What Are Gift Cards in HoodServe?

Gift cards let you sell your services as a redeemable gift. A client pays upfront, receives a branded digital card with a unique code, and a friend or family member uses that code to book any eligible service. It is one of the easiest ways to generate revenue before a job is ever done.

You can also issue gift cards manually — for example as a thank-you reward, a contest prize, or a refund alternative.

Setting Up Gift Cards for Online Sale

  1. Go to Gift Cards → Colors & Sale Settings (admin sidebar).
  2. For each service you want to sell as a gift card, toggle "For Sale" on.
  3. Optionally set a custom Sale Price. If left blank, the service's base price is used.
  4. Choose two accent colors for each service card — these form a gradient that appears on the digital card.
  5. Save. The service now appears on your public Buy Gift Cards page (/{your-slug}/buy-gift-cards).

Creating Custom Card Designs

Custom designs let you add a branded look for occasions like birthdays, holidays, or thank-you gifts:

  1. Go to Gift Cards → Designs.
  2. Click Add Design.
  3. Upload a background image (or pick an emoji as a fallback).
  4. Give it a name (e.g., "Birthday", "Christmas", "Thank You").
  5. Toggle designs active or inactive at any time.
  6. When issuing a card manually, you can select which design to apply.

Issuing a Gift Card Manually

Use manual issue when you want to give a card to a client without them paying — for rewards, refunds, or promotional campaigns:

  1. Go to Gift Cards → Issue New Card.
  2. Select the Service (and variant, if applicable).
  3. Enter the recipient's name and email address.
  4. Optionally choose a design and add a personal note.
  5. Click Issue Card. The recipient receives an email with their digital card and unique code.

How Customers Buy Gift Cards Online

  1. The customer visits /{your-slug}/buy-gift-cards.
  2. They browse available services and select one.
  3. They enter the recipient's name and email, then pay via Stripe or PayPal.
  4. Once payment is confirmed, the card status changes to Active and the recipient is emailed their card immediately.

Gift Card Dashboard

Go to Gift Cards in the sidebar to see all cards. You can filter by status:

  • Active — paid and ready to redeem
  • Used — already redeemed by the recipient
  • Voided — cancelled by you (e.g., lost card, refund)

Each card entry shows the code, recipient, service, issue date, and payment status.

Redeeming a Gift Card

When a recipient comes in to use their card:

  1. Find the card in the Gift Cards dashboard (search by code or name).
  2. Click the card to open the detail view.
  3. Click Redeem. The card status changes to Used and the redemption timestamp is recorded.
💡 You can also give the client a direct link to their card: /gc/view/{code}. They can view it from any device and show it to you when booking.

Voiding a Gift Card

To cancel a card (for a refund, duplicate issuance, or customer request):

  1. Open the card detail from the dashboard.
  2. Click Void. The card becomes invalid and can no longer be redeemed.

Resending the Gift Card Email

If a recipient says they never received their card:

  1. Open the card detail from the dashboard.
  2. Click Resend Email. The card email is sent again immediately.

Tips for Using Gift Cards Effectively

  • Holiday promotions — enable gift cards for sale in November–December and promote via email and social media.
  • Client appreciation — issue a free gift card to long-term clients as a loyalty reward.
  • Referral alternative — offer a gift card to clients who refer a friend, instead of a cash discount.
  • Contest prizes — run a social media giveaway and issue the winner a gift card instantly.