Setting up return and cancellation rules

Return and cancellation rules determine when customers can request returns and cancellations, and how return fees are applied to your store. Return rules apply to fulfilled items, and cancellation rules apply to unfulfilled items. To allow customers to request returns or cancellations, you need to turn on self-serve returns and cancellations in your online store. You can also create a written return and refund policy.

Understanding return and cancellation rules

You can set up return and cancellation rules that are automatically applied to an order when customers place their orders. Return rules apply to fulfilled items, and determine when customers can request a return. Cancellation rules apply to unfulfilled items, and determine when customers can request to cancel items before they ship. An estimated refund is displayed for your customers based on your return rules.

Customers can submit return or cancellation requests only for items that are eligible under the rules that you set up. This lets you have more control over requests and prevents your customers from requesting returns or cancellations for items that aren't eligible based on your policy.

You can create a return only for fulfilled items. If you refund an unfulfilled order, then the restocking fee isn't displayed. The restocking fee displays only if it's set up and you create a return for a fulfilled order. For more information, refer to Creating and processing returns and exchanges.

Your default return rules apply to most items and include the following types of return rules:

• return window
• return shipping costs
• restocking fee

You can also define final sale items that are exceptions to your default return rules.

You can set a default set of return and cancellation rules for your store. You can also create additional rules that apply to specific markets, so that customers in different markets can have different return and cancellation conditions. For more information, refer to Set different return and cancellation rules per market. Turning on self-serve returns and cancellations remains a store-level setting that applies to all markets.

Return rules apply to all orders, including B2B orders. B2B customers and staff members for company locations can submit return requests. You can't apply separate return rules to specific order types.

Self-serve returns and cancellations

Self-serve returns and cancellations need to be turned on for customers to request returns or cancellations from their accounts, where eligible items and return fees are displayed.

You don't need self-serve returns and cancellations activated for return rules to be used in your store, or for rules such as restocking fees to apply when you process returns manually from the Shopify admin. Even if self-serve returns and cancellations are deactivated, return rules still apply when you process returns manually.

Plan requirement

To use return rules with Shopify POS, you need Shopify POS Pro.

Return window

Select a preset return window, or enter a custom number of days. You can select one of the following options:

• 14 days
• 30 days
• 90 days
• Unlimited
• Custom days

In the Starting from menu, you can also choose when the return window starts from:

• Item's delivery: The window starts on each item's delivery date. If the delivery date is unavailable, then the window starts on the item's fulfillment date and a buffer period is applied to allow for transit time.
• Delivery of last item in order: The window starts when the final item in the order is delivered, so the whole order shares one return window.

If items are exchanged or added after the original purchase, then their return window starts from their own delivery date. For multiple exchanges or edits, each group of edited or exchanged items has a separate return window that starts from when that group is delivered.

To extend a return window when its last day lands on a weekend or holiday, select Extend to account for weekends or holidays. The window then extends to the next business day.

If you sell to customers in the European Union, then set a return window of at least 14 days and set Starting from to Delivery of last item in order, so that customers can exercise their right of withdrawal after the final item in their order is delivered.

Return policies on the Shop app

Early access

Return policy information on Shop app product pages is an early access feature.

When customers view your products on the Shop app, details of your return policy might be displayed on the product page. For example, if you've set a 30-day return window, then this might be displayed to customers alongside shipping details on the product listing.

The return window information comes from the settings that you configure in the Policies section of your Shopify admin. If you don't set a return window, or if your return policy is written only as free text without a configured return window, then the details of your return policy won't be displayed on Shop app product pages.

Return shipping costs

You can choose how you handle return shipping costs by selecting one of the following options:

• Offer free return shipping.
• Add a flat rate return shipping fee that's charged one time per return.
• Have your customers buy their own return shipping label.

The return shipping fee is displayed when you create a return. You can edit the return shipping fee for a specific return.

Restocking fee

Choose whether you want to charge a restocking fee that is a percentage of the return. If you activate the restocking fee, then it's displayed when customers request a return.

The restocking fee is displayed when you create a return. You can edit the restocking fee for a specific return, including by item.

Return fees aren't automatically deducted from refunds. When you create a refund, you need to manually deduct any applicable return fees.

Final sale items

You can choose which products or collections aren't eligible for returns or cancellations as final sale items. Your customers can't submit return or cancellation requests for final sale items. Bundles can't be set as final sale. Examples of final sale items might be products that can't be returned, such as perishable, custom, or personal care items, or items with large discounts.

You can add multiple products or multiple collections to the final sale item exceptions, but you can't add both products and collections.

Note

Changes to your return rules apply only to future orders. Changes don't apply to previous orders, so that they don't impact customers who've already placed an order.

Set up return rules

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Policies.

2. In the Return and cancellation rules section, click the rule that you want to edit.

3. In the Return window section, select how much time a customer has to request a return after an order has been delivered, and select when the return window starts from.

4. In the Return shipping cost section, select how you want to handle return shipping fees. If you chose to charge a flat rate for return shipping, then enter your flat rate.

5. Optional: To charge a restocking fee, select Charge restocking fee and then add a percentage.

6. Optional: To select collections or products that aren't eligible for returns as final sale items, complete the following steps:

   1. In the Final sale items section, select Specific collections or Specific products.
   2. Click Add final sale product or Add final sale collection to add final sale products or collections.
   3. Select collections, products, or product variants, and then click Add.

7. Click Save.

8. Click Turn on.

Set up cancellation rules

Cancellation rules determine whether customers can request to cancel unfulfilled items in an order, and how long after placing an order a customer can submit a cancellation request. You manage cancellation rules in the same Return and cancellation rules section as your return rules.

The cancellation window can be set to one of the following options:

• No cancellations
• Until item is fulfilled
• 15 minutes
• 1 hour
• 24 hours

To let customers request cancellations from their account, you also need to turn on self-serve returns and cancellations. For more information, refer to Setting up self-serve returns and cancellations.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Policies.

2. In the Return and cancellation rules section, click the rule that you want to edit.

3. In the Cancellation rules section, turn on cancellation requests.

4. Select a cancellation window that determines how long after placing an order a customer can request a cancellation.

5. Click Save.

Set different return and cancellation rules per market

Early access

This feature is in early access and is available only to certain merchants.

You can set different return and cancellation rules and apply them to different markets. This is useful when you sell across regions with different consumer rights laws. For example, for customers in the European Union you might set the cancellation window to Until item is fulfilled and a return window of at least 14 days to support the EU right of withdrawal, while applying a shorter standard return window elsewhere.

You set a default policy that applies to every market, and then add market-specific policies. Each policy covers return rules, cancellation rules, and final sale items. When a market-specific policy exists, it applies to customers in that market instead of the default policy.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Policies.

2. In the Return and cancellation rules section, click Add rules to create a rule in addition to the default rule.

3. In the Eligibility field of the new rule, select the markets that the rule applies to.

4. Adjust the return, cancellation, and final sale settings for the rule.

5. Click Save.

Create a written return and refund policy

You can also add or generate a written return and refund policy for your store. You can use HTML in the content of your store policies. The generated policy doesn't automatically include the return rules that you set up.

You can generate a return and refund policy template only in English and for checkouts that are set to English language. If you operate your store in another language, then you can't insert the default template and instead need to create your own policy. Contact a local law expert for help.

Although you can generate a template policy, you're responsible for following your published policy. Review your policy carefully before adding it.

Steps:

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Policies.

2. In the Written policies section, click Return and refund policy.

3. Enter your store's return and refund policy, or click Insert template to generate the default template. Use the rich text editor to add style and formatting to your policy, and to add links and images.

4. Review your return and refund policy and make any changes.

5. Click Save to publish your return and refund policy.

After you add your return and refund policy, it's automatically displayed in the footer of your checkout pages. Customers might need to view your policies before they check out, so you can also link your return and refund policy in your store menu.

Meeting EU right of withdrawal requirements

If you sell to consumers in the European Union, then EU Directive 2023/2673 requires you to give customers an easy electronic way to exercise their 14-day right of withdrawal. The directive takes effect on June 19, 2026. The withdrawal period is measured from the date that the last item in the order is delivered.

For background on the directive, the cooling-off period, and which businesses are required to comply, refer to EU right of withdrawal compliance for merchants selling to EU customers.

To meet the directive, customers need to be able to withdraw at any point before delivery and for 14 days after delivery. Configure the following settings:

• Turn on self-serve returns and cancellations, and select Return and cancel requests so that customers can submit both return and cancellation requests.
• Turn on cancellation rules, and set the cancellation window to Until item is fulfilled, so that customers can cancel any time before items ship.
• Set your return window to at least 14 days, and set Starting from to Delivery of last item in order, so that customers can return their order after the final item is delivered. Also select Extend to account for weekends or holidays, so that if the last day of the return window lands on a weekend or holiday, the window extends to the next business day.
• Add a visible link to your store so that customers can reach both actions. For more information, refer to Adding the customer accounts URL to your online store.
• If you want different rules for the EU than for other regions, then set up a market-specific policy. For more information, refer to Set different return and cancellation rules per market.

If you want to give customers an even clearer entry point, then you can add a menu item to your store's navigation that links directly to their account or orders page. To do this, go to Content > Menus in your Shopify admin, add a menu item with any label that you choose, and link it to the orders page within customer accounts. You can set a different menu for each market-specific storefront, so you can show this withdrawal entry point only to customers in the markets where you need it, such as the EU.

For EU orders, refunds need to be issued within 14 days of the cancellation request under the directive, so process EU requests promptly.

Using these tools doesn't automatically make your store compliant. Compliance depends on your full setup, your products, and the markets that you sell to. Review your setup with a legal advisor to confirm that it meets your obligations. For more information, refer to EU right of withdrawal compliance for merchants selling to EU customers.