Identifying returned orders via Shopify Admin REST API (2021-07) without an explicit “Returned” order status field. The standard status filter (status=any) surfaces cancelled/archived/open/fulfilled variations but not returns.
Community workaround: use an undocumented query parameter on the orders endpoint:
return_status=in_progress to fetch orders with a return underway.
return_status=returned to fetch orders with completed returns.
Documentation gap: Shopify’s official Order resource docs do not mention return_status. Multiple participants confirm they cannot find it documented, yet tests show the parameter filters as expected.
Provenance: The parameter was inferred from network calls when applying the “Return status” filter in the Shopify admin frontend, then replicated in API requests.
Outcome: A practical, community-validated method exists, but it is not officially supported or documented. Stability and future availability are unknown.
Status: Unresolved/ongoing. Key open questions include whether return_status will be documented, supported across API versions, or subject to change.
I am new to Shopify. I want to know if there is any way to know that an order is returned or not in Shopify.
I have checked the orders fetch API GET/admin/api/2021-07/orders.json?status=any. In that, I haven’t found any status like “Returned” for the returned orders.
We can identify the cancelled, archived, open, fulfilled, unfulfilled and partially fulfilled orders. Likewise is there any option/field to identify the order returned?
I just wanted to let you know I have moved your query here to our dedicated API forums.
As we’re not able to provide developer-level support ourselves here, we have a specific area here in the forums where Partners and others can ask more in-depth questions about working with our API.
These forums are moderated and responded to by our own Developers and your fellow Partners so this is really the best place for your query.
@Chikku We have observed that this works for fetching orders whose return is in progress: GET/admin/api/2021-07/orders.json?return_status=in_progress. Similarly, return_status=returned works for fetching orders whose return has been completed.
@Chikku Yes, you are checking the right documentation. Shopify doesn’t mention this in their documentation anywhere. We tested it out (taking cues from the API call that Shopify makes when you apply the return status filter from the frontend) and it fetched the expected orders for us.