To turn on returns, follow this guide: Enabling the return form / cancellation option. This article gives an overview of how returns work and how to handle them.
Here’s how returns work, step by step.
Step 1 - The customer places an order
The customer places an order in your online store as usual.
After the order is placed, the customer automatically receives an order confirmation email letting them know the order has been received.
The email includes a button (View order) that takes the customer to their order details. From the order details, the customer can cancel the order if needed. An order can be canceled as long as it hasn’t been processed yet.
Order confirmation email. The customer can view the order by clicking "View order".
Step 2 - The merchant processes the order
After receiving the order, the merchant processes it as usual.
Once the order has been processed, your online store automatically sends the customer a confirmation that the order has been processed.
In this email, the customer sees a Return items button. The customer can use this button to start a return if they need to return items.
Order delivered email. The customer can start a return by clicking "Return items".
Step 3 - The customer returns items
When the customer wants to return items, they click the Return items button in the email.
The button takes the customer to a page where they can first read your return instructions. The instructions can cover, for example, how to pack the items, how to send the return, and any return code.
After reading the instructions, the customer selects the items they want to return and sends a return request to the merchant.
Customer view: The customer first sees the return instructions written by the merchant, and can then continue to return items.
Step 4 - The merchant sees the return in the admin
Once the customer has sent the return request, it appears in the order details in your store admin.
Open the order in the admin. The return request is shown in the order details. To review it, click View.
Return request in the merchant view. Click "View" to review and process the return.
Step 5 - Processing the return
On the return page, you can see the details of the return request.
To approve the return, click Approve in the top right corner.
If the return can’t be approved, you can reject it by clicking Reject in the top left corner.
Once the return has been processed, the customer is kept informed of its progress through automated messages.
Automated messages during the return process
Your online store can automatically send the customer messages at different stages of the return process.
Setting up the automated return messages is covered in more detail in the return form setup guide:
Enabling the return form / cancellation option