# Returns, Exchanges & Claims **For:** support & operations staff handling post-purchase order changes in the admin dashboard **What you'll learn:** when to use a return, exchange, claim, or order edit; the step flow for taking items back and refunding a customer; and how each of these moves money. > This is a **how-to guide for the dashboard**, not the API. If you're building an > automated post-purchase system instead, see the [Admin API](/admin/fulfillment-orders) > reference or the [Usage Guide](/usage-guide). --- ## Before you start You'll need an admin login and access to the **Orders** section in the left navigation. Every action in this guide starts from a single order's **detail page** — open the order first (see [Order Processing](/guides/order-processing) for how to find and read an order). All four tools live in the same place: the **Summary** section of the order, where the **three-dots menu** in the header holds **Create Return**, **Create Exchange**, **Create Claim**, and **Edit Order**. Throughout this guide, screenshots use a **demo store** — the names, orders, and amounts shown are fake. All prices are decimals: $49.99 shows as `49.99`. --- ## 1. Pick the right tool These four tools all change an order after the customer has paid. Choose based on what the customer needs. | Tool | Use it when… | Money movement | |------|--------------|----------------| | **Return** | Customer sends items back and wants their money back | Refund to customer | | **Exchange** | Customer swaps items for different ones (size, color, product) | Refund **or** additional charge, depending on price difference | | **Claim** | Customer received **damaged or wrong** items | Refund **or** free replacement (or both) | | **Edit order** | You need to add or remove items on an order | Additional charge **or** refund, depending on the change | > **Tip:** A **return** takes items back for a refund only. An **exchange** takes items back *and* sends new ones. A **claim** is the exchange/return path specifically for **faulty or incorrect** items the customer received. Reach for a **claim** when the store (not the customer) is at fault. For the basic single-payment refund on an order (no items coming back), use the plain **Refund** button covered in [Order Processing](/guides/order-processing) instead — this guide is for when goods move. --- ## 2. Create a return (request → receive → refund) A return has three stages: you **request** it, the warehouse **receives** the items back, and the system **refunds** the customer. ### Request the return 1. On the order, open the **three-dots menu** in the **Summary** header and choose **Create Return**. 2. In the **Inbound** section, click **Add items**, check the boxes next to the items coming back, and click **Save**. 3. Adjust the **quantity** for each item if the customer is only returning some. 4. Optionally, use the three-dots icon next to an item to **Add Reason** (why it's coming back), **Add Note**, or **Remove** it from the return. ![The Create Return form with inbound items selected](images/returns-exchanges-claims/return-create.png) ### Set location and return shipping 5. Choose the **return location** — the warehouse the items should come back to. 6. Optionally pick a **Return shipping** option. This deducts the return shipping cost from the customer's refund. Click the **pencil icon** next to the total to edit that amount. 7. Leave **Send notifications** on to email the customer, or uncheck it to stay silent. 8. Click **Confirm Return**, then **Continue** in the popup. The return now appears in the Summary and Activity sections. > **Caution:** Confirming a return commits the refund math for these items. Double-check the item list, quantities, and any deducted return shipping before you click **Continue** — the refund is calculated from exactly what's shown here. ### Receive the items and refund 9. When the package arrives, click **Receive items** in the Summary section. 10. For each item, enter the **quantity received in good condition**. Use the **heart-broken icon** to record any **damaged** quantity separately. 11. Click **Save**. Marking items received is what **triggers the refund** back to the customer. ![The Receive items dialog with quantities entered](images/returns-exchanges-claims/return-receive.png) > **Caution:** Receiving items releases money to the customer. Only mark an item received once it is physically back and inspected — a refund issued here is difficult to reverse. If any outstanding amount remains after receiving (for example a partial refund still owed), finish it with the standard refund step in [Order Processing](/guides/order-processing). --- ## 3. Create an exchange An exchange takes items back (**inbound**) and sends replacements out (**outbound**). If the new items cost more, the customer owes the difference; if they cost less, the customer is refunded. 1. Open the **three-dots menu** in the Summary header and choose **Create Exchange**. 2. **Inbound (returning):** click **Add items**, check the items coming back, click **Save**, then set a **return location** and, optionally, a **return shipping** method (edit its cost with the pencil icon). 3. **Outbound (replacements):** in the Outbound section click **Add items**, check the replacement products, and click **Save**. Adjust quantities or remove items from the three-dots menu. 4. Choose an **Outbound Shipping** method for the replacements; edit its cost with the pencil icon if needed. 5. Optionally enable **Carry over promotions** so eligible discounts still apply to the new items. 6. Leave **Send notifications** on to email the customer, then click **Confirm Exchange** → **Continue**. ![The Create Exchange form with inbound and outbound items](images/returns-exchanges-claims/exchange-create.png) After confirming: check the **Summary** for any amount **owed or refundable**, mark the returned items **received** (same step as a return, above), and **fulfill the outbound items** — see [Fulfillment Operations](/guides/fulfillment-operations). > **Caution:** An exchange can both **charge** the customer more or **refund** them, depending on the price difference between the returned and replacement items. Confirm the outstanding amount in the Summary before you proceed so the customer isn't over- or under-charged. > **Tip:** You can **cancel** an exchange from the **Activity** section — but only *before* the outbound items are fulfilled or the inbound items are received. After that, it's committed. --- ## 4. Create a claim (damaged or wrong items) Use a **claim** when the customer received **faulty or incorrect** items. A claim can be started only **after the items were delivered**. It lets you refund the customer, send a free replacement, or both. 1. Open the **three-dots menu** in the Summary header and choose **Create Claim**. 2. **Inbound (returning):** click **Add items**, check the faulty items, click **Save**, then set a **return location** and, optionally, a **return shipping** method (edit its cost with the edit icon). 3. **Outbound (replacements):** if you're sending replacements, click **Add items** in the Outbound section, check the replacement products, and click **Save**. Choose an **Outbound Shipping** method and edit its cost if needed. - For a **refund-only** claim, leave the Outbound section empty. - For a **replacement**, add the outbound items but expect no charge to the customer — the store is covering the fault. 4. Leave **Send notifications** on, then click **Confirm Claim** → **Continue**. ![The Create Claim form for damaged items](images/returns-exchanges-claims/claim-create.png) After confirming: watch the **Summary** for any outstanding refund, mark returned items **received** if you asked for them back, and **fulfill** any replacement items via [Fulfillment Operations](/guides/fulfillment-operations). > **Caution:** A claim refund is real money leaving the store. Verify the item is genuinely damaged or incorrect — ask for a photo where your policy requires one — before confirming, because the refund is hard to undo. --- ## 5. Edit an order (add or remove items) Use **Edit Order** to change what's on an order — add a forgotten item, remove one, or adjust quantities. This can result in an **extra charge** (items added) or a **refund** (items removed). 1. Open the **three-dots menu** in the Summary header and choose **Edit Order**. 2. **Add items:** click **Add items**, check the products, click **Save**. New items get a **New** badge; set their quantity. 3. **Change quantity:** edit the quantity field on any existing item. It gets a **Modified** badge. 4. **Remove items:** use an item's three-dots menu and choose **Remove**. Existing items get a **Removed** badge; choose **Undo** from the same menu to restore one. (You can also **Duplicate** an item into a new line.) 5. Optionally add a customer-facing **Note** and leave **Send notifications** on. 6. Click **Confirm Edit** → **Continue**. An **Order edit requested** section appears. 7. Click **Force confirm** to apply the changes immediately. Then allocate and fulfill any new items normally. ![The Edit Order form with New, Modified, and Removed badges](images/returns-exchanges-claims/order-edit.png) > **Caution:** Editing an order can **charge the customer more** or **owe them a refund**. Review the new total before you **Force confirm** — once applied, settling the difference (a charge or a refund) is handled through the payment steps in [Order Processing](/guides/order-processing). > **Tip:** To throw away an in-progress edit, click **Cancel** in the **Order edit requested** section before confirming — all pending changes are discarded. --- ## Quick reference - **Return** — items back, money back. Request → **Receive items** (this triggers the refund) → settle any remainder. - **Exchange** — swap items. Inbound + Outbound; can charge *or* refund depending on price difference; cancel only before fulfillment/receipt. - **Claim** — for **damaged/wrong** items only, and only **after delivery**. Refund, replace, or both. - **Edit order** — add/remove/change items; **Force confirm** to apply; may charge more or refund. - **All four start** from the **three-dots menu** in the order's **Summary** header. - **Every money-moving step** — confirming a return/exchange/claim, receiving items, or force-confirming an edit — is hard to reverse. Check items and amounts first. - **Plain single-payment refunds** (no goods returning) and the final refund step live in [Order Processing](/guides/order-processing).