POS - Multiple Exchanges

[Silvia_2104]

Hi,

At present, Shopify POS has a limitation on the amount of exchanges allowable. It only allows one exchange on a transaction.

Example:

If a customer purchases a pair of shoes, comes and swaps them for another size, and then decides that they want another shoe altogether. This isn't an odd purchase pattern, and occurs for one particular client at least twice a week.

The first exchange occurs as per normal, generating a new receipt etc. If you try to exchange the second order, it will not give the option of exchange and will only allow a refund on the Shopify admin. As the first exchange runs on 'exchange credit' however, if you do a refund it will not match up with the actual refund type (cash / credit / etc.). To me this seems like the exchange method is flawed and inflexible for real life retailer scenarios.

Shopify Support recommended using draft orders. This doesn't really fix my issue on POS, nor does it make sense to do - we can't anticipate which clients will want to do multiple exchanges. My only conclusion is that my client should refund every exchange and resell as a new product (which from memory is basically what they expected a merchant to do prior to the exchange function existing?). Has anyone else encountered this, and found a good workaround - this is going to be a dealbreaker for my client, who is already unimpressed with Shopify as a POS solution.

[BHSPTA]

I'm having exactly the same problem.

If a customer orders a shirt, exchanges it for another size but finally decides to refund, the refund is issued as an exchange credit. I don't see how I can then use that exchange credit to complete another transaction for her as an exchange or convert it into a true refund which is what she wants.

In my payments, I am out in my exchange credits and if I give a refund outside of shopify, I will have a discrepancy.

Did you have any luck rectifying?

[AVarela]

Just encountered this issue/limitation while testing (store will soon launch).  We have replicated this behavior several times which matches the scenario you described (shoe sale).  Ours is an apparel and home furnishings store where we expect customers to exchange or return often, based on sizing, color, overall fit, etc. preferences.  In our testing, Shopify POS did provide a message at point of exchange (for the second exchange on the order) that pointed us to the Shopify app where the refund or exchange can be processed against the order.  However, this transaction is external to Shopify POS, which among other things, means that a receipt will not print from the receipt printer (although the app can print to a printer in the back office), the drawer would have to be "manually" opened (if it is a cash refund), and the end-of-day register balance will not reconcile (if the refund was for cash).  The Shopify payments reporting also  becomes somewhat complicated.

You won't want to piss off the customer while trying to process an exchange this way.  The simple workaround is to not process exchanges, period (unless you have a store policy to allow no more than one exchange per sale...just kidding).  Instead, refund the original sale, and initiate a new sale.

[Silvia_2104]

Yeah correct, even now this still seems to remain the only option - refund and set up a new sale. The only exception is that this method is not useful for online sales.

The reason this doesn’t work for online orders is that generally the payment method used will literally be refunded. Eg - customer pays through payment gateway online, they will be refunded to that card in a couple days time. So unless you have their cooperation in processing a new point (unlikely) they’re probably just wanting their payment method to remain intact. Silver lining is that multiple exchanges are far less likely for online sales (more hassle for the customer to do).

[hstb]

Quite a few improvements needed to the return, exchange and refund process.

[218gift]

Shopify, any help with this yet? Is there a way to do multiple exchanges like this from the POS? 

[Anthony_Lee]

We just discovered this problem as well.

this is what happened to us.

All on POS

Jacket purchased with a credit card.

Jacket was exchanged for a sweater (using exchange credti).

Sweater was returned. 

We were unaware the refund was only to exchange credit not the original credit card transaction.

Few weeks later, customer filed a Charge Back.

We tried to refund after realizing what happened... can not process refund because its in Charge Back dispute.

We get charged the charge back fee.

Total BS of a system.

[brockpw]

Hey @Anthony_Lee

I agree lots of strides need to be made by Shopify in this case. 

Scenario 1: For the future. Customer buys a jacket with the order number #0001. They then come in and decide they want different size. So you do the exchange, you get order number #0002. The next day they come back and decide instead of the jacket they just want their money back. So what you can do is this. Go to the most recent order in backend shopify. (Not in POS as it if you try and do it in POS it will tell you to go to shopify). Inside of the shopify, go to the #0002 order number, and select "refund". Now, the only option it gives you is to for you to return the money to "exchange credit". Once you have done that, now go BACK to the original #0001 transaction in shopify. Click refund again under the original, and the exchange credit exists for you to be able to refund the original payment method. That has at least worked for us.

Scenario 2: Customer wants to exchange a SECOND time. We typically do the above method, return the money fully to the customer, and allow them to just fully purchase in a brand new transaction. Simple enough barring your customer isn't incredibly annoyed by the 3-5 day wait time on the money going back on the card.

Scenario 3: If it was a gift to the person and they want to do the above most of these solutions get thrown out of the window. We have yet to find a way to remedy this. Because we can't give the money back to the original purchaser and force the person to pay for a gift they received for free. Shopify Please, if I am missing something glaring, I would love to know. I wish you could just press a button that allowed the refund to go to a gift card, so that you could then provide the gift-receiver with compensation. Please Shopify fix this or let us know how complete this on our end. 

[brockpw]

@Shopify bump. Please respond with how we are supposed to handle multiple exchanges. 

[Tutu715]

We are having the exact same issue and we are not able to refund to original payment method after 1 exchange is made. Is there a specific app that is used to access customers' exchange credit? Wondering if soon there will be a way to exchange multiple times in the POS system soon...

[spearamerica]

Huge issue with this right now. Customer is demanding their money and we have no clue what to do with the Exchange Credit BS. I guess we need to start looking for a new POS since this is not the only issue we encountered the last year and a half we have been using it.

[BHSPTA]

Hang in there.
Go into the original sale and refund the customer. Don’t select a product
to refund, just choose the amount that you want to credit them. Then make
sure you offset that refund against the exchange credit in your accounts.
Shopify really need to allow refunds on exchanges.

[Rayan_Bahabri]

Any update on this issue @Shopify?

[JJ-miras]

Also waiting for a reply. Is it being worked on?
We need multiple exchanges. We run a sporting goods retail store. Our customers exchange quite often. 

[jbodor]

One of my merchants is also having issues with this same process. It is really inconvenient as in some cases the Clerk issuing the second exchange has a POS Login, but is not a Registered User in the Shopify Back Office App. This then requires a Shift Lead to do the exchange, and as stated we can't print a receipt through the Thermal Receipt printer for the customer. A better solution needs to be put in place here.

[ThePinesRides]

This makes sense - thank you.

"Then make sure you offset that refund against the exchange credit in your accounts." Are you able to further explain? 

[Will_Cervarich]

YES, this is a huge problem. Shopify POS needs to allow infinite exchanges or at least something with plenty of buffer room like 10 exchanges. We regularly have customers who want to exchange and exchange. I don't think we've ever gotten to an exchange of an exchange of an exchange yet, but I'm sure it'll happen some day. Please help, Shopify.

Also: the new POS doesn't allow for shipping to be added to an exchange on POS. You can mark it as unfulfilled, but you can't enter a shipping address or select a shipping service. This is a problem too, and one that didn't exist with the old POS.

[jbodor]

Shopify, has there been any update on this? In checking the most recent release notes I am still not seeing any improvement on this. Which is something that one of my stores experience at least a couple of times per month.

[lyates]

Still not fixed....

Totally unhappy....

This system of exchanging just does not work for us......

[hstb]

Also there no way to put an exchange or return on hold (save cart).

Scenario: Customer tells you they have an exchange/return and you start the transaction. They then change their mind and decide to shop more. 

Also there's no way to switch between an exchange and a straight return or vice versa. You have to go back and lose your progress.

Scenario: customer decides to do an exchange then changes their mind. Or they want to get a refund then change their mind and decide to shop more. 

[lyates]

I agree. My old system could do that no problem. But I can live without that feature....the exchanging issue is huge. As a store manager, I should be able to decide if a item is exchanged or not.......

[JJ-miras]

It would be nice if Shopify would at least chime in on this.
Maybe we should ask on Twitter...

[lyates]

Sorry I am not into twitter but I have commented on their Facebook ad. 

I am constantly sharing it with Shopify support people....as late as yesterday. She finally confirmed what I was thinking. They were originally set up to do online only. Since they have added brick and mortar stores, they are encountering these problems......I think all of their team should have to "work" in retail for a period of time and see the problems we are encountering.......

[Ellen5]

Here is what I do for multiple exchanges:

Scenario : customer buys skirt, customer comes back to exchange the size, then comes back again to return the skirt completely.

The first exchange I process as normal, using exchange credit from the original skirt purchase to buy the skirt in the new size.

When the customer comes in again to return the skirt completely (or exchange it again - it would be the same work flow) I have my sales associates call me when they see the POS message that Shopify can only process this from the back end. I go into the exchange order (the new skirt size) on the admin and I refund the skirt to exchange credit. Then I create a new order on POS and I buy a gift card for the customer with “store credit” for the exact amount of exchange credit I refunded.

I know that this doesn’t give the customer their money back on their card, but I tell them that they they technically didn’t buy the skirt the second time with their card anyway, they bought it with the store credit from the original order. Sometimes this obviously creates confusion but most customers understand…. 

I don’t know if buying a gift card with “store credit” for the amount refunded to “exchange credit” works out okay on the books …. But I have not figured out any other way…. I honestly don’t know where the “exchange credit” goes when it is refunded…  I read the comment from someone on here that after you refund to exchange credit you can go back to the very original order and put money back on the customers card …. But I typically prefer to put it on a gift card anyway and it doesn’t give you an option to put the original order refund on a gift card.

Let me know if anyone has feedback on this!! Thank you 🙂

[Will_Cervarich]

Hi Ellen5!

If it were our bookkeeping, we’d want to see the refund of exchange credit being reapplied as the payment method for the purchase of the gift card, so using Store Credit for that wouldn’t be the best for us. It would make it look like we pulled a store credit out of thin air, when we didn’t.

A slight tweak that might make your bookkeeper/you happier would be to create a manual payment method on POS of Exchange Credit (not to be confused with the natively supported payment method that happens when you created that first exchange). This way, when you refund to Exchange Credit on the web admin, you can then “spend” that with the same payment method on POS. It may not always appear on the same lines in Shopify reports, but should be fairly easy to reconcile.

hope that’s helpful! (But what would be the most helpful is Shopify modifying their POS to support this without these types of workarounds. 🙄)

-Will

[lyates]

Exactly this...

I have worked in retail for over 25 years and have never had limitations on the amount of times items can be exchanged.....Crazy.....

[Ellen5]

Thank you so much for your reply!! I understand what you mean and that was very helpful. I am confused about where the return to "exchange credit" even goes to... or how I access that? I kind of thought about exchange credit like a cloud ... and store credit like a cloud as well... because I don't use store credit for anything else other than to help me with these work arounds. I use gift cards fully separately from store credit. And every time I use store credit I make sure that it exactly matches what I refunded to "exchange credit".

This is definitely not ideal... I agree with you (and everyone else) that it would be helpful if shopify supported multiple exchanges. Thanks again!!

[Will_Cervarich]

Hi @Ellen5!

For our bookkeeping, we like to see those payment methods completely zero'ing each other out. It sounds like that's the case for you, too. I think your cloud analogy is a good one. These are both really just virtual payment methods with a name. The names could be elephants and rhinos and they'd still function the same way 🙂  (or we could call them A and B as I do below)

Sounds like your store is OK with merging the two clouds and as long as all the debits and credits across both clouds add up to zero, you're happy (A - A + B - A + A - B + A - B = 0). For our store, we want the individual clouds to add up to zero independently of each other (A - A + A - A + A - A = 0 and B - B + B - B = 0) I think both approaches are totally fine. I just like the cleanliness of the papertrail with the secondary Exchange Credit manual payment method. Of course, it relies on staff to process things correctly, so that's a consideration, too. Is it easier to just have one virtual payment method (Store Credit) or two and different rules about when to use each...

Take care!
-W

[Walter_Manning]

This problem really needs to be fixed. This issue comes up quite a bit and the workarounds are ridiculous and make no sense. 

It really makes my sales associates looks like idiots which is probably the worst part. 

Multiple exchanges and returns need to be implemented on this POS - and I'm paying for the PRO version of it...

[ajcardenas5]

Agreed! So frustrating. Where does the exchange credit even go? Thankfully my customer is patient and understanding as I've figured this out but geez there should be a way to exchange multiple times. Come on shopify help us! 

[AndrewGZA]

Please can @Shopify fix this. 

[lyates]

Every time I have to contact customer service, I tell them about the problem and ask to refer it to their developers......I am hoping the squeaky wheel gets greased......

[lyates]

I have had this issue happen twice this week......I spent an hour each time on with Shopify support. What a waste of time.........I keep sending in feedback about how bad the problem is for us.

[LBB67]

I have given up in regards to this flaw I just tell my staff to manually do the exchange, write it down then give it to me and I fix it in admin,

just so the don't look like idiots when they tell the customer the POS only allows 1 exchange. How hard is it to increase the limit on

exchanges just a bit of coding I suspect yet we pay premium price for a pro POS system that has limitations.

I'd get out if I could but all my staff have used this system for years and retraining for another POS is a huge time factor and an expensive exercise.

[Walter_Manning]

Why has this known issue from 2019 still not been resolved? Anyone using Shopify at POS should be complaining like crazy about this. Are not enough stores using the platform for this to be an issue or do they all have really bad return policies that don't offer refunds in the first place?

We recently opened a new store and we have Shopify POS and the Shopify Tap Card Reader. In our other location we have an external card reader so we can always figure out a dumb workaround for a multiple refund and make it work. It's messy and time consuming but the customer at least gets their money back in the end. 

With the Shopify Tap Card Reader you cannot offer multiple refunds on a single transaction. There's nothing you can do to get them their money back if they've been issued a refund for some of the items on the initial transaction already. You can pay them out cash if you have that lying around, but you won't be able to make a record of it in the system.

One workaround is that any time you have a customer trying to issue a refund for a few items from a transaction that has multiple items is to refund the entire transaction the first time. Resell what they've kept to them so they have a new transaction that they can use for refunds down the road if need be. Sloppy. The rub is that refunds through the tap reader take 2-4 business days to appear back on a customers card so they'll be out some money for a few days and bound to let you know about it one way or the other. 

I'm just amazed that I'm paying for a pro account and this hasn't been rectified. It seems so retail 101 to me. Is this a big ask? I can't stress enough just how dumb it makes us look. Time for this one to be a priority.