Understanding policies on the Shopify Collective sales channel

Retailers can create policies to set rules for how they want to handle their product management, and how to manage returns, return fees, return declines, and refunds.

If a returns policy created by a retailer doesn't align with your workflows, then you can negotiate with the retailer outside of Shopify Collective.

If a retailer makes any changes to the Return processing or Return window and fees rules of their Returns policy, then you receive an email about the changes.

Understanding returns policies

After you connect with a store, the Returns policy is displayed in the Policies section of your connection details page.

Review the following table to learn about the rules and their different options that might be displayed in a Returns policy.

Explanation of the different settings available for retailers to set up returns policy rules in the Shopify Collective app

Rule	Options
Return processing	You provide the return label within a preferred processing time. You're automatically notified when a customer requests a return on an order from a retailer that you're connected with. If the request is eligible for a return, then you can provide a return label from your Shopify admin, and the return label is automatically emailed to the customer. The retailer provides the return label, with either of the following additional options: The customer returns the product directly to you, and you get notified by email. A return is automatically created in your Shopify admin, and a return label and tracking number are also synced if they're provided with the retailer's return. If the retailer uses Loop, Narvar, Redo, or AfterShip as a third-party returns app, and you also use the same third-party returns app, then the return is still created in your Shopify admin and not within your returns app. The customer returns the product to the retailer for restocking at one of their inventory locations if that's an agreement that you have made with the retailer. Returns are managed outside of Shopify Collective with legacy manual methods.
Return window and fees	The preferred customer return window for Collective products, for example 30 days. If you provide a return label, any applicable return label fee that the retailer pays to you. If you restock the product yourself, any applicable restocking fee that the retailer pays to you, represented as a percentage of the product price.

Legacy returns outside of Shopify Collective

If you and a retailer don't want or need to use Shopify Collective automations for handling your returns, then you can use either of the following legacy manual methods instead:

• The retailer creates a return label and they accept returns at their own location.
• You provide a return label to a retailer and you accept returns at your own location.

Caution

The cost of a return label isn't included in your payouts when you use automatic payment and manual returns. You need to handle the return label cost with your retailer outside Shopify Collective.

If you agree with a retailer that you provide a return label, then you need to upload a return label and create a return in your Shopify admin.

Firstly, the retailer needs to request a return in their Shopify admin. You then receive an email notification about the return request. You need to review the return request, and if the request is eligible for a return, you then submit a return label. Your retailer receives an email with the return label and creates a return with that label for the customer.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Orders.

2. Click the order that you want to submit a return for.

3. Click Return.

4. In the Return shipping options section, select one of the following options:

   • Select Create a return label in Shopify to create a return shipping label for your customer. This option is available only if your primary location and customer shipping address are both in the United States.
   • Select Upload a return label to upload an existing return shipping label for your customer. On the Add return label page, upload the PDF or JPEG file for your shipping label. You can also enter the Tracking number and Shipping carrier if you have this information.

5. Click Create return.

After you receive and inspect the returned items, you can mark your order as returned. Your retailer receives an email notification about the returned items.