We are looking for a solution to process warranty claims when a product is purchased at one of our retailers and not through our D2C Shopify store. Ideally, we would be able set them up as a customer from the info in their support ticket, then issue a return shipping label. Once we receive the item and evaluate the claim ourselves we would then be able to create a new order for them to fulfill the replacement.
We have tried various workarounds but hit dead-ends. If you set up an order, it appears that you cannot create a return label until the order has shipped (which is not what we want if we are inspecting warranty claims).
We are open to other workarounds or apps and would appreciate suggestions.
The solution must be able to set up a return label for someone that we have never shipped to or transacted with before.
Hi @bearstore
For claims that fall beyond the scope of the Shopify warranty, consider apps such as ReturnGO or Loop Returns, which allow for manual returns and return labels without an original order. You can place a draft order for the replacement after checking. These apps allow you to process non-D2C returns with all your workflow within Shopify.
Hi @bearstore ,
That’s a really relevant use case, and I can see why the standard Shopify return flow doesn’t quite work here. Handling warranty returns for products bought outside your D2C store especially when there’s no prior transaction or shipment definitely calls for a more flexible setup.
One option you might consider is using ParcelPanel Returns & Exchanges. It’s built to handle both regular Shopify returns and more custom scenarios like yours. A few features that could be helpful:
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You can manually approve return requests and even handle cases that aren’t tied to an existing order in Shopify.
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The return portal supports guest returns, so you can collect customer details and generate a return label without needing a Shopify order ID.
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You can create custom return reasons like “warranty claim” and require extra info like proof of purchase or photos before approving.
- There’s also the option to add internal notes and track the whole process from approval to inspection and replacement.
It might not be a full-blown RMA system, but it gives you the control you need without overcomplicating things.
Let me know if this sounds helpful!
