Solved

Can Shopify enable returns without a receipt or customer info?

LCG
Excursionist
14 1 33

I am running into an issue with offering refunds. If a customer comes back into my store with an item to return and no receipt, I have to do a payout, or remove money from the till rather than do a proper return or exchange. Is there a way for me to perform a return without a receipt or customer info? Id like to be able to just have a return button essentially without having to attach it to a customer or order.

Accepted Solution (1)

Julie
Shopify Staff
1109 106 367

This is an accepted solution.

Hi, @LCG!

 

Julie here from Shopify Support.

 

Great question. At the moment, a POS order can only be refunded through the original order that was placed. If a customer doesn't have a receipt, you could always search for the order through the POS app using the product title. Without orders being tied to a customer profile, this should be a good workaround. However, I can understand that this method wouldn't be ideal if you are processing a large amount of orders. 

 

Moving forward, it would be a good idea to gather customers' names at the time of sale. This would ensure that orders can be easily found should they wish to return an item without a receipt. As an alternative, you could also issue a gift card as store credit, then manually adjust the inventory quantities for the product that was returned. 

 

I can definitely see how being able to offer refunds without a receipt is a much-needed feature. That being said, I'd be happy to pass this along to our developers as a feature request; we are always looking to improve the Shopify platform and suggestions like these really help!

 

You mentioned that when currently handling refunds with no receipt, you are simply removing the money from the till. Are you doing this for exchanges or just returns?

Julie | Social Care @ Shopify 
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Replies 47 (47)

Julie
Shopify Staff
1109 106 367

This is an accepted solution.

Hi, @LCG!

 

Julie here from Shopify Support.

 

Great question. At the moment, a POS order can only be refunded through the original order that was placed. If a customer doesn't have a receipt, you could always search for the order through the POS app using the product title. Without orders being tied to a customer profile, this should be a good workaround. However, I can understand that this method wouldn't be ideal if you are processing a large amount of orders. 

 

Moving forward, it would be a good idea to gather customers' names at the time of sale. This would ensure that orders can be easily found should they wish to return an item without a receipt. As an alternative, you could also issue a gift card as store credit, then manually adjust the inventory quantities for the product that was returned. 

 

I can definitely see how being able to offer refunds without a receipt is a much-needed feature. That being said, I'd be happy to pass this along to our developers as a feature request; we are always looking to improve the Shopify platform and suggestions like these really help!

 

You mentioned that when currently handling refunds with no receipt, you are simply removing the money from the till. Are you doing this for exchanges or just returns?

Julie | Social Care @ Shopify 
 - Was my reply helpful? Click Like to let me know! 
 - Was your question answered? Mark it as an Accepted Solution
 - To learn more visit the Shopify Help Center or the Shopify Blog

LCG
Excursionist
14 1 33

Thanks! recommending as a feature would be great.

SweetpeaBaby
Visitor
1 0 17

It seems like this has been a problem dating back to 2015. Everybody says they are going to recommend it to a developer but after 5 years there is still not a fix. This is a really important issue for my store which does mainly gift business since the items returned have to be refunded to the gift giver instead of the recipient. I just switched over and am already regretting it. Just adding a minus button would fix it. Not too hard of a fix from what I can see.

Julie
Shopify Staff
1109 106 367

Hi, @SweetpeaBaby.

 

I appreciate your feedback and I completely understand the need for this feature. The more feedback we get, the higher we can raise the priority on implementing something like this, so I'll be sure to add your name to the list.

In the meantime, have you been able to take advantage of one of the workarounds suggested above?

Julie | Social Care @ Shopify 
 - Was my reply helpful? Click Like to let me know! 
 - Was your question answered? Mark it as an Accepted Solution
 - To learn more visit the Shopify Help Center or the Shopify Blog

Cabana19
Excursionist
14 0 28

just putting in my two cents...

This is a huge downfall for me. I have a gift store too. The last thing I want to do is return a gift to the original purchase. Discretion is key in a gift return and a simple return without attaching it to an order would be appreciated.

Second, I am just converting to Shopify from my quickbooks POS that I have had for 17 years for a more seamless online and brick and mortar sales approach. Problem is once I reopen after covid I am sure I am going to have several returns that will not currently be associated with Shopify. They will be on my QB POS. In my QB we could change any sale line to a return line with a button. Shopify is definitely missing this feature. Hoping they will address it soon...thanks

runrodrun
Visitor
2 0 13

I have been absolutely shocked to find this out.  I'm incredibly bummed as we are a privately owned Patagonia store but process returns for store credit from all Patagonia stores and this happens multiple times per day.  We are about to launch Shopify on Tuesday but honestly I think we are going to have to go to RICS' new platform if this is not figured out.  This seems insane to me that this is an issue at all but is pretty much a deal breaker to me.  I also had to let Patagonia, Corp know as they were asking about this platform and it would not work for them either.  Huge bummer!

Matto3
Tourist
4 0 23

I got on here to hopefully find a solution, only to find out that this has been a problem for a very long time and still nothing has been done about it. I have swapped from another POS to shopify and currently having to pay for 2 POS which makes it very hard to balance the register and also very costly. Surely there is an easy fix to this problem. Seems like there are many of us who need it to be fixed urgently.

 

MarkG5
Visitor
2 0 4

We just moved over from QB POS because QB POS was discontinued.  Today is day 1 on Shopify and this has already been an issue.  Standing in front of a customer and trying to figure out how to process a return from a sale done in QB Point of Sale - knowing it's impossible to actually process the return was an experience.

Cabana19
Excursionist
14 0 28

Not sure what else we can do to get their attention...I have been begging for a return feature for years!!!! So frustrating. Getting ready to make a switch. 

PaperandGrace
Visitor
1 0 1

Same exact situation.  It would be reassuring to feel like Shopify POS developers had even just once seen their software perform in an actual physical storefront.  There are SO many gaps in this platform that it just reaffirms that they have not.  Negative quantities, devs, negative quantities.

KikiG
Visitor
1 0 1

We just made the switch as well.  It has been quite the challenge with returns.  This has been going on since 2015, and I can't believe they haven't fixed this!

We ended up deciding to do payouts and manual adjusting the inventory. Hopefully in a few weeks this issue will go away.  

welcomehome
Tourist
4 0 12

add us to the list who feel this is a critical feature.

Nm16
Visitor
1 0 7

I agree too  - we need this feature ASAP. Especially since we have a lot of high profile customers who don’t want their name in a database. How can we push Shopify to make this enhancement? We were able to do this on all of our older POS systems. With all the money Shopify is pulling in they should fix this - I know of a few major retailers moving away from Shopify and switching to newstore for reasons like this.

jcoleshoes
Tourist
3 0 5

Please pass this along to your developers as a request.  

Cabana19
Excursionist
14 0 28

Do you mind if I ask how you are currently refunding without a receipt? We just launched Shopify two weeks ago and it has not been a seamless transition to say the least. I had Quickbooks for 20 years and never had these issues. My largest complaint are returns. I too have a gift store. The returns/exchanges I have received have had a receipt but the gift giver is receiving notification of the return or exchange. This is outrageous to me and a sure fire way to lose business. I just want to be able to do a return without connecting it to the original sale. Any suggestions would be great. Because their suggestion is pretty lame for a point of sale software and doesn’t account for tax. If I give a gift card for the amount of the sale tax is not being credited my tax report. Therefore I am paying tax on items and also crediting tax on items that were returned. So backwards to me. Just looking for insight from a fellow business owner...thanks in advance!!

BuddiesToys
Excursionist
21 0 15

I assume you've had no success on getting answers, but I'm wondering if you've figured out a work around?  I'm also really struggling with this lack of feature.  So embarrassing to have the original purchaser notified when an item is exchanged... and like you said issuing a Gift Card isn't the proper way to do your books.  Thanks.

LCG
Excursionist
14 1 33

fortunately I live in Oregon and don't have to deal with the sales tax issue. I can only imagine the level of frustration that must cause. Any luck with anything. I am still waiting to hear a solution or even a half coherent response.

LCG
Excursionist
14 1 33

The way we currently do it is to to select "remove" from the till and pay them cash. However, this has its own set of issues in the terms of inventory and also bookkeeping. Shopify is really dropping the ball on this, especially after raising my rates from 79 per month to 182 per month! I don't even get new features for the price!

RJH
Tourist
7 0 4

Adding my voice to the conversation. I simply have no choice but to look elsewhere for a POS system if ad hoc returns are not supported, even though I have used Shopify for my online store for several years. 

RyanF1994
Visitor
1 0 5

Hi Julie,

 

I would second the original poster's question. My employer just made the switch to Shopify POS and we are working through the transition at the moment. We are a clothing retailer with 6 brick and mortar locations and also have a significant e-commerce business as well. A significant portion of our returns are items that were gifted being returned or exchanged for new sizing or new products and the person that received the gift does not have a receipt. Being able to initiate a return as an order/transaction with a unique order number would be incredibly helpful for our business.

Granti
Visitor
1 0 4

Another voice to support the urgent need for this feature. 

jredneck
Excursionist
11 0 17

1234567890

LOLShop
Visitor
1 0 10

Your reply should not be marked as an accepted solution because it doesn't address the problem of a gift return or an even exchange. 

 

Here is an example of how this cost me a sale and created a very angry customer.  The customer came in with a dress and wanted a different size.  Not realizing how badly Shopify handles returns, we followed the process.  The original sale was on a credit card, so Shopify automatically chose that as the refund process and credited it back.  Now it was time to exchange it for the new dress but the customer didn't have her credit card with her.  She didn't have cash enough to pay for the new dress. She was angry and upset and has not been back.  

 

This is only one of the reasons that Shopify does not work in a brick-and-mortar store setting.  Shopify development has created a robust online sales platform but has missed the most simple tasks that even a basic cash register would be able to handle.  

 

I've been looking for a workaround with no success for this and several other items such as an end-of-day report and regular deposits that match the end-of-day numbers.  Bookkeeping is a nightmare and it is insulting to ask users to pay for apps to deal with the issues Shopify will not address.  

 

I can't see using Shopify to grow my business.  The time I waste trying to get the information I need leaves me no time for anything else.  Very disappointed that the reviews didn't disclose these major deficiencies in the program.  Even more disappointing that they exist at all, since they are relatively very simple to address.  

 

AndrewGZA
Visitor
2 0 7

This is NOT a solution - Please read all the comments below. Shopify must fix this!!

jen27
Visitor
1 0 1

Since Shopify requires you to have a denomination set for Gift Cards, how can I issue a Gift Card for the exact amount?  Meaning with tax included?

Cabana19
Excursionist
14 0 28
Hmmm....When you sell a gift card there are set denominations but at the bottom you should have a custom gift card amount. You can place any amount in there. Atleast this is how mine works.

After 3 years and no resolution I am still waiting for a simple return button within shopify. This is just crazy that you can not perform a return unless it is linked to a receipt. It has caused many problems for me. I would love to hear how others handle this situation and shopify really should listen to its customers if they are raising our prices.
chippa2funky
Tourist
8 0 7

THIS DOES NOT WORK.  Please simply add a "return" feature exactly like a processing a new sale.  Have it as an option within the POS terminal.  

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE ADD THIS!!! I just switched over from RICS Software and returns are an every day part of retail.  We are a week into transitioning from RICS to Shopify and are having a shit ton of issues with original orders that were done on RICS and need to be returned within Shopify.  There is no original order so we currently are not allowed to process a return and are unable to process an exchange because the original order was not in Shopify. 

Even after we get done with the transition, this is a simple function that could be a core feature of Shopify.  This is a 100% needed enhancment.

MarkG5
Visitor
2 0 4

This workaround is not an acceptable solution, especially after 3 additional years without this option being added as a feature.  It's pretty simple, allow the quantities of items to become negative in the cart.

 

MattGSAM
Tourist
8 0 4

Add us to the list of people requiring a method of returns without previous shopify sale. We have moved from Lightspeed which had major flaws, however you could just put a "-" symbol in front of the stock figure or amount in the cart which created a manual return.

Jacqui_S
Tourist
3 0 5

This is an awful solution and absolutely out of line with any standard retail practice. 
and the fact that nothing has been done to address it is really discouraging and demonstrates how little concern Shopify has for retailers. 

Cabana19
Excursionist
14 0 28

Still an issue...3 years later. About to switch POS

jredneck
Excursionist
11 0 17

Seems pretty simple - enable negative quantity and all is well.  Get it done.  We just moved over from Lightspeed and this is a must have.

Cabana19
Excursionist
14 0 28

EXACTLY…..cannot believe this is STILL an issue. I am launching a new store and seriously considering a different platform. This has been a HUGE negative for me and my business. 
Idk how to get the point across any clearer…like you said just enable a negative quantity….every other POS has it. Seems like such a simple solution!

jredneck
Excursionist
11 0 17

I will note that as we age away from the prior POS, it should be possible for any prior sale to be located and process a return/exchange via the existing facility.  So this should become less of an issue.  There may be some cases where it's difficult to locate the original sale order, but I think we can work through that.

karilynae
Excursionist
13 0 34

After years of complaints, this still has not been addressed. 😕

How hard can it be to just add a simple Return button to create a return that is not tied to an order.  We also need to be able to select a different payment method when doing a return other than what was originally used on the order.  This would help with gifts being returned.  Then instead of putting it back on the purchaser's card, the gift recipient could get cash or store credit or put it on their card.  This would help as well when an online purchase is returned in store and the original card has expired.  The refund process just fails and there is no way to fix it!

indiraVillalobo
Visitor
2 0 4

add us to the list. We are running with this big/insane issue too, this is a critical feature. Please read all the comments below. Shopify must fix this!!

jredneck
Excursionist
11 0 17

Back in time, I suggested this would become less of an issue over time.  It has not.  Without a receipt, it is difficult to find the original sale.  So I reiterate the need for a simple negative quantity solution.  Insert head banging against the wall emoji.

Cabana19
Excursionist
14 0 28

How can we get through to Shopify? This is obviously not working. And plenty of customers are experiencing the same frustration!!

kingstore
Shopify Partner
175 5 31

This is one of the most requested features and it is still not dealt with. With Shopify pushing their POS so aggressively they really should address this. Returns for a known customer or receipt with a barcode works fine, but most often a customer in a retail store is a new customer, no profile, and many don't want a receipt. This leaves a huge gap for when a customer wants to do a return but there is not way to search for the original order. @Shopify when will we have a solution for this? We are about to lose a client because this functionality is not there. 

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Cabana19
Excursionist
14 0 28

Exactly. Please help me try to get through to them!! I have been dealing with this for years. It's so frustrating.

MikeCDG
Shopify Partner
14 0 4

We had a lot of clients ask us for this so we built an app to accommodate. 

 

You scan (or manually add) the items that will be returned, tap the tile, and it generates a gift card in the amount of the goods. It also tracks prices over time (from the date you install the app) so that if you priced the item lower at some point, it remembers that and proposes a credit amount with the lowest price the item was ever listed at. Works with physical gift cards or e gift cards. It's basic but hopefully it helps! https://apps.shopify.com/return-without-receipt

jredneck
Excursionist
11 0 17

That's great, but frankly, I'm not inclined to pay a monthly tariff for something that should be standard functionality.  I suspect others would agree.

MikeCDG
Shopify Partner
14 0 4

I don't disagree at all! We work a ton with Shopify POS as an agency, and we'll be better off the day that this app is redundant, as we'd much prefer it be native. However since I don't have any power to make Shopify add this feature quicker (though we have voiced the need to them), we made a stop-gap solution for merchants who need something now, before Shopify releases it natively. Hope this makes sense.

jredneck
Excursionist
11 0 17
Certainly I get it. If we had a sufficiently high incidence of the issue,
it would be worth the extra cost. At the moment, there's not enough cases
for us to do it.

Thanks,
Joe
Cabana19
Excursionist
14 0 28

Could you offer a free week trial?

bdeaw
Shopify Partner
59 1 55

$39 a month is too much for this functionality that should be built in. 

MikeCDG
Shopify Partner
14 0 4

We agree it should be native! However since we're a third party we made this as a solution for our merchants that need it, and this was the amount that made it cost effective to build, maintain, and support for the wider community. Especially since we expect it will eventually be replaced by native functionality so our investment building it will go away any day now. However we much prefer Shopify POS continue to add this and other functionalities as we make most of our sales off of supporting Shopify POS in other ways, this is a side project for us. Hope you are having a great weekend!