How the App works

Once installed, the app allows access to the Shopify API data for the store. Depending on the scenario, the flows are different and the type of data used is different.

1st Party

Enabling 1st Party allows for managing and fulfilling gift cards sold on the Shopify site. This includes both digital and physical cards.

For Physical cards, TOTUS will start by working with your marketing team to design a physical card front. TOTUS will draft the card backer with all necessary legal information and information needed for redemption. After proof approvals, TOTUS will then order and house the physical cards in our warehouse. Once the cards are in our warehouse, the App then uses the Fulfillment Service APIs from Shopify for fulfillment. The TOTUS app is notified of new physical fulfillment orders that are assigned to TOTUS. TOTUS will fulfill the orders and send back tracking numbers and status updates back to Shopify. Through the built-in functionality of Shopify, your customer service team can view the fulfillment of orders by requesting status, cancellations, or refunds. Once fulfilled, the physical gift card numbers are added to Shopify so the customer can redeem using that gift card on the site using standard Shopify processes.
For Digital orders, TOTUS monitors for new orders that have issued gift cards and will mark the gift cards for management. These new gift cards are then brought into the TOTUS platform so we can manage customer service and compliance and monitor for redemptions.
For POS orders or redemptions, these use the Shopify POS system. TOTUS monitors for new orders or redemptions in the Shopify system for these types of orders.

3rd Party

Enabling 3rd Party allows for managing and fulfilling gift cards sold through 3rd Party partners both for B2B scenarios and in 3rd Party Retail Stores. This can include both digital and physical cards.

For Physical cards in Retail, TOTUS will work with your marketing team to design a physical card to distribute the cards into retail locations. Once these cards are sold, the Retail location notifies TOTUS which prompts us to inject the gift card number into Shopify using the Shopify API. The gift card is now ready to be used by the cardholder on the site or POS system.
For Physical cards in B2B, TOTUS will work with your marketing team to design a physical card and the cards are then housed in our secure warehouse. Once we receive a B2B order, the cards are fulfilled and shipped directly to either the B2B company or end cardholders. Before shipment, the card numbers are injected into Shopify using the Shopify API, and the cards are available to be used on the site or POS system.
For digital cards in B2B, TOTUS works with your marketing team to design a digital card. When TOTUS receives a B2B order, a digital gift card number is generated and either delivered in bulk or to an individual cardholder via email or SMS. Before being delivered to the cardholder, the gift card numbers are injected into Shopify using the Shopify API so the cards can be used on the site or POS system.

Customer Service, Compliance and Fraud

For Customer Service, TOTUS uses our internal tools to manage gift cards. Requests for refunds, physical card replacement, redemption problems, and other types of gift card scenarios are made by our customer service team using our tools. A re-issue of the digital card to the original purchaser needs to be done through the Shopify admin, which may require TOTUS access or a soft-hand-off process with your customer service team.
For Legal & Compliance, TOTUS uses our internal reporting and management tools. We monitor the transactions on the gift cards and determine which cards fall under escheatment or other compliance regulations. We'll use the Shopify APIs to devalue and disable cards and perform the correct money movement to keep the program in compliance, depending on the jurisdiction covering the gift card program.
For Fraud monitoring, TOTUS uses our internal fraud tools to monitor for fraudulent activity. This may be initiated by cardholder calls or monitoring redemption activity. Once a gift card has been identified as potential fraud, depending on which channel it was sold (either 1st Party or 3rd Party), the card may be suspended and customer service will be notified to try to resolve either with the cardholder or the channel representative.

Settlement

For Settlement, TOTUS uses the Shopify API to look for activity on orders, gift cards changed and gift card adjustments during the settlement period. Based on the activity of the entity, TOTUS will create a redemption transaction when the card is used, a void redemption transaction for a full refund, or a funds transfer transaction for a partial refund of the gift card. TOTUS is also monitoring for any other activity such as adjustments or deactivations on the TOTUS-issued gift cards to find discrepancies in what the TOTUS system has recorded. If there is a discrepancy, then an exception report is generated so the activity can be manually worked and resolved.