Return center

Shoporama’s returns center allows your customers to request returns directly from your online store. You manage returns from the admin panel, where you can approve them, create credit memos, and keep track of inventory. Customers can choose a refund, a store credit, or an exchange for a different size or a completely different product.

Enable the Returns Center

The Returns Center is activated under Web Store → General on the Returns Center tab by checking the box next to “Activate Returns Center.” Here you’ll also find settings for return shipping, whether items should be restocked, and similar options. Once the Returns Center is enabled, your customers will have access to a returns page on your online store.

You can enable store credit and exchanges on the Returns Center page under Orders → Returns Center, at the bottom of the settings on that page.

Here’s how it works for the customer

1. The customer visits the returns page on your online store
2. The customer enters their order number and email address to find the order
3. The system displays the items that can be returned
4. The customer selects which items to return and provides a reason for each item
5. The customer may select return shipping (depending on your settings)
6. If you offer this option, the customer chooses whether the amount should be issued as a refund, as store credit, or whether the customer would prefer to exchange the item for a different size or product
7. The return is processed, and the customer receives a confirmation

Exchange: Exchange for a different size or product

Many returns aren’t about the customer wanting their money back, but about the item not fitting. With exchanges, the customer can swap the item directly within the returns process, allowing you to retain the sale in your store. This feature is enabled on the Returns Center page under Orders → Returns Center, along with the store credit option.

From the returns page, the customer clicks “Exchange for something else, ” which opens a guide where they go through each item and choose what to exchange it for:

• Exchange for a different size: The customer is offered other sizes of the same product. Only sizes that are actually in stock are displayed, so the customer cannot exchange for something that’s out of stock
• Search for a different product: If the customer wants something completely different, they can search your product range and choose a new product to receive instead

While the customer is making their selection, the guide displays a real-time calculation of the difference between the item being returned and the replacement item. This means the customer can see at all times whether the exchange will result in an additional charge or a refund.

What happens to the difference depends on whether the new item is more expensive or less expensive than the returned one:

• More expensive exchange: The customer is sent a payment link for the difference. The value of the returned items is refunded to the customer’s card, and the customer pays only the additional cost of the new item
• Cheaper exchange: The new order is covered by the return, and the customer receives the excess amount either as store credit or as a refund to their card. The customer selects their preference in the wizard by checking a box

When you approve the exchange, Shoporama creates two documents: a credit memo for the returned items and a new order for the replacement items. This keeps your books in order. The returns page in the admin panel is marked with an “Exchange” label and displays the requested new items, the price difference, and direct links to both the credit memo and the new order.

Only one exchange per order

If you pay for the return shipping yourself when a customer exchanges an item, the same order can quickly become expensive. The customer exchanges a small for a medium, changes their mind, and then exchanges it for a large. Each time, it costs you a return label, and the profit on the order is gone. The reason is that, technically speaking, an exchange creates an entirely new order, and on that new order, the customer starts with a clean slate and can exchange again.

If you’d rather have the customer combine everything into a single exchange, enable “Only one exchange per order” under Orders → Returns Center, at the bottom of the settings on that page. This setting is disabled by default, so you must actively select it. When it’s enabled:

• The exchange button disappears from the returns page as soon as the customer has created one exchange on the order. This happens as soon as the customer requests it, not only after you approve it
• The restriction applies throughout the entire exchange process. This means the new order the customer receives as part of an exchange cannot be exchanged again either
• The customer can still return the item. Standard returns for a refund or store credit are unaffected, even on the exchange order
• Old links cannot be used to bypass this process. If the customer still has a link to the exchange guide from a previous email, they will be directed to the exchange that already exists

The customer will still see the return options, but the “Exchange” button will be hidden on orders that are already part of an exchange. If, in exceptional cases, a single customer needs to make an exchange anyway, you can temporarily disable the setting, let the customer create the exchange, and re-enable it afterward.

Handling Returns in the Admin Panel

All returns are displayed under Orders → Returns Center in the admin panel. Here you can:

• View an overview of all returns with their status (new or processed)
• Search for returns by phone, email, or order number
• Filter by status
• See if it’s a full or partial return
• See which returns are exchanges by checking for an " Exchange" label
• Export returns to CSV

Approval and credit memo

Once you’ve received the returned items, you can approve the return:

1. Open the return from the list
2. Review the returned items and adjust the amount if necessary
3. Select whether the items should be restocked
4. Add a comment or internal note if necessary
5. Click Approve and Create Credit Memo

The system automatically creates a credit memo (negative order amount) linked to the original order. The return is marked as processed. If the return is an exchange, Shoporama also creates a new order for the replacement items and automatically sends a payment link (for more expensive exchanges) or a store credit (for less expensive exchanges) to the customer.

Do not restock the item until it has been received

By default, Shoporama restocks the returned item the moment you approve the return. However, it may take the customer several days to ship the package, and in the meantime, the item will appear to be in stock even though you don’t physically have it yet. If you only have one copy, you risk another customer purchasing an item that you cannot ship immediately.

You can avoid this by delaying the inventory update until you actually have the item in hand:

1. Go to Webshop → General on the Returns Center tab
2. Enable “Automatically add returned items to inventory”
3. Also, set “Add the item to inventory only when the return is marked as received” to “On,” and save

Here’s how it works: You approve the return as usual, so the customer receives their credit memo, store credit, or exchange immediately. The item is not added to inventory yet, and the return is given the status “Awaiting Receipt at the Return Center.” When the package is returned, check the box next to the return in the list and click “Mark as Received.” Only then will the item be returned to stock and become available for purchase again.

To quickly view returns that are still awaiting a package, select “Awaiting Receipt” in the status filter at the top of the page.

In the case of an exchange, the new order is also automatically assigned an order label (e.g., “Exchange, awaiting return”) in the order list. The exchange order is paid for and ready for picking, but the customer’s return item may not have been received yet. The label makes it clear to your warehouse staff that the new item should not be shipped until the returned item has been received. Manually remove the label from the order once you’ve received the returned item. You can customize the label’s name and color under “Order Labels.”

Store Credit Instead of a Refund

You can let the customer choose a store credit instead of a refund. This keeps revenue in the store, and many customers prefer this option if they plan to exchange the item for something else anyway. This feature is enabled on the Orders → Returns Center page.

Once the feature is enabled, the customer can check the box for “Receive a store credit instead of a refund” during the return process. This selection applies to the entire return. When you approve the return, Shoporama automatically creates a gift card for the return amount and sends the code to the customer via email. The store credit is valid for 3 years, and the customer receives either a refund or store credit—not both.

You can also offer a free return label when the customer chooses a store credit. In that case, the return shipping cost is not deducted, and the full return value is issued as store credit. This provides an extra incentive to choose store credit over a refund.

Emails Sent for Returns and Exchanges

Shoporama automatically sends the relevant emails based on the customer’s selection. You do not need to contact the customer yourself during the process.

Standard Return

• For you: a notification every time a customer creates a new return, with details about the order and the returned items
• Store credit email to the customer if the customer has chosen store credit. The email contains the store credit code and is sent when you approve the return
• Refund confirmation to the customer if the customer is receiving a refund. Sent when you approve the return

Exchange

• "We have received your exchange" is sent to the customer as soon as the exchange is processed, confirming that the request has been received
• A payment link is sent to the customer upon approval if the exchange is more expensive, so the customer can pay the difference
• "Your exchange has been completed" with a store credit code is sent upon approval if the exchange is less expensive and the customer has chosen to receive the excess amount as store credit
• A refund confirmation is sent upon approval if the exchange is less expensive and the customer has chosen to have the excess amount refunded to their card

If you use automatic return labels, a return label will also be sent to the customer as a PDF. The appearance and text of each email are controlled by your theme’s email templates.

Shipping Handling for Returns

Shoporama calculates shipping costs on the credit memo differently depending on whether the customer is returning the entire order or only part of it.

Full return

In the case of a full return (all items from the order are returned in the same shipment), Shoporama refunds both the price of the items and the original shipping cost, since the customer does not end up receiving the items. The customer pays the return shipping cost (the cost of sending the items back to you), which is deducted from the credit memo.

Partial return

In the case of a partial return (the customer keeps one or more items from the order), Shoporama will refund only the value of the returned items, minus the return shipping cost. The original shipping cost is not refunded because it is assumed to cover the items the customer keeps.

You can always manually adjust the amount on the credit memo before approving it if a specific case requires it.

Exchanges

When a customer exchanges an item instead of returning it, the return label is free by default. This is a deliberate incentive: the customer keeps their business with your store instead of getting a refund, so you don’t lose the sale. If you still want the customer to cover the return shipping cost for an exchange, enter a price in the “Return Shipping for Exchanges” field on the Orders → Returns Center page. The amount is specified excluding tax, and tax is automatically added unless you’ve selected tax-free return shipping. The fee is added to what the customer pays for the exchange order, and the customer will see it during the exchange process and on the receipt page.

Settings

The Return Center is configured in two places: under Webstore → General on the Return Center tab (activation, return shipping, and inventory) and on the Orders → Return Center page itself (store credit, exchanges, and return labels). Among other things, you can manage:

• Return shipping: choose a fixed shipping method for returns, or let the customer choose for themselves
• Return fee: Set a fixed price for return shipping
• Restock inventory: Choose whether returned items should be automatically restocked. You can either restock them immediately upon approval or wait until you mark the return as physically received (see the section “Restock the item only after it has been received” below)
• Offer a store credit: Let the customer choose a store credit instead of a refund
• Offer an exchange: Let the customer exchange the item for a different size or product instead of receiving a refund
• Only one exchange per order: require the customer to combine all exchanges into one so you don’t pay return shipping multiple times for the same order
• Return shipping for exchanges: Charge a return shipping fee when the customer exchanges an item, or make it free (default)
• Free return label for store credit: Do not deduct return shipping costs when the customer chooses store credit
• Automatic return labels: Create and send return labels automatically (PostNord and GLS)

Return Statistics

Under Statistics → Returns, you can see which products are returned most often. This helps you identify problematic products, such as items with incorrect size guides or misleading images.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the “Awaiting Receipt” status mean?
The return has been approved, so the customer has received their credit memo, store credit, or exchange. The item just hasn’t been restocked yet because you’ve chosen to wait until it’s physically received. Click “Mark as Received” once the package has been returned.

Will the customer experience a delay if I wait to mark the return as received?
No. Credit memos, refunds, store credit, and exchanges are created as soon as the return is approved. Only the inventory update itself waits until you have the item in hand.

Can I mark multiple returns as received at once?
Yes. Check the boxes next to them in the list and click “Mark as Received.” Only the returns that are actually pending will be affected.

Does this also apply to exchanges?
Yes, for the item the customer is returning. The new item the customer is exchanging for is deducted from inventory upon approval as usual, so you can pack and ship it right away.

What happens if I forget to mark a return as received?
Then the item won’t be restocked and can’t be resold. Use the “Pending Receipt” status filter to keep track of returns that still need to be received.

My customer just wants a different size. Does she have to return it and place a new order?
No. If you’ve enabled exchanges, the customer clicks “Exchange for something else” on the returns page and selects a different size directly. Only sizes in stock are displayed, so the customer can’t exchange for something that’s out of stock. Once you approve it, the system handles the rest.

What happens to the payment if the exchange is more expensive than the original item?
The customer receives a payment link for the difference and pays only the extra amount. The value of the returned items is refunded to the customer’s card so they don’t pay twice.

And if the new item is cheaper?
Then the new order is covered by the return, and the customer receives the excess amount either as store credit or as a refund to their card. The customer chooses this option in the wizard before the exchange is created.

Will an exchange cause confusion in my accounting?
No. Shoporama creates two distinct documents: a credit memo for the returned items and a new order for the replacement items. Both are linked to the customer, and you can switch between them directly from the returns page.

Do I need to approve exchanges differently than regular returns?
No. You use the same “Approve” button. The only difference is that an exchange is marked with an “Exchange” label and shows the new items plus the price difference before you approve it.

How do I avoid shipping the new item before I’ve received the return?
When you approve an exchange, the new order automatically receives an “Exchange, awaiting return” label in the order list. This reminds you and your warehouse staff to wait to ship until the returned item has been received. Once the item has been returned, simply remove the label from the order again.

Can I charge for return shipping when a customer exchanges an item?
Yes. By default, the return label is free for exchanges, as this encourages more customers to exchange items rather than return them. If you want the customer to pay for return shipping anyway, set a price in the “Return Shipping for Exchanges” field under Orders → Returns Center. The amount is added to what the customer pays for the exchange order, and sales tax is added unless you’ve selected tax-free return shipping. If you leave the field blank, exchanges remain free.

My customer keeps making exchanges. Can I stop this?
Yes. Enable “Only one exchange per order” under Orders → Returns Center. This way, the customer can only create one exchange, and the new order resulting from the exchange cannot be exchanged again. The customer can still return the item and get a refund.

Why does the customer get a new order number when she exchanges an item?
Because an exchange results in two documents: a credit memo for the item the customer is returning, and a new order for the item the customer is exchanging it for. Both are assigned their own number in your order list. The exchanged item is listed on the new order, not on the credit memo.

Does the customer lose the right to cancel the order if I only allow one exchange?
No. The limit applies only to the exchange feature itself. The customer can always create a regular return and get a refund or store credit, even for the order that resulted from the exchange.

I’ve enabled the setting, but the exchange button is still there. What should I do?
The button is automatically hidden in Shoporama’s default themes. If you’re using a custom theme, the theme must be updated to reflect the setting. However, the customer still cannot create a second exchange, as that is also blocked behind the scenes. Email support@shoporama.dk, and we’ll help you hide the button in the right place.

Does the limit apply per order or per customer?
Per order and per exchange chain. A customer with two different orders can therefore exchange items on both orders, but cannot exchange the same item over and over again.

If you have any questions about the returns center, feel free to contact us at support@shoporama.dk.