Creating Custom Return Rules in ReturnZap


Rules are the heart of ReturnZap. Rules allow for exceptions to your standard return policy. They allow you to handle more complex scenarios and do things like:

  • Preventing returns and enforcing final sale policies
  • Setting restocking or return shipping fees which change based on conditions
  • Offering extended return windows
  • Routing returns between different warehouses.

Rules apply in real time, as the customer is going through the returns portal process. They allow you to implement and enforce your exact returns policy and to communicate that policy to your customers.

How do I set up a rule?

Rules are available on all ReturnZap plans. They can be configured in ReturnZap Settings > Rules.

Rules use When / Then logic:

  • When these conditions are true
  • Then ReturnZap takes one or more actions

For example: When a product has the tag final-sale , then do not allow refunds, exchanges, or store credit returns.

Return rule editor

What is a condition?

A rule condition is the logic used to trigger a rule. ReturnZap has many conditions which can be used to trigger a rule. Examples include:

  • Customer country
  • Product tag
  • Whether an order was purchased using a discount

Each rule can have a single condition or multiple conditions. If a rule contains multiple conditions, those conditions can apply using AND logic or they can apply using OR logic.

Rule conditions

What is a condition group?

A condition group is a set of conditions that are evaluated together. Within a group, you can choose whether:

  • All conditions must match, using AND logic
  • Any condition can match, using OR logic

For more complex rules, you can add multiple condition groups and choose whether the groups are connected by AND or OR logic.

For example, you could create a rule that applies when:

  • Group 1: Product tag contains final-sale
  • AND
  • Group 2: Return type is refund OR return type is store credit

Condition groups are helpful when a policy needs more than one layer of logic.

You can also choose to apply a rule only when all items in the return match the rule conditions. This is useful for policies that should apply only when every returned item belongs to the same category, vendor, collection, or other condition.

What is an action?

An action is the outcome of a rule. When the conditions of a rule are true, the action will be enforced on the return.

For example, the action of a return could be:

  • Set a restocking fee of 10%
  • Prevent all returns

Each rule can have one or more actions. For example, a single rule could require approval and set a restocking fee when the same conditions are met.

Some rule actions allow you to display a custom message in the return portal. For example, when preventing specific types of return you can define a message for customers, explaining your policy.

Rule action message

What can be changed using Return Rules?

Each rule can have one or more actions.

Rule Action Description
Do not allow return type Prevents a customer from initiating a certain type of return. Can be configured to prevent all return types, refunds, all exchanges, same-product exchanges, cross-product exchanges, or store credit returns.
Do not allow return shipping type Prevents certain shipping methods from being displayed as options in the portal. Can be configured to prevent either prepaid, paid, or self-ship methods.
Ship to warehouse Sets the destination warehouse for a specific return to one of the alternate warehouse locations configurable in Settings > Shipping.
Adjust return window Adjusts the return window number of days. Can be set individually by return type (refund, exchange, credit) or for all methods.
Allow returns until date Adjusts the return window to allow returns until a specific date. Useful for holiday return policies. Can be set individually by return type (refund, exchange, credit) or for all methods.
Require return approval Requires manual review and approval for a return. To use this rule action, note that the option to "Require approval for all returns" should be disabled in Settings > Workflow.
Do not require return approval Bypasses manual review and approval, automatically approving the return request. To use this rule action, note that the option to "Require approval for all returns" should be enabled in Settings > Workflow.
Set restocking fee Sets the restocking fee for one or more return types. The value entered here represents either a fixed fee or a percentage, depending on the restocking fee settings configured in Settings > Policies.
Set return shipping fee Sets the return shipping fee for one or more return shipping methods. Commonly used to set the fee for the prepaid return shipping method.
Set bonus credit Sets a bonus store credit percentage when the customer chooses store credit. This can be useful for offering a higher incentive on specific products, customers, orders, or return reasons.
Show question Displays a follow up question from Settings > Reasons. The question will display if enabled either by conditional logic on that page, or by rule logic.
Show question choice(s) Displays a follow up question choice from Settings > Reasons. The question will display if enabled either by conditional logic on that page, or by rule logic.
Do not require return shipping Automatically bypasses return shipping and indicates a return is a Green Return. Note that Green Returns must be enabled in Settings > Shipping for this option to appear.

Which criteria can be used when creating rules?

ReturnZap supports return rules based on several categories:

  • Customer - Create return rules based on details about the customer who is returning the item. Example attributes include:
    • Customer country
    • Customer email
    • Customer tags
    • Customer lifetime value
    • Customer total number of orders
    • Customer total number of returns
  • Order - Define return rules based on details about the order the customer is trying to return. Example attributes include:
    • Order discount code used
    • Order date
    • Order tags
    • Order total
    • Order remaining value after returns
    • Order sales channel or sales sub-channel
    • Number of returns already created for the order
  • Order Line Items - Define rules based on details about each item within a return. Rules apply to these specific items, and not to the entire return. Example attributes include:
    • Order line item discount percentage
    • Order line item "strike thru" discount percentage
    • Order line item discount title
    • Days since the item was delivered
    • Fulfillment location ID
    • Whether the item is part of a bundle
  • Product - Create return rules based on details about the actual product being returned. Rules apply to these specific items, and not to the entire return. Example attributes include:
    • Product SKU
    • Product title
    • Product type
    • Product vendor
    • Product tags
    • Product collections
    • Product variant price or weight
  • Return Details - Define return rules based on attributes about the return itself. Example attributes include:
    • Return reason
    • Return type
    • Total return value
    • Total return unit quantity
    • Total return weight
    • Follow up question answers
    • Whether the return was created by an admin
    • Request type, when available for your workflow

Example Rules

Prevent return for items based on product tag

The actual product tag used may vary. In this example we assume that the product has a tag of "final-sale" applied.

Prevent return for product tag

Prevent return for items based on discount percentage

Prevent return by discount percentage

Set return shipping fee if return reason is not damaged or defective

Set return shipping fee by return reason

Return Rules Conditions - Specific Details

Customer Attributes

  • Customer ID - This is a 13 digit numerical ID. You can find this ID by navigating to a customer page within your Shopify admin and copying it from the URL. The URL should read /admin/customers/[CUSTOMER ID] .

Order Attributes

  • Order Number - Your internal Shopify order number, including any custom prefixes you have defined.
  • Order ID - This is a 13 digit numerical ID. You can find this ID by navigating to an order page within your Shopify admin and copying it from the URL. The URL should read /admin/orders/[ORDER ID] .
  • Order Total - The total value of the order. Numerical value only, no currency symbol. Decimals are supported. Example format: 25.00.

Product Attributes

  • Product ID - This is a 13 digit numerical ID. You can find this ID by navigating to a product page within your Shopify admin and copying it from the URL. The URL should read /admin/products/[PRODUCT ID] .
  • Product Type - This attribute uses the "Custom Type" Shopify attribute, not the standardized Shopify product type. Custom type can be defined on the Shopify product admin page.
  • Product Variant ID - This is a 13 digit numerical ID. You can find this ID by navigating to a product page within your Shopify admin and clicking into a specific product variant. The variant ID can be found in the URL. The URL should read /admin/products/[PRODUCT ID]/variants/[VARIANT ID] .
  • Product Variant Price - The sell price of the variant. Numerical value only, no currency symbol. Decimals are supported. Example format: 25.00.

What are Return Rules?

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