How It Works

ReloadCard connects merchants and consumers through a gift card network. Here's how money flows and what each party sees.

The consumer journey

Discover — Consumer finds your store in the ReloadCard app or scans a physical card QR code
Load — Consumer pays via Stripe Checkout (Apple Pay, Google Pay, or card)
Use — Consumer spends the balance at your store (Shopify checkout or POS via API)
Reload — Consumer tops up their card anytime from the app
Transfer — Consumer can move balance between stores on the network

Money flow

Consumer pays $100
  → Stripe processes payment
  → $95 goes to YOUR Stripe Connect account
  → $5 (5%) goes to ReloadCard as platform fee
  → Gift card balance updated instantly

Payments go directly to your Stripe account via Stripe Connect. ReloadCard never holds your money — we collect the 5% fee at the point of transaction.

For Shopify merchants

When a consumer loads a card at your store, ReloadCard creates (or credits) a Shopify gift card in your store. The balance lives in Shopify's gift card system, so consumers can redeem it at your Shopify checkout like any other gift card.

For non-Shopify merchants (Open API)

ReloadCard's database IS your gift card ledger. When a consumer presents a card at your POS, your system calls our API to check the balance and debit the amount. No external gift card system needed.

Webhook delivery

Register webhook endpoints via the API to receive real-time notifications for all card events at your store. Webhooks are signed with HMAC-SHA256 so you can verify authenticity. See Webhook API docs for setup and event details.

Cross-store transfers

Consumers can transfer balance between any stores on the Reload Network. When a consumer transfers $100 from Store A to Store B:

Store A's original payment transfer is reversed — $100 returns to the platform
Store B receives $95 in real cash via Stripe Connect ($100 minus 5% platform fee)
Gift card balances are adjusted on both sides
The consumer sees $100 at Store B — zero fees visible

Real money settles. Store B receives actual funds to back the gift card liability. Store A returns the funds for goods they didn't deliver. Both stores are treated fairly. Transfer reversals and settlements are processed via Stripe Connect at zero additional cost.

The 5% fee on transfers is a customer acquisition cost for Store B — they gain a new customer with guaranteed spend, cheaper than any ad campaign.

Physical cards

Order custom-branded physical cards with QR codes and NFC chips. Each card links to the ReloadCard platform. When a consumer scans the QR code or taps the card to their phone, they're taken to the activation flow in the consumer app.

Production & encoding

Cards are produced with QR codes and NFC tags encoded to unique activation URLs. Each card is tracked from production through to activation, so you always know which cards are in circulation.

Pre-loaded cards with denominations

Order pre-loaded cards with set denominations (e.g., $25, $50, $100). These ship ready to sell at POS — the consumer scans or taps the card, and the balance is already loaded. No activation step needed.

Redemption

Consumers redeem cards at checkout by entering the gift card code (available via the Reveal button in the app) or by showing the QR code at POS for the cashier to scan with Shopify POS.

Physical cards are a powerful customer acquisition tool. They can be sold in-store, included with purchases, or gifted.

Batch void & cancel

Merchants can manage card batches from the dashboard:

Cancel before production — If a batch hasn't been produced yet, cancel the order to void all cards. No charges are incurred.
Disable all cards in a batch — If cards have already been produced or distributed, disable the entire batch at once. Every card in the batch is permanently disabled and cannot be used. Use this for lost shipments or suspected fraud.

Disabled cards trigger a card.disabled webhook event for each card in the batch, so your systems stay in sync.