Shopify Returns Tool
Let your Shopify store's customers handle returns, exchanges, cancellations, and claims themselves — no need to contact you separately. Everything is managed in one centralized system and syncs automatically directly with Shopify.
Return, exchange, and claim reasons
Define the reasons your customers can select when starting a return, exchange, or claim. The same reasons are used both in your online store and in Shipit.
How to add a return reason
Click the "Set return, exchange, and claim reasons" button to access reason management.
Select the language (Language) from the top menu. Reasons are always added in the selected language: Finnish reasons under FI, English reasons under EN, and so on. Add reasons separately for each language visible to your customers.
Fill in the fields of the "Add reason" form in your chosen language:
Reason code: the technical identifier for the reason. Use lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores (no special characters), for example wrong_size. This code is not visible to the customer.
Reason Label: the text shown to the customer on the return form, for example wrong size.
Type: choose whether the reason applies to returns (Return), exchanges (Exchange), or claims (Claim).
Sort Order: determines the display order of the reasons on the form. Lower numbers are shown first.
Click Add and the reason will be saved.
Configured return reasons
The reasons you've added appear as a list in the "Configured return reasons" section. Each reason shows its name, reason code, language, status, and type. You can edit a reason (Edit), temporarily deactivate it (Deactivate), or delete it entirely (Delete).
How return reasons appear to the customer
The return reasons you've defined appear to the customer on the return form once they've selected a product and an action. The customer first selects the action (return, exchange, or claim), and then the appropriate reason from those you've defined for that action. The customer can also describe the reason for the return in more detail in a free-text field.
Return delivery methods
Define the carrier methods your customers can use to return products. The same delivery methods are used both in your online store and in Shipit.
How to add a delivery method
Click "Set return delivery methods" to access delivery method management.
Select the language (Language) and country (Country). Delivery methods are always set for the selected language and country, so add them separately for each country and language your customers use.
Fill in the fields of the "Add delivery method" form:
Delivery method: select from the dropdown the carrier method the customer can use to return the product.
Priority: determines the order of delivery methods. A lower number means higher priority and is shown to the customer first.
Active: keep this checked so the delivery method is visible to the customer.
Final page display: choose what's shown to the customer at the end of the return process. Options are an activation code (Show activation code), a downloadable return label (Show downloadable label), or just shipping instructions, which you write in the next field.
Instructions shown to the customer: write the instructions the customer sees after submitting the return with this delivery method. For example, guidance on how and where to drop off the package. You can format the text and add links.
Click "Add delivery method" and the delivery method will be saved.
Configured delivery methods
The delivery methods you've added appear as a list under the "Return delivery methods" heading. You can edit each delivery method's settings directly in the list and save the changes (Save). You can also temporarily deactivate a delivery method (Deactivate) or delete it entirely (Delete). You can change the order of delivery methods by dragging the three lines on the left side of the row, but priority determines the order in which delivery methods are shown to the customer.
Store credit bonus
Encourage customers to choose store credit instead of a refund by offering them an extra bonus. When a customer chooses store credit, the credit is delivered to them as a gift card, and the bonus is added on top of the credit at the percentage you define.
Note: Thanks to the Shopify integration, the gift card is created and delivered to your customer automatically — you don't need to do anything manually.
How to set up the store credit bonus
Click "Set store credit bonus" to access the bonus settings.
Turn on "Enable store credit bonus." You can toggle the bonus on or off without losing the percentage you've set.
Enter the percentage in the "Store credit bonus (%)" field that the customer receives extra when choosing store credit instead of a cash refund. For example, a value of 5 means the customer gets a 5% larger credit as a gift card.
Click Save to save the settings.
You can edit the credit bonus or turn it off at any time by clicking the Edit button.
Return restriction rules
Return restriction rules let you limit returns, exchanges, or claims for specific products or orders.
Typical use cases include discounted items, customized products, or other categories you don't want to accept as returns.
The rules work automatically: when a customer's return includes a product matching a rule, the selected actions are blocked and the customer is shown the message you've defined.
You can manage the rules from the Returns Tool settings by clicking "Set restriction rules."
Create a new rule by filling in the form fields:
Rule name – give the rule a descriptive name you'll recognize later (for example, discounted items or customized orders).
Priority – determines the order in which rules are checked. Higher-priority rules are checked first. The default value is 0.
Description – an optional internal description of the rule. Not visible to the customer.
Rule type – choose the level the rule applies to, for example product level.
Match field – choose which field the match is based on, for example product SKU or product tag.
Match value – enter the value the rule looks for (for example
final-sale). When the selected field matches this value, the rule takes effect.Blocked actions – choose which actions the rule blocks: block return, block exchange, block claim, and/or remove store credit bonus. You can select more than one.
Customer message – write the message shown to the customer when the rule applies. You can provide the message separately in English, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, and Estonian, so the customer sees it in their own language.
Save the rule by clicking Add.
Saved rules appear under "Configured restriction rules." For each rule, you can see its status, type, priority, and match condition, as well as the blocked actions. You can deactivate a rule, edit it, or delete it entirely using the buttons on the row.
Available return methods
In this section, you define which actions customers can use in the Returns Tool. Disabled actions are hidden everywhere in the customer-facing tool, so the customer only sees the options you've enabled.
Turn on the actions you want using the toggles:
Offer returns – the customer can return products for a refund or store credit.
Offer exchanges – the customer can exchange a product for another product or variant.
Offer claims – the customer can file a claim for a damaged, defective, or missing product.
Save your selections by clicking "Save available actions."
Automatic approval
In this section, you define which return requests are approved automatically without manual review.
When a request is approved automatically, a return address label is generated for the customer immediately, without you needing to process the request separately.
Turn on automatic approval using the toggles:
Automatically approve returns – return requests are approved automatically and return labels are generated immediately.
Automatically approve exchanges – exchange requests are approved automatically and return labels are generated immediately.
Automatically approve claims – claim requests are approved automatically without manual review. This is not recommended, since claims are generally best reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
You can also configure notification-related settings:
Send the customer a confirmation when a return is created – the customer receives a confirmation email as soon as the return request has been successfully created.
Email me when a customer chooses a cancellation – you, as the merchant, receive a notification as soon as a customer submits a cancellation request.
In the "Merchant notification emails" field, you can add the email addresses that return notifications should be sent to, one address per line. If you leave the field empty, notifications will only be sent to the account owner's email.
Save the settings by clicking "Save automatic approval settings."
Good to know – combined return requests: When a customer submits a request that includes multiple action types (for example, a return + a claim), the entire request remains pending approval if any action type requires manual review. This lets you review the full request before the return label is generated.
Return instructions
In the Return instructions section, you can edit all the texts shown to the customer in the Returns Tool from headings and button labels to guidance and error messages. This lets you tailor the tool's tone and wording to match your own brand. You can start editing the texts by clicking "Set return instructions."
Every field has a ready-made default text, shown in gray as an example. If you leave a field empty, the default text will be used. Below each field is a short description of where in the tool the text appears.
Language. At the top of the view there's a language selector (EN, FI, SV, ET, NO). First select the language whose texts you want to edit — the text you enter is always saved for the selected language. Go through the languages one at a time if you want to customize the texts for all customers in their own language.
The editable texts are divided into the following sections:
Navigation and progress – step and progress indicators, buttons (Continue, Back, Next, Submit), and loading/submission status texts.
Landing page – the first step's heading and instruction text, the headings and instruction texts for the tracking number and recipient fields, and the text for the privacy policy and return terms links.
Step headings – the headings shown for each stage of the return flow (product selection, return method, refund and claim details, review, and submission).
Product selection and actions – texts for product cards, quantity management, and headings and instructions for returns, exchanges, and claims.
Return, exchange, and claim – headings and instruction texts for the reason and additional info fields for each action type, texts related to image uploads, and selecting a replacement product.
Return method and packages – headings and descriptions for shipping and in-store returns, and fields related to package dimensions.
Refund and bonus – texts for refund methods, gift card and store credit options, and messages related to the credit bonus.
Confirmation and error messages – headings and descriptions for success and pending states, download buttons for the return label and customs invoice, and various error messages.
Required fields. At the end of the section, you can use checkboxes to select which fields the customer must fill in before they can proceed.
For example, you can require acceptance of the privacy policy, or selection of a return reason, return method, or refund method. Only make the fields required that are essential to your return process — the fewer required fields, the smoother the return experience for the customer.
Action-specific instruction messages
At the end of the Return instructions view, you can edit the instruction messages shown to the customer after they submit a request. Each action type has its own heading and message field, and the message is automatically selected based on the type of request the customer made. Below each field is a preview showing what the heading and message look like together to the customer. If you leave a field empty, the default text will be used.
Email templates
In the Email templates section, you can edit the email notifications sent to the customer during the return process. You can customize the content and tone of each notification for the different return statuses and languages, to match your own brand.
Return link in Shipit emails
The "Show return link in Shipit emails" toggle lets you add a return button to the order confirmation emails sent by Shipit, allowing the customer to start a return directly from the confirmation message. Save your selection by clicking "Save Shipit email setting."
To edit the actual templates, click "Set email templates."
In the template view, you first select the language (EN, FI, SV, ET, NO) and then the return status whose message you want to edit.
The available statuses are Submitted, Approved, Rejected, Received, Completed, Cancelled, and Failed — a separate notification is sent for each status as the return progresses to that stage.
Email language settings. At the bottom of the view, you define which language emails are sent in when no language information is included with the order.
The default email language determines the primary language (for example, inferred from the customer or the page language), and the fallback language is used if a suitable template or language cannot be found. Save your selections by clicking "Save language settings."
Branding and policies
In the Branding and policies section, you customize the look of the Returns Tool to match your own brand, and define your return and privacy policies. Access the settings by clicking "Set branding and policies."
Logo. Upload your company's logo to be shown in the header of the Returns Tool. The recommended size is 200 × 80 pixels, and the allowed file formats are PNG, JPG, SVG, and WebP (max 2 MB). The current logo appears as a preview, and you can remove it with the button. From the Logo size menu, you choose how large the logo appears in the tool.
Merchant page layout. From the Layout menu, you choose whether the returns page uses a standard layout or a branded sidebar layout with a large image.
Custom Returns Tool URL. Here you can create a custom address for the Returns Tool that you can share with your customers. Enter your desired identifier in the "URL identifier" field, which will be appended to the address https://api.shipit.ax/fi/returns/. The identifier may only contain lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens, and must be 3–50 characters long. The finished address appears below the field in a green box, and you can copy it using the copy button.
Captcha. You can protect the public return lookup from bots by selecting Google reCAPTCHA or Cloudflare Turnstile from the "Captcha service" menu. You can also disable captcha entirely.
Provider connection method. From the Connection method menu, you choose how the Returns Tool connects to your online store. The options are Plain (Shipit's own return flow), Shopify (direct Shopify integration), and JSON-RPC (provider's JSON-RPC endpoint). This is a technical setting — leave it at the default unless you know your store requires a different connection method.
Brand colors. You can choose a primary, secondary, and tertiary accent color for the public returns page. The primary color is used for links, progress bars, and main highlights, the secondary color for supporting highlights, and the tertiary color for bonus highlights.
Policy settings
Here you define information related to returns and privacy:
Your privacy policy URL – a link to your own privacy policy, shown alongside Shipit's privacy policy.
Refund timeline (days) – how many days it takes to process refunds after returned products are received. Note that EU law requires refunds within 14 days.
Return shipping cost responsibility – who pays for the return shipment. This information is shown to customers.
Show EU cancellation rights notice – when this is enabled, the 14-day EU consumer rights cancellation notice is shown on your return policy page.
Custom return policy
You can add your own return policy text separately for each language (EN, FI, SV, ET, NO). The text is shown on your return policy page.
Data controller information (GDPR). Enter your company's details for GDPR compliance: company name, privacy contact email, and company address. This information is shown on the privacy policy page.
Save all changes by clicking "Save settings."
In-store returns
In the In-store returns section, you can allow customers to bring products back to your physical store instead of shipping them.
Enable the feature with the "Enable in-store returns" toggle. When it's on, the customer can choose an in-store return as an alternative to shipping during the return process.
You can also fill in the following fields:
Store address (optional) – the physical address customers can return products to. If you leave this field empty, your registered company address will be used.
Store instructions – instructions shown to the customer for in-store returns, for example opening hours and what to bring along with the product.
Save the settings by clicking "Save in-store return settings."
Return period
In the Return period section, you define how long customers can create returns after the order has been delivered.
Number of days – how many days returns, exchanges, and claims are allowed for.
Time starts from – the point from which the return period countdown begins. The options are Delivery date and Shipping date. Delivery date gives the customer the full return period starting from when they receive the products, while Shipping date starts the countdown from the moment of shipping. Delivery date is the recommended option, as it's fairer to the customer.
Save the settings by clicking "Save return period settings."
Maximum package size
In the Maximum package size section, you can set maximum dimensions for return shipments to help manage shipping costs. You can define limits for four values: Maximum weight (kg), Maximum length, Maximum width, and Maximum height (cm).
Leave a field empty if there's no limit for that dimension. If a customer's return exceeds any of the limits you've set, the return won't automatically generate a return label – instead, it will be routed for manual approval.
Save the settings by clicking "Save package limits."
Shopify integration
In the Shopify integration section, you connect your Shipit account to your Shopify store. First install the Shopify app; when Shopify redirects you back to this view, your current Shipit account will be connected automatically.
Once the connection is established, the "Connected Shopify store" section will show your store's address (for example, yourstore.myshopify.com).
You can reconnect the store using the "Reconnect Shopify" button — only do this if you need to fix or update the current installation.
How the return appears and is processed in Shopify
When a customer submits a return through the Returns Tool, the return automatically appears on the Shopify orders page as well, you don't need to search for or match up the information separately.
Processing the return step by step
The return appears on the order with the status "Return in progress." In the order view, you can see the product being returned, the return reason the customer selected, and any additional details. Click "Process and refund" to begin processing.
Confirm the return details and refund. In the view that opens, you can see the quantity of the returned product and the refund amount owed (Refund owed), and you can select:
Issue refund: Now or Later – whether to refund immediately or at a later time.
Refund method – for example, the original payment method (Original payment).
Refund amount – the amount to be refunded, which defaults to the full amount but can be edited.
Send notification once refund is finalized – select this if you want the customer to receive an automatic notification about the refund.
Click the "Process and refund" button to confirm the refund.
The return is marked as processed. The order status changes to "Return closed," and the product is marked "Returned." The order's payment details update automatically: you can see the original payment (Paid), the refunded amount (Refunded), and the net payment (Net payment) clearly broken down.
If you selected "Send notification once refund is finalized," the customer automatically receives an email about the return processing and refund. You've defined the content of this message in the Returns Tool settings, see Email templates.
Sample video: what a return looks like from both the customer's and the merchant's perspective in Shopify
How the cancellation appears and is processed in Shopify
When a customer cancels an order through the Returns Tool and chooses a cash refund, the cancellation automatically appears in Shopify as well, with no separate processing needed on the merchant's side. What the cancellation looks like in Shopify depends on whether the product has already been shipped to the customer or not.
Cancellation before the product has shipped
If the customer cancels the order before the product has been shipped, the entire order is voided in Shopify.
In the orders list, the cancelled order appears with a strikethrough on its row. All the order's details — date, customer, channel, amount, and delivery method — are shown struck through, and the status columns read "Refunded" and "Not required."
When the merchant opens the order, they'll see that the product is marked with the status "Removed," and the order has moved to the status "Refunded." The order's payment details update automatically: you can see the original payment (Paid), the refunded amount (Refunded, with the reason "Order canceled"), and the net payment (Net payment).
The entire process happens automatically, you don't need to process the refund separately in Shopify.
Cancellation after the product has been delivered
If the customer cancels the order only after the product has already been shipped and received, the order is not voided directly — the customer first has to return the product, so the cancellation proceeds in the same way as a standard return.
The customer goes through the following steps in the Returns Tool:
The customer selects the "Cancel order" button for the entire order.
The customer chooses the return method they'll use to send the product back. Options include, for example, returning with a printable address label or returning to a physical store, as well as a choice between pickup points from different carriers (for example, Matkahuolto, Posti, or PostNord).
The customer chooses a refund method. In addition to the cash refund option, the customer may be offered a gift card with a bonus, if the store credit bonus has been enabled.
The customer reviews the details and submits the cancellation request. The summary shows the product being cancelled, the reason for the cancellation, the refund method, and the email address where cancellation status updates will be sent.
If the customer selected a printerless return method (for example, Matkahuolto's Lähellä package), they receive an activation code, which they write on the package when dropping it off at the return point. A separate printable address label isn't needed. In other cases, such as with PostNord delivery methods, the customer receives an address label that can be printed onto the package.
The cancellation doesn't appear with a strikethrough row in the orders list, unlike the case described above for cancellations before shipping. Instead, the cancellation appears on the order with the status "Return in progress," with the return reason and additional details shown (for example, "Other • Cancelled by customer"), along with a "Process and refund" button — just as with a standard return.
From this point on, you process the cancellation in the same way as a standard return. See the detailed processing steps above in the return section, "How the return appears and is processed in Shopify."
How the exchange appears and is processed in Shopify
When a customer makes an exchange in the Returns Tool, the exchange doesn't sync to Shopify fully automatically — you'll need to create the exchange in Shopify manually with a few clicks.
Processing the exchange step by step
Open the order and click the "Return" button in the top-right corner of the order view.
Select the products and quantities being returned (for example, 1/1), and choose a return reason from the dropdown (Return reason) for each product.
Add the exchange products under "Exchange items" by clicking "Add products." Select the product the customer wants to exchange for — for example, the same product in a larger or smaller size.
Add the return tracking information. Log in to Shipit and go to Order history → Customer returns, copy the return's tracking number, and enter it into the "Tracking number" field in Shopify.
Click "Create return" to create the exchange.
The order moves to the status "Return in progress." You'll see the products being returned along with their return reasons, and a section called "Unreleased exchange items," showing the exchange products to be sent to the customer.
Click "Process return" to finalize the exchange.
Finally, confirm the products being returned and the products going out for exchange. You'll see a summary: the products being returned (Return items to confirm), the products going out for exchange (Exchange items to confirm), and any return shipping cost (Refund shipping). The summary also shows whether the customer will be charged an additional amount (Amount to collect) — for example, when the exchange product is more expensive than the returned product. Select "Send invoice to customer" if you want the customer to receive an invoice for any additional charge, and click "Process return" to finalize.
How the customer files a claim
The customer enters the order number and the email address or phone number on the order in the Returns Tool, the same way as with a return or exchange.
The customer selects "Claim" as the action for the product.
The customer selects an appropriate reason from the predefined claim reasons (for example, Broken), describes the issue in the free-text field, and can optionally add images to support the claim.
The customer selects a return method for sending the product back, the same way as in other Returns Tool cases.
In the final step, the customer is told that the claim requires merchant approval, since you've configured this in the Returns Tool settings.
The customer receives the confirmation "Request submitted for review." They're told that the claim is pending review, and that they'll receive the return address label by email once the claim has been approved.
