issue a credit? I don't know what it means.?

Question

Amy: I'd like to return this dress, but I don't have the receipt. It was a gift.
Clerk: In that case, I can only "issue a credit", not a refund.
Amy: That would be fine. I'll use it toward this blouse.

Could u pls tell me what "issue a credit" means.
Thank u 4 ur time! ^_^

Answer 1

to issue a credit...
credit would be used in place of cash. they give you a gift card for the value of the item to use at a later time to purchase something else. store policy must be they don't refund you cash or credit your card if you used plastic to pay for it.

Answer 2

That means that Amy can purchase something else at the store and apply what she paid for the dress to the purchase price of the new item. Amy cannot receive cash back (refund), because she does not have the receipt for the dress.