How long should a gift card be valid for?

Each gift card is valid for the number of months you enter in Valid for, counted from the date the gift card is purchased. For example, a gift card bought today with Valid for set to 36 expires 36 months from today. The expiry date is shown on the gift card PDF. Gift cards are paid for by customers, so in Australia and the United States the law sets a minimum period. WithWine doesn't check this for you: you're responsible for meeting the rules where you sell.

Australia: gift cards sold on or after 1 November 2019 must be valid for at least 3 years (36 months). The expiry must be clearly shown on the gift card, and most fees after purchase are banned. Some gift cards and vouchers are excluded. See New gift card laws (consumer.gov.au).

United States: under the federal Credit CARD Act of 2009, gift cards can't expire sooner than 5 years (60 months) after they're issued or last loaded with money, whichever is later. Some states have stricter rules; for example, California generally doesn't allow gift cards to expire. Check your state's rules.

This is a summary, not legal advice, and laws can change. You're responsible for meeting the requirements of your local jurisdiction.

Unspent gift cards are value your customers can still claim from you. Keep track of your outstanding gift card liabilities, and make sure you always have enough cash to honour the gift cards you've sold. See What are outstanding liabilities?.

Loyalty credit and manual credit are free for the customer, so you can choose any expiry for them. Gift cards are paid for, which is why the legal minimums apply. See How long does credit last before it expires?.