Technical
Our Vanilla software provides a flexible and reliable 24 x 7 support service for all Gift Card demands.
Activations
Retailers are able to activate Gift Cards using their existing Point-of-Sale hardware and connection to send the activation data and other relevant facts direct to our Vanilla system.
Redemptions
Some client partners may sell Gift Cards by mail order or on-line. For these client partners, we provide our own 'Customer Not Present' Gift Card solution based on an 8 character alphabetical PIN.
SOAP interface (PPIN)
For client partners needing fast integration and using our 'Vanilla' PIN based Gift Cards we offer an SOAP web service (PPIN) based on the Web Service Security (WSS) open standard. This confirms and redeems Gift Card PINs using 3 functions while seamlessly integrating the process into existing on-line shopping programs:
- PPinCheckAndLock - This confirms the PIN's status to ensure the card's redemption. It also confirms the PIN's value and locks the PIN to shield its status from alteration for a set period.
- PPINRedeem - Once Checked and Locked, sending the transaction reference of the PPinCheckAndLock request redeems the PIN.
- PPINCancel - This function unlocks a PIN.
Vanilla interface (VPIN)
A (VPIN) Vanilla interface lets partners use our existing redemption services - such as SMS or on-line fulfilment service. We can also capture the customer's redemption data and confirm the process direct with the client partner.
We designed the 8 character alphabetical PIN to provide SMS redemption. This means that our client partners may use the Vanilla SMS interface to fulfil redemption requests.
To integrate with the Vanilla Interface, client partners must host an SOAP Interface by publishing the following function:
- VPINRedeemed - This processes a Vanilla PIN redemption message sent from the Vanilla system. This method is exposed as part of the Web Service provided by each client partner. The Vanilla system may call it when redeeming a Gift Card for goods or services offered by the client partner.
We will provide working example source code (c#) and test accounts on request.