# Handle store returns, exchanges and claims

> Answer the returns and exchanges shoppers ask for, open returns and claims yourself, and refund or replace what comes back.

Source: https://docs.coritan.com/organizations/commerce/returns/

In the dashboard:

- /dashboard/organizations/…/commerce/returns: https://www.coritan.com/dashboard/organizations

**Returns** lists the returns, exchanges and claims on your store's orders, newest first. A *return* brings shipped units back for a refund. An *exchange* brings them back for other variants, and refunds anything left over. A *claim* covers units that arrived damaged or were lost on the way: nothing comes back, and you refund or replace them. Shoppers ask for returns and exchanges on the storefront, and you open returns and claims from the order.

## Before you begin

- You need the Tier 1 support role or higher to open **Returns**. Tier 2 support can start, approve, reject, receive and cancel a return. Refunding one or settling it needs the Billing role or higher.
- Shoppers can ask for a return within the store's **Return window**, set in [Settings](/organizations/commerce/settings/#returns-and-policies). A return you open yourself has no window.
- Only units that shipped can come back, and only those not already returned or refunded.

## Find a return

1. In the [dashboard](https://www.coritan.com/dashboard/organizations), open the organization, then **Commerce**, then **Returns**.
2. Choose a status along the top: **All**, **Requested**, **Approved**, **Received**, **Refunded**, **Completed**, **Rejected** or **Cancelled**. **Requested** and **Received** show how many are waiting for you.
3. To find the returns on one order, search by the order's number, such as `1042`, or its order ID. To see one kind, change **Every kind** to **Returns**, **Exchanges** or **Claims**.
4. Select a return to open it.

The list shows 20 a page. The **Refund** column shows an estimate until the items arrive, then what is left to refund, then what was refunded.

A return's page shows what comes back and in what state under **Items**, an exchange's **New items**, what it refunds under **Refund**, and how the shopper sends it back under **Sending it back**. **Open order** opens the order it is on.

## Answer a request

A shopper's request shows the alert **Waiting for your answer**.

To approve it:

1. Open the return and select **Approve…**.
2. Optionally, enter a **Restocking fee** and the **Return shipping** the label cost. Both are kept back from the refund, and together they cannot be more than it.
3. Optionally, write **Instructions for the shopper**, up to 2,000 characters: where to send the items and how to pack them. Add a **Return label** as an `https://` link to a prepaid label the shopper can print, up to 1,000 characters.
4. Select the button that approves it, such as Approve return.

The shopper sees that it is approved and how to send the items back. When the items shipped from a fulfilment provider that takes returns, Coritan tells the provider the return is on its way, and the provider can mark the items received. If they come to you instead, mark them received yourself.

To reject it:

1. Select **Reject…**.
2. Write **Why it is rejected**, up to 500 characters. The shopper reads it on their order.
3. Select the button that rejects it, such as Reject return.

Nothing comes back and nothing is refunded, and a rejection cannot be undone.

## Start a return or a claim

You start one from its order:

1. In **Orders**, open the order, then the **Order actions** menu, and select **Start a return…**.
2. Under **What is it**, choose **A return** or **A claim**. For a claim, choose under **Settle it by**: **Refund** or **Send a replacement**.
3. Choose how many units of each item it covers. When the store has return reasons, choose one for each item, or leave **No reason given**.
4. For a return, you can enter a **Restocking fee**, **Return shipping**, **Instructions for the shopper** and a **Return label**, as when you approve one.
5. Optionally, add a **Note** for the store, up to 2,000 characters.
6. Select **Open return** or **Open claim**.

It opens on its own page, already approved. A claim goes straight to settling, because nothing comes back.

## Mark the items received

When the items arrive:

1. Open the return and select **Mark received…**.
2. For each item, count the sellable units and the damaged ones. Sellable units go back in stock, and damaged ones do not.
3. Under **Back in stock at**, keep **Where the order shipped from** or choose a stock location.
4. Select **Mark received**.

For a return, the refund is the next step, and a return with nothing left to refund completes on its own. For an exchange, the new items ship on a new order at no charge as soon as you confirm, and with the Billing role any amount left over is refunded at once.

## Refund or settle a return

With the Billing role or higher, the button at the top names the step that settles the return:

- a refund button with the amount, such as `Refund €25.00…`, for a return whose items arrived or for a claim settled by a refund
- **Send new items…** for an exchange whose new items were not sent when its items arrived
- **Send replacement…** for a claim settled by a replacement
- a complete button, such as Complete return, when nothing is left to refund

1. Select the button.
2. Check the sums in the dialog: the value of what came back, less any restocking fee and return shipping, under **This refund**.
3. When money goes back, you can enter a **Reason** of up to 64 characters, which goes on the credit note, and a **Note** of up to 500 characters for the store.
4. Confirm. For a refund, type the amount as the dialog shows it, then select the button that names it.

The money goes back the way the order was paid, and a credit note is issued, as for any [order refund](/organizations/commerce/orders/#refund-an-order). A replacement ships the same items again on a new order, at no charge, from your stock.

When an exchange's new items cannot go out, you can settle it as a return instead: open the return's menu and select **Refund it as a return…**. What came back is refunded, and the new items are not sent.

> [!WARNING]
> A refund sends the money back to the shopper at once, and cannot be undone.

## Cancel a return

You can cancel a return before its items arrive, and a claim before it is settled.

1. Open the return's menu, which reads **Actions** when the page has no other buttons, and select the cancel item, such as Cancel return.
2. Optionally, enter a **Reason** of up to 500 characters. The shopper sees it on their order.
3. Type the return's name as the dialog shows it, such as `Return #903`, and select the button that cancels it.

Nothing is refunded. A cancelled claim's units can be refunded on the order again, and a fulfilment provider that was receiving the return is told. A cancellation cannot be undone.

## Result

- The return's status changes on its page and in the list, and each step adds an entry to the order's timeline.
- The shopper sees the approval, your instructions and label, a rejection or a cancellation on their order.
- Sellable units you count back go into stock at the location you chose.
- A refund appears on the order under **Payment**, with its credit note.

## Troubleshooting

**Start a return…** is missing from the order
: Nothing on the order is left to return: no unit has shipped, or every shipped unit was returned or refunded. The menu item is also missing on a cancelled order, on an exchange order, and for roles below Tier 2 support.

A shopper cannot ask for a return
: The **Return window** has closed for the items, or it is set to 0. You can still start the return yourself from the order.

**The new items were not sent**
: They were most likely out of stock when the items arrived. Add stock in [Inventory](/organizations/commerce/inventory/), then select **Send new items…**, or refund it as a return.

**The new items cost more**
: Coritan cannot collect a difference from the shopper. Tick the box to waive it and send the items, or refund it as a return.

The search finds nothing
: Search by the order a return is on, not by the return's own number. When you type a return's number, the list offers to open that return.

## Related

- [Fulfil, refund and cancel store orders](/organizations/commerce/orders/)
- [Change your store's settings](/organizations/commerce/settings/)
- [Send orders to a fulfilment provider](/organizations/commerce/fulfilment-providers/)

## With the API

Returns are under `https://api.coritan.com/api/v1/orgs/{org_slug}/commerce/returns`, with routes to approve, reject, receive, refund and cancel each one. The API can also open an exchange for the shopper and manage the store's return reasons, which the dashboard does not. [Handle returns with the API](/organizations/storefront/commerce-returns/) has the details.

```bash
curl "https://api.coritan.com/api/v1/orgs/acme/commerce/returns?status=requested" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $CORITAN_TOKEN"
```