Retrieve a return

Retired Boards Appdev Fulfillment Api

Topic summary

Main issue: how to obtain a Return ID to retrieve or act on a return via Shopify’s Fulfillment Returns API.

Initial findings: Using REST (e.g., {store_url}/orders.json?return_status=return_requested) didn’t expose a Return ID. Checking /admin/orders/{order_id}.json was suggested, but it was unclear if return status/ID appears there. Concern was raised that returns initiated in Shopify Admin UI don’t expose a Return ID via REST, blocking approve/decline operations that require it.

Update/solution: Use Admin GraphQL. Query orders filtered by return status (OrderReturnStatus) to get the return request ID. With that ID, you can approve, decline, or cancel the return via the Returns API endpoints. Example docs and an illustrative screenshot were shared. Key terms: Return ID (identifier for a return request), REST (HTTP-based API), Admin GraphQL (Shopify’s graph-based API enabling targeted fields/filters).

Current status: A follow-up asks how to fetch only orders that have a Return ID (GraphQL filtering guidance). No final answer yet; discussion remains open. Images: one screenshot supports the GraphQL approach but isn’t required to understand the solution.

Summarized with AI on December 29. AI used: gpt-5.
3

Is there an update on this?

Seems like Return ID is only available if return is created using API call - https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/fulfillment/returns-apps/returns#step-2-request-a-return.

There seems no way to fetch the return ID if the return was initiated using Shopify Admin UI. And retrieving a return needs the ID -https://shopify.dev/docs/apps/fulfillment/returns-apps/returns#step-2-request-a-return

Same applies to the Approve/Decline operations for Returns, where Return ID is mandatory.

It will be great if someone from Shopify can through some light on this.