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Shop Cash can help you save money when shopping through Shopify‘s Shop ecosystem, but it does not work like a regular discount code. It is a Shopify-funded rewards balance that eligible customers can use toward qualifying purchases during checkout.
The key is knowing where Shop Cash can be used, which orders qualify, and how to apply it during checkout. If you already have a Shop Cash balance and want to use it for your next purchase, the process is straightforward once you know what to look for.
What Is Shop Cash?
Shop Cash is a Shopify-funded rewards program for customers who shop through Shop. Eligible customers can earn Shop Cash from qualifying purchases and use their balance toward future eligible orders.
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Shop Cash is different from Shop Pay. Shop Pay is a payment method that speeds up checkout, while Shop Cash is a rewards balance that can be applied toward an eligible purchase.
You also don’t use Shop Cash by entering a coupon code. When your order qualifies, Shop Cash appears as a payment option during the eligible checkout experience.
How to Use Shop Cash on Shopify
If you already have Shop Cash available, you can use it during an eligible checkout. The exact checkout experience depends on whether you are shopping directly through the Shop app, the Shop website, or a Shop initiated checkout.
1. Open Shop
Start your shopping experience through the Shop app or Shop website. Shop Cash is designed to be redeemed through eligible Shop checkout experiences.
If you visit a Shopify store directly and start a regular checkout without coming from Shop, Shop Cash may not be available.
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2. Find an Eligible Product
Choose a product that qualifies for Shop Cash. Most eligible physical products that ship can qualify, although certain products and order types are excluded.
For example, gift cards, recurring subscription payments, wholesale or B2B orders, and certain unsupported digital products aren’t eligible for Shop Cash redemption.
3. Add the Product to Your Cart
Add the product to your cart and continue toward checkout. If you’re shopping through Shop, you may either complete the purchase directly in Shop or be redirected to the merchant’s online store checkout.
4. Continue to Checkout
Enter or confirm your shipping and payment information. For Shop Cash to appear, the checkout must meet the applicable Shop Cash requirements.
If you are redirected to the merchant’s online store, make sure you continue with Shop Pay when it is offered. A Shop initiated checkout can allow Shop Cash to be used even when the final checkout takes place on the merchant’s website.
5. Apply Your Shop Cash
If the order is eligible and you have an available balance, Shop Cash can be applied during checkout. Your available Shop Cash is used toward the eligible amount of the order.
You generally cannot choose an arbitrary smaller amount of your balance to spend. The checkout determines the amount that can be applied based on your available Shop Cash and the eligible order total.
6. Pay the Remaining Balance
If your Shop Cash doesn’t cover the entire purchase, the remaining balance can be paid with Shop Pay or Shop Pay Installments, when available and eligible.
This means you don’t necessarily need enough Shop Cash to cover the entire order. Your rewards balance can cover part of the eligible purchase while another supported payment method covers the rest.
7. Complete Your Purchase
Review your order and complete checkout. After the purchase is placed, Shop Cash is shown as a payment method on the order receipt in the Shop app.
Where Can You Use Shop Cash?
One of the most important things to understand is that Shop Cash isn’t available on every Shopify checkout.
You can use Shop Cash in these eligible checkout experiences:
- Shop app checkout
- Shop website checkout
- Shop Pay checkout on a merchant’s online store after being redirected from Shop
This means the way you start your shopping session matters. A customer who discovers a product through Shop and is redirected to the merchant’s website may still be able to use Shop Cash if the order and checkout meet the requirements.
However, a regular checkout that you start directly on a merchant’s online store without coming from Shop is not eligible for Shop Cash.
Can You Use Shop Cash on Any Shopify Store?
No. Being hosted on Shopify doesn’t automatically mean every checkout can accept Shop Cash.
The store and order need to meet Shopify’s eligibility requirements. The checkout must be initiated from Shop, the store must meet the applicable Shopify Payments requirements, Shop Pay must be accepted, and the checkout must use Shopify’s Checkout Extensibility.
The order must also use a supported checkout currency. Shopify currently lists USD, CAD, GBP, AUD, and EUR as supported currencies for Shop Cash checkout.
What Can You Buy With Shop Cash?
Shop Cash is available for many eligible purchases, particularly physical products that ship. It can also apply to certain eligible charges and line items associated with an order.
However, some purchases are excluded.
| Generally Eligible | Not Eligible |
|---|---|
| Most eligible physical products that ship | Gift cards |
| Eligible shipping and delivery charges | Recurring subscription payments |
| Eligible pickup and service charges | Wholesale or B2B orders |
| Certain tips, donations, warranties, taxes, duties, and related charges | Certain unsupported digital products |
Shop Cash eligibility is determined during checkout. Merchants don’t manually select individual products or SKUs to accept or reject Shop Cash.
How Much Shop Cash Can You Use?
The amount of Shop Cash applied to an eligible order depends on your available balance and the eligible order total.
In general, the lesser of your available Shop Cash balance and the eligible order amount is applied. There are also checkout rules that can require a minimum amount to remain payable through another supported payment method.
For example, if you have enough Shop Cash to cover most of an order, checkout may still require a minimum payment through another payment method. In that situation, the unused portion of your Shop Cash remains in your balance.
You also don’t need your Shop Cash balance to be in the same currency as the order. When supported, Shopify can convert the Shop Cash balance into the order’s currency during checkout.
Can You Use Shop Cash With Shop Pay?
Yes. Shop Cash and Shop Pay serve different purposes and can be used together on an eligible order.
Shop Cash is applied toward the eligible purchase, while Shop Pay can be used to pay the remaining balance. If available and eligible, Shop Pay Installments may also be used for the remaining amount.
Think of it this way:
- Shop Cash: Your available rewards balance
- Shop Pay: The payment method used to complete checkout
- Shop Pay Installments: An available option for splitting eligible remaining payments
Can You Use Shop Cash With a Discount Code?
Shop Cash is not a traditional discount code, so you shouldn’t think of it as another coupon that you manually enter into a discount field.
Shop Cash is treated as a payment method during eligible checkout. Other discounts or Shop offers may affect the order’s eligibility and final amount, so the checkout determines the amount that can be covered by Shop Cash.
If you are trying to combine Shop Cash with another promotion, check the final checkout total and available payment options before completing your purchase.
Why Can’t I Use My Shop Cash?
If your Shop Cash balance isn’t appearing at checkout, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your balance is missing. The order or checkout may simply not meet the requirements.
You Started Checkout Directly on the Store
This is one of the most common reasons. Shop Cash must be used through an eligible Shop initiated checkout experience.
If you went directly to a Shopify store and started checkout there, Shop Cash may not appear.
The Order Uses an Unsupported Currency
Shop Cash checkout currently supports USD, CAD, GBP, AUD, and EUR. If the order uses a different checkout currency, Shop Cash may not be available.
Your Cart Contains an Ineligible Product
Gift cards, recurring subscription payments, wholesale or B2B orders, and certain unsupported digital products aren’t eligible for Shop Cash.
Your Shop Account Doesn’t Meet the Requirements
Customer eligibility also matters. Shopify requires customers using Shop Cash to meet applicable Shop eligibility requirements, including having a billing address and verified phone number in an eligible Shopify Payments supported country.
The Store Doesn’t Meet Shop Cash Checkout Requirements
The merchant’s checkout configuration also matters. Shop Pay must be accepted and the checkout must use Checkout Extensibility.
Your Phone Number Isn’t Verified
A verified phone number is part of the customer eligibility requirements for Shop Cash. If your phone number isn’t verified in Shop, Shop Cash may not appear as an available payment option.
How to Check Your Shop Cash Balance
You can check your Shop Cash balance and related activity through the Shop app. This is useful if you’re unsure whether you have enough Shop Cash available before starting a purchase.
Checking your balance first can also help you understand whether a missing Shop Cash option is caused by your balance or by the order’s eligibility.
What Happens to Shop Cash After a Refund?
If you return or cancel an order that was paid partly or fully with Shop Cash, the refund follows the payment methods used for that order.
For an order paid with both Shop Cash and another payment method, the refund can involve both payment methods. Shopify’s current refund process applies the refund to the customer’s Shop Pay payment method first, with any remaining refundable amount credited back to the customer’s Shop Cash balance.
For partial refunds, the merchant can determine how the refundable amount is returned across the applicable payment methods.
Shop Cash vs. Shopify Discounts
Shop Cash and Shopify discounts can look similar because both can reduce the amount a customer needs to pay, but they work differently.
| Feature | Shop Cash | Shopify Discount |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A Shopify-funded rewards balance | A merchant configured promotion |
| How it is applied | Applied as a payment method during eligible Shop checkout | Applied according to the discount’s rules |
| Who controls it | Shopify | The merchant |
| Requires Shop checkout | Yes, for eligible redemption | Depends on the discount configuration |
Shop Cash for Shopify Merchants
Although this guide focuses on shoppers, Shopify merchants should understand what happens when a customer pays with Shop Cash.
Eligible stores don’t need to manually enable individual products to accept Shop Cash. Shopify automatically accepts Shop Cash for eligible stores, and merchants can’t choose to opt out of accepting it as a payment method.
When a customer uses Shop Cash, the merchant is paid through Shopify Payments. The Shop Cash portion is handled as part of the store’s payment and payout activity, without an additional Shop Cash acceptance fee beyond the applicable Shopify Payments fees.
Merchants should also be aware that some third party systems, such as accounting, ERP, order management, or fulfillment integrations, may need to be configured to recognize the Shop Cash payment method.
Tips for Using Shop Cash Successfully
- Check your Shop Cash balance before shopping.
- Start your shopping session through Shop rather than going directly to the merchant’s checkout.
- Use an eligible checkout currency if you want to redeem Shop Cash.
- Check your cart for excluded products, especially gift cards and subscription payments.
- Look for Shop Pay when Shop redirects you to the merchant’s website.
- Don’t expect Shop Cash to work like a coupon code. It is applied as a payment method during eligible checkout.
Key Takeaways
- Shop Cash is a Shopify-funded rewards balance that eligible customers can use toward qualifying purchases.
- You can use Shop Cash through the Shop app, Shop website, or a Shop initiated Shop Pay checkout.
- A regular Shopify checkout that you start directly from a merchant’s website isn’t eligible for Shop Cash.
- Shop Cash is different from Shop Pay. Shop Cash is the rewards balance, while Shop Pay is the payment method.
- Shop Cash can cover part of an eligible order, with the remaining balance paid through a supported Shop Pay payment method.
- Gift cards, recurring subscription payments, wholesale or B2B orders, and certain unsupported digital products aren’t eligible.
- If Shop Cash doesn’t appear, check the checkout source, currency, product eligibility, account requirements, and Shop Pay configuration.
- Shop Cash can be refunded according to the payment methods used for the original order.
People Also Ask About Shop Cash
How do I use Shop Cash on Shopify?
You can use Shop Cash during an eligible checkout through the Shop app, Shop website, or a Shop initiated Shop Pay checkout. When Shop Cash is available, it is applied toward the eligible order amount, and any remaining balance can be paid with Shop Pay or Shop Pay Installments when available.
Can I use Shop Cash on any Shopify store?
No. Shop Cash is only available for eligible stores, orders, customers, and checkout experiences. The checkout must be initiated from Shop, use a supported currency, and meet Shopify’s other Shop Cash requirements.
Can I use Shop Cash directly on a Shopify website?
Only when the checkout is eligible. A customer can be redirected from Shop to a merchant’s online store and use Shop Cash through Shop Pay. A direct checkout that wasn’t initiated from Shop isn’t eligible for Shop Cash.
Can I use Shop Cash with Shop Pay?
Yes. Shop Cash can be used together with Shop Pay on an eligible order. Shop Cash is applied toward the purchase, while Shop Pay can cover the remaining balance.
Why is my Shop Cash not showing at checkout?
Shop Cash may not appear if you started checkout directly on the merchant’s website, use an unsupported currency, have an excluded product in your cart, haven’t met customer eligibility requirements, or the checkout doesn’t meet Shopify’s Shop Cash requirements.
Can I use Shop Cash for gift cards?
No. Gift cards are excluded from Shop Cash redemption.
Can I choose how much Shop Cash to use?
No. You can’t manually select an arbitrary partial amount of your Shop Cash balance. The eligible amount is determined during checkout based on your available balance, the eligible order amount, and applicable minimum payment requirements.
What happens to Shop Cash after a refund?
Refunds are handled according to the payment methods used for the original order. When applicable, the refundable amount can be returned to the customer’s Shop Cash balance after the other payment method has been refunded.
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