Sample voucher terms for merchants
Important note before using this template
These sample voucher terms are a practical starting point for merchants who sell vouchers online. They are not legal advice and must be adapted to the specific business, country, tax treatment, voucher type and customer journey before publication.
If you want more background before writing your own customer-facing terms, read the guide on tax, withdrawal rights and voucher basics. For the platform terms between merchants and Gutscheindirekt, see the Gutscheindirekt terms.
1. Issuer
The voucher is issued by {{MERCHANT NAME}}, {{ADDRESS}}, {{EMAIL}}, {{PHONE}}. The merchant is responsible for the voucher offer, the redemption of the voucher and customer communication around redemption, refunds or questions.
If vouchers are sold through an online voucher shop, the merchant should make clear that the voucher is issued by the merchant and not by the technical platform unless a different contractual setup has been expressly agreed.
2. Redemption
The voucher can be redeemed with {{MERCHANT NAME}} for the services or products offered by the merchant, unless a different restriction is stated directly on the voucher or during the purchase process.
The redemption process should be described in plain language. Customers should know whether they need to book an appointment, show a voucher code, bring a printed voucher or present the voucher on a mobile device.
3. Voucher value
The voucher value is the amount selected during purchase or the value shown on the voucher. For service vouchers, the merchant should specify whether the voucher covers a defined service or whether the voucher represents a monetary value that can be applied to services or products.
If prices change after purchase, the merchant should decide and document how existing vouchers are treated. This should be consistent with applicable consumer law and the merchant’s own pricing policy.
4. Partial redemption
The merchant must decide whether partial redemption is possible. If partial redemption is allowed, the remaining value should stay traceable and should not disappear simply because only part of the voucher was used.
If partial redemption is not allowed, this must be communicated clearly before purchase. Ambiguous wording creates unnecessary support questions and can cause disputes during redemption.
5. Cash payout
A cash payout of the voucher value is excluded to the extent permitted by law. The exact wording should be checked for the country in which the merchant operates and for the type of voucher being sold.
If refunds, cancellations or withdrawal rights apply to the online purchase, those rules should be described separately from the general exclusion of cash redemption.
6. Validity
The voucher is valid until {{VALIDITY DATE OR PERIOD}}. The merchant must verify which legal requirements and court decisions apply to voucher validity in the relevant country.
Validity wording should be easy to find before purchase and on the voucher itself. If different voucher types have different validity periods, those differences should be stated clearly.
7. Loss and misuse
The voucher code should be treated like a means of redemption. If a voucher code is lost, the merchant can only help if the purchase can be assigned reliably and the voucher has not already been redeemed.
The merchant should describe how customers can contact support in case of loss and what information is required to identify the purchase.
8. Withdrawal or cancellation
For vouchers purchased online, consumers may have statutory withdrawal or cancellation rights depending on country, customer type and voucher content. The merchant must provide the correct information before purchase and in the order confirmation where required.
If a voucher refers to a specific dated service, event or appointment, different rules may apply. This section should therefore be reviewed carefully by legal counsel or a competent advisory body.
9. Single-purpose or multi-purpose voucher
The tax classification of a voucher as a single-purpose or multi-purpose voucher must be clarified by the merchant or the merchant’s tax advisor. This classification can affect when VAT becomes relevant and how the voucher sale is documented.
Gutscheindirekt provides the technical voucher shop. The merchant remains responsible for tax treatment, invoice wording and accounting processes unless otherwise agreed in writing.
10. Contact
For questions about redemption, loss, validity, refunds or other voucher matters, customers should contact {{CONTACT DETAILS}}.
Merchants should also make sure that their customer-facing privacy information explains which buyer, recipient, email, payment and voucher data is processed. The platform-side privacy information is available under privacy, but each merchant must cover their own data processing toward end customers.