Process exchanges

What is an Exchange Request?

An exchange request occurs when a customer wants to replace a purchased item with a different product or variant instead of receiving a refund. This keeps revenue in your store while addressing customer needs.

• Customer returns original item and receives a replacement
• Exchange for different size, color, or variant
• Exchange for completely different product
• Price differences are handled with additional payment or partial refund
• Maintains customer relationship and revenue
• More cost-effective than returns for merchants

Exchange vs Return

Understanding the difference between exchanges and returns helps manage customer expectations and business operations.

• Exchange: Customer receives a replacement item (revenue retained)
• Return: Customer receives refund (revenue lost)
• Exchange: Requires additional inventory management
• Return: Simpler processing, just refund
• Exchange: May involve price difference handling
• Return: Fixed refund amount
• Exchange: Better for customer retention
• Return: Simpler for customers who changed their mind

Step 1: Buyer Creates an Exchange Request

Customers initiate exchange requests through your branded return portal by following a simple step-by-step process.

1. 1Customer navigates to the branded return page
2. 2Enters "Order Number" and "Email or Phone Number"
3. 3Clicks "Find your order" button
4. 4Reviews order details and eligible items
5. 5Clicks the "Exchange" button
6. 6Selects items to exchange
7. 7Chooses exchange options:
8. 8 • Exchange for same product (different variant)
9. 9 • Exchange for another variant
10. 10 • Exchange for different product
11. 11Selects new item(s) desired
12. 12Reviews price difference (if any)
13. 13Follows the instructions to complete request
14. 14Submits exchange request
15. 15Request status: "Pending Approval"

Step 2: Merchant Reviews Exchange Request

After a customer submits an exchange request, merchants need to review the details and make a decision to approve or reject.

1. 1Go to Management section in Returndotai admin
2. 2Click on the "Exchange" tab
3. 3View all shoppers' exchange requests
4. 4Click on a specific request to see details
5. 5Review request information:
6. 6 • Customer information
7. 7 • Original items being returned
8. 8 • New items requested
9. 9 • Price difference (if applicable)
10. 10 • Reason for exchange
11. 11 • Customer notes or special requests

Step 3: Approve or Reject Request

Review the exchange request details and decide whether to approve or reject based on your policies and inventory availability.

1. 1Review exchange request thoroughly
2. 2Verify customer information and order history
3. 3Check inventory availability for requested items
4. 4Confirm price difference calculations
5. 5Review exchange reason and policy compliance
6. 6To Approve:
7. 7 • Click the "Approve" button
8. 8 • System sends approval notification to customer
9. 9 • Status changes to "Approved"
10. 10 • Proceed to next steps in the workflow
11. 11To Reject:
12. 12 • Click the "Reject" button
13. 13 • Optionally add rejection reason/note
14. 14 • System sends rejection notification to customer
15. 15 • Status changes to "Rejected"
16. 16 • Exchange request is closed
17. 17Important: Ensure you verified sender's info and enabled all exchange notification templates to connect with your shoppers

Step 4: Mark as Received

When you physically receive the returned item(s) from the customer, update the exchange request status to reflect this.

1. 1Wait for customer to ship returned item
2. 2Track shipment (if tracking provided)
3. 3Receive and inspect returned item(s)
4. 4Verify item condition matches expectations
5. 5Check for damage or excessive wear
6. 6In Returndotai admin:
7. 7 • Open the exchange request details
8. 8 • Click the "Mark as Received" button
9. 9 • Status updates to "Received"
10. 10 • Customer receives notification (if enabled)
11. 11 • Proceed to restocking or exchange order creation

Step 5: Mark as Restocked (Optional)

After marking items as received, you can optionally mark them as restocked if they're suitable for resale and have been added back to inventory.

1. 1Inspect received items for quality
2. 2Determine if items are suitable for resale
3. 3Add items back to inventory if appropriate
4. 4In Returndotai admin:
5. 5 • Click the "Mark as Restocked" button
6. 6 • Status updates to "Restocked"
7. 7 • This step is separate and optional
8. 8 • Does not affect the process flow to exchange management
9. 9 • Helps track inventory management
10. 10Items not suitable for resale:
11. 11 • Do not mark as restocked
12. 12 • Handle according to your policies
13. 13 • Continue with exchange order creation

Step 6: Create an Exchange Order

After approving the exchange request, create an exchange order to send the new item(s) to the customer.

1. 1After approving the request, you can create an exchange order
2. 2Click the "Create Exchange Order" option
3. 3Choose from exchange order creation methods:
4. 4 • Option A: Add exchange product to original order
5. 5 • Option B: Create order for price difference (automatic)
6. 6 • Option C: Create new order with full item price
7. 7 • Option D: Do not create new orders (manual)
8. 8System creates order based on your selection
9. 9Review order details in Returndotai
10. 10Verify correct items and pricing
11. 11View exchange order in Shopify admin
12. 12Ship the exchange item to the customer:
13. 13 • Process order in Shopify
14. 14 • Fulfill exchange order
15. 15 • Add tracking information
16. 16 • Ship replacement item(s)
17. 17After creating exchange order successfully:
18. 18 • Status automatically transfers to "Merchant Shipped the Exchange"
19. 19 • Customer receives shipment notification
20. 20 • Exchange order card appears in request details
21. 21See detailed article: "Create an exchange order after approving exchange request" for more information

Step 7: Refund if Purchased Items Amount > Exchanged Items Amount

When the original item costs more than the replacement item, you need to refund the price difference to the customer.

1. 1Calculate price difference:
2. 2 • Original item price: $X
3. 3 • Replacement item price: $Y
4. 4 • Refund amount: $X - $Y
5. 5Example scenario:
6. 6 • Customer bought item for $100
7. 7 • Exchanging for item worth $80
8. 8 • Price difference: $20 (customer is owed refund)
9. 9Process the refund:
10. 10 • Click "Refund" button in exchange details
11. 11 • Select refund method:
12. 12 - Refund to original payment method
13. 13 - Refund to store credit
14. 14 - Refund to gift card
15. 15 - Refund to discount code
16. 16 • Confirm refund amount ($20 in example)
17. 17 • Click "Submit" to process refund
18. 18System handling:
19. 19 • Refund is processed in Shopify
20. 20 • Customer receives refund notification
21. 21 • Exchange request updated with refund details

Step 8: Resolve the Exchange Request

After shipping the exchange items to the customer and handling any price differences, resolve the exchange request to mark it as complete.

1. 1Confirm all steps are complete:
2. 2 ✓ Exchange order created and shipped
3. 3 ✓ Price difference refunded (if applicable)
4. 4 ✓ Customer received replacement item
5. 5 ✓ No pending actions required
6. 6In exchange request details:
7. 7 • Click the "Resolve" button
8. 8 • Optionally add final notes
9. 9 • Confirm resolution
10. 10System actions:
11. 11 • Status changes to "Resolved"
12. 12 • Exchange request is marked complete
13. 13 • Customer receives completion notification (if enabled)
14. 14 • Request moves to completed exchanges
15. 15 • All data is preserved for record-keeping
16. 16The exchange request is now resolved and complete

Exchange Request Resolved

Once resolved, the exchange request is complete and appears in your exchange history with all details preserved.

1. 1Exchange appears in resolved/completed section
2. 2All timeline events are preserved
3. 3Order references maintained
4. 4Refund and payment records kept
5. 5Customer communication history saved
6. 6Available for reporting and analytics
7. 7Can be referenced for future customer service

Scenario A: Exchange Item Costs More (Customer Pays Difference)

When the replacement item costs more than the original, the customer needs to pay the price difference.

1. 1Example:
2. 2 • Original item: $50
3. 3 • Replacement item: $70
4. 4 • Price difference: $20 (customer owes)
5. 5Merchant handling:
6. 6 • Create exchange order for price difference ($20)
7. 7 • Shopify creates order for $20
8. 8 • Send invoice to customer
9. 9 • Customer pays $20 via Shopify checkout
10. 10 • After payment received, ship exchange item
11. 11Customer experience:
12. 12 • Receives invoice for $20 difference
13. 13 • Pays via secure Shopify checkout
14. 14 • Receives confirmation
15. 15 • Exchange item ships after payment
16. 16Best practice:
17. 17 • Communicate price difference clearly
18. 18 • Send payment request promptly
19. 19 • Provide clear payment instructions
20. 20 • Ship only after payment confirmed

Scenario B: Exchange Item Costs Less (Customer Receives Refund)

When the replacement item costs less than the original, refund the price difference to the customer.

1. 1Example:
2. 2 • Original item: $100
3. 3 • Replacement item: $80
4. 4 • Price difference: $20 (customer is owed)
5. 5Merchant handling:
6. 6 • Calculate refund amount ($20)
7. 7 • Click "Refund" in exchange details
8. 8 • Select refund method
9. 9 • Process refund through Returndotai
10. 10 • Ship exchange item (no payment needed)
11. 11Refund method options:
12. 12 • Original payment method (most common)
13. 13 • Store credit
14. 14 • Gift card
15. 15 • Discount code
16. 16Customer experience:
17. 17 • Receives refund notification
18. 18 • Gets $20 back via selected method
19. 19 • Receives exchange item
20. 20 • Overall spent $80 for new item
21. 21Best practice:
22. 22 • Process refund promptly
23. 23 • Communicate refund method and timeline
24. 24 • Ship exchange item without delay
25. 25 • Confirm refund in customer notification

Scenario C: Exchange Items Have Equal Price

When both items have the same price, no additional payment or refund is needed.

1. 1Example:
2. 2 • Original item: $50
3. 3 • Replacement item: $50
4. 4 • Price difference: $0
5. 5Merchant handling:
6. 6 • Create exchange order
7. 7 • No payment or refund required
8. 8 • Ship exchange item directly
9. 9Customer experience:
10. 10 • No additional payment needed
11. 11 • No refund issued
12. 12 • Simply receives replacement item
13. 13 • Straightforward exchange
14. 14This is the simplest exchange scenario

Verify Sender Information

Before exchanges can be processed with email notifications, verify your sender information.

1. 1Navigate to Notifications section in Returndotai
2. 2Click on "Sender info" tab
3. 3Verify your email address:
4. 4 • Enter your business email
5. 5 • Complete email verification process
6. 6 • Ensure email can send notifications
7. 7This email will be used for all exchange notifications

Enable Exchange Notification Templates

Enable all exchange notification templates to keep customers informed throughout the exchange process.

1. 1Go to Notifications section
2. 2Find exchange-related templates
3. 3Enable the following templates:
4. 4 • Exchange request submitted
5. 5 • Exchange request approved
6. 6 • Exchange request rejected
7. 7 • Exchange item received
8. 8 • Exchange order shipped
9. 9 • Exchange resolved/completed
10. 10Customize email content (optional):
11. 11 • Update subject lines
12. 12 • Modify email body text
13. 13 • Add your branding
14. 14 • Include helpful instructions
15. 15Save all template changes

Respond to Exchange Requests Promptly

Review exchange requests within 24 hours

• Approve/reject within 1-2 business days
• Fast responses improve customer satisfaction
• Set up notifications to alert when new requests arrive
• Train staff to handle exchanges efficiently

Communicate Clearly

Enable all exchange notification templates

• Verify sender information is correct
• Send updates at each status change
• Explain price differences clearly
• Provide tracking information for exchanges
• Set clear expectations for timelines

Manage Inventory Carefully

Check inventory before approving exchanges

• Reserve exchange items after approval
• Mark items as restocked when suitable
• Track exchanged items separately
• Update inventory counts promptly
• Monitor exchange trends for restocking

Inspect Returned Items

Carefully inspect items when received

• Document condition with photos if needed
• Verify items match what was approved
• Check for damage or excessive wear
• Decide on restocking eligibility
• Add notes to exchange request about condition

Common Issues and Solutions

Common troubleshooting solutions for exchange processing issues:

• Customer can't find exchange option:
• • Verify exchange is enabled in settings
• • Check if item is eligible for exchange
• • Ensure customer is within exchange window
• Price difference calculation incorrect:
• • Verify product prices in Shopify are current
• • Check for sale prices or discounts
• • Recalculate manually if needed
• • Contact support if calculations don't match
• Cannot create exchange order:
• • Verify Shopify connection is active
• • Check that replacement item is in stock
• • Ensure you have necessary Shopify permissions
• • Try refreshing the page and attempting again
• Notifications not sending:
• • Verify sender email is verified
• • Check notification templates are enabled
• • Ensure customer email is correct
• • Check spam/junk folders