For the job
Handle returns and refunds from the conversation, with amount limits per role and a colleague's approval when it's needed
The team sees the return and the payment on the order, refunds the right line items and the shipping, sends a discount code as an apology, and every action is written in the conversation and the audit log.
Before and after
What a partial refund looks like before and after it's done from the conversation
The example is a made-up order where one of three items arrived broken. The steps are counted from a typical workflow; they aren't measured at a customer.
Without the order beside the conversation
6 steps- 1Find the order in the webshop
- 2Work out what the one item and the shipping cost
- 3Refund in the webshop or at the payment provider
- 4Ask a colleague for permission if the amount is large
- 5Write in a spreadsheet or a note what was refunded
- 6Write the reply to the customer
With Respoe
3 steps- 1Choose the line item and shipping in the conversation; the amount shows before anything happens
- 2Above the limit a colleague approves in the queue
- 3The refund is written as a note in the conversation and in the audit log
Guide
How to handle returns and refunds so the customer gets the money fast and you never pay twice
The right-of-withdrawal rules apply to consumers across the EU, and a fixed procedure makes it easier to follow them and answer consistently.
- 01Know the deadlines in the right of withdrawalConsumers generally have 14 days to withdraw from an online purchase, and you must refund within 14 days of being told. You may wait until the item is received or the customer shows it has been sent.
- 02Tell withdrawal, complaints and exchanges apartWithdrawal is about an item the customer doesn't want; a complaint is about a defect. Tag them differently so you can see what takes up the time.
- 03Refund only what should be refundedChoose line items and shipping separately. A full refund of a three-item order where one is broken is an expensive mistake.
- 04Set a limit on what each person may refundAn amount limit per role and a colleague's approval above it protect against mistakes and misuse without slowing down the small cases.
- 05Consider a discount code instead of a return shipmentFor cheap items a refund without return or a discount code can be cheaper for you and better for the customer than a return label.
- 06Record every refund in the same place as the conversationWhen a customer writes again, the next colleague must be able to see what has already been refunded and why.
Templates
Reply templates for returns and refunds that you can copy and adapt
Replace the fields in square brackets. In Respoe the customer's name and order number are filled in automatically once the template is saved as a saved reply.
Hi [first name] We've received your return of [item] from order [order number], and I've refunded [amount] to your original payment. The money usually shows within a few banking days. Best regards [your name]
Hi [first name] You're welcome to return [item]. Pack it in the original packaging if you have it, and send it with this return label: [return label]. Once we've received it, we'll refund [amount] within 14 days. Best regards [your name]
Hi [first name] Thanks for the photo, that makes it much easier. I've sent a new [item] today, and you don't need to return the broken one. You'll get a tracking number as soon as the parcel is registered. Best regards [your name]
Checklist
Checklist for a returns process that holds up
Common mistakes
The mistakes we see most often and how to avoid them
- Refunding the whole order when one item is the problemChoose the line item and maybe the shipping instead of the full amount.
- Refunding both in the webshop and at the payment providerChoose one place so the customer doesn't get the money twice.
- Leaving agreements in a private emailIf the agreement isn't in the conversation, the next colleague can't see it when the customer writes again.
What Respoe does for you here
How Respoe helps with what the guide describes without you having to build it yourself
Refund line items and shipping
Choose exactly what is refunded, and Respoe shows the amount before anything happens.
Amount limits and four eyes
Every role has a limit per currency, and a colleague can approve in the queue or through an emailed link.
The return beside the order
Returns, reasons and return labels from ReturnFlows and Revershero are shown beside the customer's order.
A discount code as an apology
Create a single-use personal discount code or a replacement draft order in Shopify.
Rules sort the returns
A rule can add the tag “Return” and send the message to the right colleague.
Everything is in the case
Every action becomes an internal note in the conversation and a line in the audit log.
Refunds from the conversation work with Shopify and WooCommerce; in PrestaShop they happen in the back office. ReturnFlows shows returns from Shopify stores only. Order actions are included from the Team plan.
Integrations
The systems that belong with this way of working
Pricing
You pay one price for the whole team, and you can try everything free for 14 days without a card
Start
$149 / mo
3 users · 500 AI replies · 1 webshop
Team
$299 / mo
10 users · 1,000 AI replies · 3 webshops
Pro
$599 / mo
25 users · 2,000 AI replies · unlimited webshops
Questions we often get about this
Can we limit how much an agent may refund?
Yes. Every role has an amount limit per currency, and above the limit a colleague must approve.
Where do we see who refunded what?
Every action is written as an internal note in the conversation and in the audit log with person and time.
Which returns systems work with Respoe?
ReturnFlows (Shopify stores) and Revershero, which show returns, claims and return labels beside the order.
Other solutions that often go with this
Try Respoe free with your own inbox for 14 days
Connect your email and webshop, invite the team and answer from Respoe the same day.
- No card needed
- Priced per team, not per seat
- Danish support