# Comeback Cash Overview

Comeback Cash is a promotional coupon system built into BuyerKiosk that rewards customers with "cash back" coupons to encourage return visits. When customers complete qualifying transactions -- either selling items to your store or purchasing from your store -- they receive a coupon they can redeem on a future visit.

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## How Comeback Cash Works

Comeback Cash operates on a simple two-phase cycle: **Earning** and **Redemption**.

| Phase | What Happens |
|-------|-------------|
| **Earning Period** | Customers who complete qualifying transactions receive a coupon (printed at POS and/or sent via SMS) |
| **Redemption Period** | Customers return and present their coupon code for a discount on a new purchase |

Each coupon is a **bearer instrument** -- anyone with the code can redeem it. Codes are 8-character alphanumeric strings formatted as `XXXX-XXXX` for easy reading. The system uses unambiguous characters (no 0/O/I/L/1 confusion) so codes are simple to read and type.

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## Event Types: Buy Side vs. Sales Side

Comeback Cash supports two types of promotional events, depending on which kind of transaction earns the coupon:

| Type | Icon | How Customers Earn | Configuration |
|------|------|--------------------|---------------|
| **Buy Side** | Shopping bag | Customer **sells items to your store** (any completed buy transaction) | Simple flat-rate coupon value. No minimum threshold -- every buy earns a coupon. |
| **Sales Side** | Price tag | Customer **purchases items from your store** | Advanced options: flat rate, percentage of purchase, or tiered rewards based on spend amount. |

### Buy Side Example
A customer brings in clothing to sell. After you complete the buy, they automatically receive a $30 coupon they can use on a future purchase of $60 or more.

### Sales Side Example
A customer buys $100 worth of merchandise. Based on your tiered configuration, they earn a $20 coupon for their next visit. Or you might offer 10% back on all purchases as a flat percentage.

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## Where to Find Comeback Cash

Comeback Cash appears in two places in BuyerKiosk, serving different purposes:

### Admin View

**Path:** **Admin** > **Comeback Cash Management** (`/admin/{typeNum}/comeback-cash/`)

The admin page is the command center for store owners and managers. It provides:

- **Dashboard Statistics** -- At-a-glance metrics showing active events, total coupons issued, total redeemed, and total value redeemed
- **Events Tab** -- A Kanban-style board showing all events organized by lifecycle stage (Draft, Scheduled, Active, Redemption, Completed)
- **Reports Tab** -- Detailed redemption history with filtering by event and date range, plus CSV export
- **Create Event** button -- Opens the step-by-step event creation wizard

> **Tip:** The admin view requires the `uri_store_settings` permission. Only managers and store owners will see this page.

### Workspace View

**Path:** Accessible from the Workbook sidebar under the Comeback Cash tab

The workspace view is for day-to-day operations at the register. It has three tabs:

| Tab | Purpose |
|-----|---------|
| **Events** | View current and past events with their status and performance stats |
| **Redemption** | Scan or enter coupon codes to validate and apply discounts at the register |
| **Reports** | Quick access to redemption statistics and history |

> **Tip:** Workspace users with the `uri_comeback_cash_manage` permission can also create events from the workspace. Other team members can only view events and process redemptions.

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## Event Lifecycle

Every Comeback Cash event moves through a defined lifecycle. Understanding these stages helps you plan and manage promotions effectively.

| Status | Description | Available Actions |
|--------|-------------|-------------------|
| **Draft** | Event is being configured. Not visible to customers. | Edit, Activate, Delete |
| **Scheduled** | Event is configured and set to auto-activate on a future start date. | Edit, Cancel |
| **Active** | Earning period is live. Qualifying transactions generate coupons. | View Report, End Early |
| **Redemption** | Earning period has ended. Customers are redeeming their coupons. | View Report |
| **Completed** | Both earning and redemption periods have ended. All unredeemed coupons are expired. | View Report |

### Key Rules

- Only **one active event per side** at a time (one buy-side event and one sales-side event can run simultaneously)
- The **earning period must end before the redemption period starts** -- customers earn first, then come back to redeem
- **All coupons expire** at store close on the last day of the redemption period
- Activating a new event on the same side will automatically end the previous active event

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## Coupon Delivery

When a qualifying transaction occurs, coupons can be delivered two ways (configurable per event):

- **Printed at POS** -- A physical coupon prints with the barcode/code for the customer to keep
- **SMS Notification** -- If the customer's phone number is on file, a text message is sent with the coupon code and details

Both options can be enabled simultaneously so customers get a paper backup and a digital copy.

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## Real-Time Sync

Comeback Cash uses Ably real-time messaging to keep all open admin and workspace sessions synchronized. When you create or modify an event on one device, all other sessions see the update immediately -- no page refresh needed.

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## Related Articles

- [Creating Comeback Cash Events](/support/articles/comeback-cash-creating-events)
- [Comeback Cash Redemption and Reports](/support/articles/comeback-cash-redemption-reports)