What is the appropriate action to take if a shop card is activated before payment is completed?

The appropriate action when a shop card is activated before payment is completed is to void the shop card before voiding the transaction. This procedure is crucial because it ensures that the shop card is not improperly activated or used without payment, which could lead to losses for the company and confusion for the member.

Voiding the shop card first prevents any potential financial discrepancies, ensuring that the card cannot be used until the transaction is completed successfully according to the company's policies. This approach maintains the integrity of the sales process and ensures that the member is fully aware of the situation, prompting a resolution before moving forward with the transaction.

In this context, simply returning the shop card to the member could cause misunderstandings regarding the status of the transaction. Notifying the member of the error, while important, doesn’t directly address the need to correct the activation issue. Processing the transaction as normal would ignore the problem and could result in complications later. Thus, voiding the shop card first is the most effective action in maintaining proper transaction protocol.