shipping. There are a number of other settings you can use, but they are pretty straight forward once you are setting it up.

I hope this answered your question.

[jdmorrisn]

That was a much better explanation and what I was looking for in the first place, appreciated. Thanks. A few more details will help though.

So in the BO (Payments - vouchers) I create new vouchers to the amounts I require (say €5/€10/€15/€20). Then if a customer wishes to purchase one of these (say as a gift card for another person as a present) how does this work?
In fact how are the vouchers issued? Do I have to manually input a new voucher every time or the BO will create new ones as they are purchased. Basically if you can give me a run down on the process, that would help.

[SimonZA]

I just want to add to the questions here if possible...

For the 'Voucher code', is it possible to also make it like a one time offer thing?

So say, for my Twitter followers, can I make a special code, ie. TWITTER, thats gives like a 10% saving on the shopping cart? Which then many peopl can use at the same time?

Also, on top of that, would I able to create single use gift vouchers to send to special customers?

Thanks! Dont mean to hijack your thread Jd, also want to find out more about the Voucher system, so hopefully we both can learn something here.

[jdmorrisn]

Hijacking is good if we all get the answers

I looked at the vouchers in the back office and you can add one voucher and only make 1 available. So I think this would be suitable for special customers.

Not sure on the Twitter idea - a 'voucher' pro will have to provide the heads up on that one.

[JohnMcL]

Hi JD,

I may be wrong, but I think your idea of a voucher is different to what's available. I haven't used them myself as I'm a relatively new convert to Prestashop, but I think that the vouchers are more like a discount code rather than a gift voucher.

You use back office to set up the voucher, filling in the fields and then you send out an mailshot to your customers saying enter XYZ123 for 10% off your next purchase. It's not something that you setup like a product for people to buy, more that it's something for you to give away out of the goodness of your heart ;-)

Although, in saying that, there seems to be a gift voucher addon if that's what you're after: http://addons.prestashop.com/en/front-office-features/379-front-office-features-gift-voucher.html

Hope this helps, it might even be right.

John

[jdmorrisn]

Ah ha, why is this not stated anywhere else?

Now I get why it's called a voucher and not a gift card.

This module would be good - but it is way too much for what it is - there are other modules out there that are far more worth their salt. This one's over priced for sure.

One way I guess is to add a link in the catalogue block as a gift card image - and they buy it/ check out buying a gift card. When they pay - then i forward the code by email for a 'Voucher' which they can use. It isn't automatic but it works and is cheaper than the module.

[Prestafan1234]

Hi

It seems that the way you wish to use the vouchers is not really build in PrestaShop. However, in this post: http://www.prestashop.com/forums/viewthread/57667/configuring___using_prestashop/gift_certificate_or_credit right at the bottom, a user gives a work around to solve the problem. Perhaps you can use that?

[jdmorrisn]

Ok, now it is much clearer. All this should be stated somewhere in WIKI here in Prestashop - because it's quite clear that many people don't understand the voucher system, myself included. And it would save everyones time to have it written clearly somewhere.

But anyway, like I thought I will use the gift card as a product and manually forward the code to the client.