Importing Gift Cards to Shopify: The Complete Guide for 2026

By Pallavi Narang

Summary & Key Takeaways

A step-by-step guide to moving gift cards into Shopify from a POS or custom system: how to lay out the file, which formatting rules matter, how to keep original codes and remaining balances, and what to check before you run the import.

Original codes carry over: cards already in customers' hands keep working at checkout.
Partly-used cards import at their exact remaining balance, not their face value.
Column mapping is detected from your export, so you do not have to reformat the file.
Every row is checked and editable in a preview - Shopify gift cards cannot be deleted once created.
Customer notification emails are optional, so a silent migration is possible.

Running an online store means finding every possible way to keep customers coming back. One of the most effective methods is through gift cards. If you’ve just migrated to Shopify or plan to expand your offerings, you might be wondering how to bring your existing gift cards into the platform. BluePeacock Gift Card Importer handles that move, keeping each card's original code and its exact remaining balance.

The good news is that now importing gift cards to Shopify is not only possible but also straightforward when done correctly using BluePeacock Gift Card Importer app.

Why Gift Cards Matter for Online Stores

Gift cards are more than just a convenient present, they’re a strategic tool for eCommerce growth. They drive customer loyalty, encourage repeat purchases, and often lead shoppers to spend more than the card’s value. For stores migrating to Shopify, importing gift cards ensures existing customers keep enjoying these benefits without interruption.

Shopify’s Built-In Gift Card Features

Shopify offers built-in tools to create, manage, and track gift cards. However, while creating a single card is easy, creating them in bulk or importing existing ones requires a structured approach. Understanding Shopify’s Gift Card system is the key to transferring your current gift card database into the platform seamlessly.

How to Import Gift Cards to Shopify?

When migrating your online store from any platform to Shopify, importing your existing gift cards becomes a manual task. Here’s how you can easily migrate the gift cards to Shopify to ensure a seamless customer experience.

If you’re migrating from WooCommerce, Magento, BigCommerce, or another system, export your gift cards in CSV format. Your gift cards module or solution should be able to export the data in CSV format.

Understanding CSV Import Files

Shopify uses CSV files to handle bulk data imports. For gift cards, this file must include specific columns such as:

Gift card code
Initial Value
Balance
Expiration date (if applicable)
note (if applicable)

This is the minimum information required to create a gift card in Shopify.

Formatting Data for Shopify Compatibility

Before uploading, edit the CSV file to match Shopify’s structure. Pay attention to:

Column headers must match Shopify’s many requirements.
Codes must be unique to prevent duplication.
Initial Value must be lower than 2000 (any currency).
Dates must be in the YYYY-MM-DD format.

Uploading Gift Cards via CSV Import

1. Log in to Shopify Admin.
2. Go to Shopify App Store and install
3. Open the app, upload your CSV file, and follow the wizard.
4. Review and confirm the import before proceeding.
5. Click import Gift Cards and monitor the activity log.

Testing Imported Gift Cards

After importing, test a few gift card codes to ensure they work correctly at checkout. This avoids customer frustration and ensures the balances are transferred properly.

Avoiding Common Import Errors

Incorrect CSV Formatting

Even if your CSV file is not in the desired format, BluePeacock Gift Card Importer provides auto-mapping through which you can map the fields correctly.

Duplicate Gift Card Codes

BluePeacock Gift Card Importer automatically detects if a duplicate gift card is being imported and marks it so in the audit logs. Thereby, it eliminates the risk of duplicate codes in gift cards.

Invalid Data Types

The rules added in the Gift Card Importer app ensure that the data imported in each field is as per the Shopify's requirements. Any data that does not match these rules is marked by the app and not imported till corrected.

Wrapping Up

Importing gift cards to Shopify is a one-time effort that saves you headaches later. By exporting data from your old system, formatting it correctly, and uploading through Shopify’s tools, you ensure a smooth customer experience. Add in advanced apps, custom designs, and automation, and your gift card strategy can become a major driver of sales and loyalty.

For more technical details, Shopify’s official documentation offers step-by-step CSV formatting instructions: Shopify Help Center.

FAQs

Q1. Can I import gift cards to Shopify in bulk?

Not with Shopify alone - the admin has no bulk gift card import. You need a third-party app such as BluePeacock Gift Card Importer, which creates the cards through Shopify's Admin API from a spreadsheet you upload.

Q2. Which platforms can I migrate gift cards from?

Any platform that can export its gift cards to a file. Merchants most often come from Square, Clover, Lightspeed, Toast, Vend and Rise.ai, but a custom export from your own system works the same way because the columns are mapped during upload.

Q3. What file format do I need for a gift card import?

BluePeacock Gift Card Importer reads CSV, Excel (.xlsx and .xls), TSV and TXT files up to 10 MB and 10,000 rows. Column headers are detected automatically, so you do not have to reformat the export from your old platform.

Q4. Can customers keep their existing gift card codes after migration?

Yes. Each card is created with the code from your file rather than a new Shopify-generated one, so a card printed or emailed years ago still scans and redeems at checkout.

Q5. Can I import gift cards that have already been partly used?

Yes. A partly-redeemed card is created at its original face value and then adjusted to the exact remaining balance from your file, so a $100 card with $37 left arrives in Shopify with $37 on it.

Q6. What happens if a code in my file already exists in the store?

That row is skipped rather than overwritten, and it is recorded as skipped in the activity log so you can see exactly which cards were not created.

Q7. Can I undo a gift card import?

No. Shopify does not allow gift cards to be deleted once they are created, which is why every row is validated and editable in a preview before anything is written to your store. Run a small test batch first.

Q8. Can I set expiry dates and notes on imported gift cards?

Yes. Expiry dates, internal notes and customer assignment all carry over from your file, subject to the gift card expiry rules that apply in your jurisdiction.

Q9. Will customers be emailed when their gift cards are imported?

Only if you choose to. Shopify's native gift card notification email can be switched on or off for each import, so a silent migration is possible.

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