The things shop owners ask before they stick anything up.
Do my staff have to check anything on Instagram?
No, and they cannot. The redemption screen shows valid in green or used in red, and there is no override button. Someone who unfollowed never receives a code, so the refusal happens in the chat rather than at the counter.
What happens when somebody unfollows after redeeming?
The next voucher is not issued. Every issue checks the follow again in that moment, so it has to be live each time rather than once at the beginning.
Do I need new hardware?
No. Your staff type six characters into a browser on any device you already have: the till computer, the tablet at reception, a phone. Nothing is installed and nothing is integrated with your till.
Does the customer need an app?
They need Instagram, which they already have, because the code opens a chat inside it. Nothing else is installed and no account is created anywhere else.
What if the customer has no signal at the counter?
They fetch the code before they queue, and the sticker says so. Guest wifi removes the problem entirely. This is the one real point of friction and it is worth designing around.
Can the same person redeem twice?
Once per location per day, and once per campaign every 90 days. You can also cap the whole location per day. The identity is the Instagram account, which survives a new phone, a cleared browser and a private window.
What data do you keep about my customers?
A hashed form of their Instagram account id, and which location and time their scans and redemptions happened. The follow status is asked at Instagram, used to branch, and discarded. Vouchers are deleted 30 days after they expire.
Do you sell that data?
No, and it is not a thing we intend to start doing. Hosting is in the EU. A customer can write one word into the chat and have everything about them removed, with the confirmation in the same thread.
Who is responsible under data protection law?
For the vouchers you hand out, you are the controller and we are the processor, under a contract you accept when you sign up. For anything that happens inside Instagram, Meta is responsible on its own account, and we genuinely do not control it.
What kind of Instagram account do I need?
A business or creator account with messages open to everyone. Switching is free and takes about a minute inside the app.
Can I run this across several branches?
Yes. Each branch gets its own sticker and its own numbers, and the chain view puts them next to each other on the same figure.
What does it cost to try?
Nothing. One location and one campaign are free permanently, with no card, and the printable sticker artwork is included on that tier.