Customer Flow
This page walks through what a signed-in customer sees: the returns list in My Account, the request wizard, and the page of a single return. Customers without an account use the guest portal (Pro), which opens the same wizard.
Where customers startโ
Customers can start a return from three places:
- My Account > Returns, the list described below.
- A Request a return button on the orders list and on the order page in My Account, for orders that have at least one item that can still be returned.
- The Start a return button block, if you place it on a page. See Blocks.
The returns listโ
My Account > Returns shows the customer's returns in a table with the columns Return (the RMA number, a link to the return page), Order, Date, Status and Resolution. There are 10 returns per page.
Under the table, Start a return lists the customer's 10 most recent orders that have something left to return, each with a Request a return button.
The request wizardโ
The wizard has up to four steps. A step that has only one possible answer is skipped, so a store with a single resolution and a single return method shows just two steps: Items and Review.
Step 1: Itemsโ
The page is titled "Return items from order #...". For every line of the order:
- Items that cannot be returned are listed with the reason: the return period has ended, every unit is already part of a return or a refund, or the item cannot be returned.
- For an item that can be returned, the customer ticks it, picks a Quantity (up to the number still available), chooses a Reason, and can add Tell us more (optional), up to 500 characters.
- The reason is required, except within the EU 14-day withdrawal period, where "I would rather not say" is accepted.
Below the items, Photos accepts JPEG, PNG or WebP images up to 5 MB each, five at most per request. A photo is required for the reasons you chose in the settings. Customers can remove a photo they added by mistake before they continue. There is also a free text Anything else we should know? (optional) field with room for 2000 characters.
The request can only be submitted when the rules are met, and the same rules are checked again on the server at the end.
Step 2: Resolutionโ
"What would you like in return?" offers the resolutions that you allow and that every selected item allows: Refund to the original payment method, Store credit (Pro), Exchange for another item and Warranty claim (Pro). The step only appears when there is more than one choice, or when the only choice is an exchange (which needs a replacement).
If the customer picks Exchange, a Choose your replacement block appears with one list per item.
What the list holds depends on the edition:
- Lite. The option is called Exchange for another size or colour. The list holds the other variations of the same product that cost exactly the item's catalogue price (before coupons, with tax, in your store's decimals) and are in stock for the quantity the customer asks to return. An item bought with a coupon can be swapped the same way, at no cost. The exchange is only offered for items that have such a variation; other items are refunded. When the customer asks to return more units than any such variation has in stock, the wizard drops the exchange for that item, shows a message saying so (for example "Shirt - small cannot be exchanged for 3 units, because no other size or colour has that many in stock."), and the customer can ask for a refund or return fewer units. The review step says "There is no price difference."
- Pro. The list holds the other variations of the product, the product itself (for another unit of the same item) and the product's up-sells. With the Same price only exchange rule, only replacements that cost the item's catalogue price (before coupons, with tax) are listed. A replacement that is not on the list is refused, also when a request names it directly. Out-of-stock replacements are refused. The review step shows an estimate of the price difference.
The replacement is checked again when the request is submitted and when you resolve the return. If the chosen option is no longer available when the customer submits (for example the price of the replacement changed), the wizard does not switch to another resolution on its own: it shows "The option you chose is no longer available. Please check your return and submit it again." and the customer chooses again.
Step 3: Return method (Pro)โ
"How will you send the items back?" offers the methods you allow: Prepaid return label, I will post it myself, Drop it off at a collection point, Bring it to the store and Keep the item. Keep the item only appears for order lines worth no more than your keep-below amount. The step is skipped when only one method is possible, which is always the case in the Lite edition (the customer posts the parcel), so in Lite the review comes straight after the resolution step.
Step 4: Reviewโ
"Review your return" summarises the items, reasons, resolution and method, and for an exchange the estimated price difference. Submit return request creates the return. The wizard keeps what the customer typed if they go back a step, and a double click on the button does not create two returns.
After submitting, the customer lands on the page of the new return with a message. If the return waits for your approval it says "Your return request RMA-... was received. We will email you once it has been reviewed." If automatic approval (Pro) applied, it says "Your return RMA-... was approved" and shows how to send the items back.
The return pageโ
The page of a return, titled "Return RMA-...", shows:
- The status, the order, the resolution, the return method and the refund, credit or fee amounts.
- A table of the items with the quantity, the reason and, after inspection, how many units were accepted.
- The Timeline of everything that happened, with the notes you chose to show.
- For returns the customer ships: the return address and your instructions, plus a Download your label link when there is a label. While a prepaid label is still being created the page says "Your label is being prepared."
- For an exchange that needs a payment: a Pay for your exchange link. The "Return resolved" email carries the same link with the amount due.
The customer can:
- I shipped it, with an optional Tracking number, once the return is approved (or the label was sent). This moves the return to "On its way" and emails you.
- Cancel this return while it is still Requested, Approved or Label sent.
- Add a note for the store while the return is still open.
The items of an exchange order (the replacements a return sent) cannot be returned through the wizard: they are covered by the return they replaced, and the wizard says so.
Label downloads use a signed link that belongs to the owner of the return. A link shown on the page works for one hour. The link in the approval email works for seven days.
Statusesโ
| Status shown to the customer | What it means | Who moves it there |
|---|---|---|
| Requested | The request waits for a decision | The customer |
| Approved | You accepted the request | You, or automatic approval (Pro) |
| Label sent | The label or the shipping instructions are ready | The plugin, once the label exists |
| On its way | The parcel is on its way back | The customer, you, or a carrier update (Pro) |
| Received | The parcel arrived | You (or a carrier delivery update, Pro) |
| Inspected | You counted and graded the items | You |
| Resolved | The refund, credit or exchange is done | You |
| Rejected | You declined the request | You |
| Cancelled | The request was withdrawn | The customer, you, or automatic closing (Pro) |
The allowed moves are:
| From | Can move to |
|---|---|
| Requested | Approved, Rejected, Cancelled |
| Approved | Label sent, On its way, Received (by you only), Rejected, Cancelled |
| Label sent | On its way, Received (by you only), Rejected, Cancelled |
| On its way | Received, Rejected |
| Received | Inspected, Rejected |
| Inspected | Resolved, Rejected, back to Received (once, for a second inspection) |
Resolved, Rejected and Cancelled are final.
Emailsโ
All emails are WooCommerce emails. You manage them under WooCommerce > Settings > Emails.
| Sent to | When | |
|---|---|---|
| Return requested (customer) | Customer | A request is created and waits for a decision. An automatically approved request gets the approval email instead. |
| Return requested (admin) | Store | A request is created. |
| Return approved (customer) | Customer | The return is approved, with the return address and instructions. For a prepaid label it goes out once the label exists, with the tracking and a download link. |
| Return rejected (customer) | Customer | You reject the return, with your reason. |
| Return cancelled (customer) | Customer | You cancel the return, or the automatic closing (Pro) does, so the customer does not send a parcel that can no longer be received. Not sent when the customer cancels it. |
| Return in transit (admin) | Store | The return is marked as on its way. |
| Return received (customer) | Customer | You mark the parcel as received. |
| Return resolved (customer) | Customer | The return is resolved, with the refund, credit or exchange details. A refund the gateway could not pay is worded as recorded and paid to the customer separately. An exchange order that asks a price difference comes with the amount due and the link to pay it. |
| Store credit added (customer) (Pro) | Customer | Store credit is issued, with the new balance. |
| Return reminder (customer) (Pro) | Customer | Three days before the return window ends, if an approved return has not been shipped. |
The Resend email button on the return screen sends the email of the current status again. A free exchange also sends the standard WooCommerce emails for its exchange order, see Pro features.