How Alva POS works
The Alva POS extension lives at extensions/pos-digital-downloads/ and renders as a smart-grid tile on the post-purchase action menu. After the cashier takes payment, they tap the Alva tile, enter the customer's email address, and confirm. Alva attaches that email to the order, matches the order on the ORDERS_PAID webhook, and emails the download link within seconds. The same product-to-file mappings used for online orders apply at the till — no separate POS catalog.
Shopify POS device showing the post-purchase action menu with the Alva Digital Downloads tile highlighted. Show 2–3 other smart-grid tiles for context. No real customer data visible.
Set up the POS extension
1. Enable the Alva POS extension on your POS device
The extension installs automatically when Alva is installed on the shop. On the POS device, open Settings, then Smart grid, and confirm Alva Digital Downloads is listed under installed extensions. If it isn't, sign out of POS and back in to refresh the extension list.
2. Configure smart-grid tiles
From the smart-grid editor on the POS device, drag the Alva Digital Downloads tile into a visible row on the post-purchase action menu. Place it near the top — staff need to reach it before the customer leaves the counter.
3. Train staff to capture customer email at checkout
After the cashier rings up a digital product and takes payment, they tap the Alva tile, type the customer's email address, and confirm. The cashier should read the address back to the customer to catch typos before submitting — there's no second chance once the receipt prints.
Alva POS email-capture dialog: title "Send download link", an email input field with a sample address, and a primary "Send" button. No real customer data visible.
What happens at checkout
The customer pays at the till as usual. The cashier reads back the email address, taps Send, and the customer receives the download email within seconds — usually before they've left the shop. Tapping the link opens the download in their phone browser. No app install, no Shopify account, no waiting for a confirmation email from Shopify.
Important POS behaviour
POS orders skip the fraud queue entirely. The cashier verified the buyer in person — chargeback risk is minimal — so Alva sends the download link immediately and assigns any license keys at the moment the email is captured. This branches inside webhooks.server.neworder.ts around line 79, where orders without a Shopify customer record (POS, guest, draft) bypass the fraud-check path. License keys assign immediately at POS instead of waiting for fraud approval. For the full reasoning, see Why POS orders skip the fraud queue.
Alva admin Orders list. Show a column or badge labelled "Source: POS" on one or two rows so the merchant can spot in-store orders at a glance. No real customer data visible.
FAQ
Does the customer need a Shopify account to receive the download?
No. The cashier captures any email address at the till. Alva uses that address as the delivery target, creates a Customer record in Alva, and emails the download link. The customer never needs to create a Shopify account.
What happens if the cashier forgets to capture the email?
The order still records in Shopify but no download email goes out. Reopen the order in Alva's admin, click Resend, and enter the customer's email. The link sends immediately.
Are POS orders counted toward the fraud queue?
No. POS orders skip fraud checks entirely. The cashier verified the buyer in person and chargeback risk is minimal, so Alva sends the download link immediately and assigns license keys without queueing the order.
See also
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Last updated 2026-05-06