Shopify Return Policy Template: 4 Free Return and Refund Policies to Copy

Each template below is written to be pasted into Shopify and edited. Replace everything in [brackets]. Pick one main template, then add the clauses you need from the sections after it. This is practical guidance, not legal advice: if you sell into the EU or UK, or sell regulated products, have a lawyer read your final version.

Prefer to fill in a form? Our free return policy generator builds the same policy from your answers.

What every return policy needs to say

Customers read a return policy to answer four questions: can I return this, until when, how, and what do I get back. Support teams read it to settle the edge cases. A good policy answers both in under a page:

• Return window, and when it starts: from delivery is clearer and fairer than from purchase.
• Condition: unworn, unwashed, with tags, in original packaging, or simply "resellable".
• What can't be returned: final sale, personalised, intimate, perishable or hygiene items, gift cards.
• How to start a return: link, email address or portal, and what the customer needs (order number, photos).
• Who pays return shipping, and how much if the customer does.
• What the customer gets: refund to the original payment method, store credit, or exchange, and how long the refund takes.
• Damaged, defective or wrong items: a separate, faster path with no cost to the customer.
• Exchanges: whether you offer them, and what happens if the new size is out of stock.
• Contact details for questions.

Template 1: Standard 30-day return policy

The most common policy for apparel, accessories and home goods. Customer pays return shipping, refund to the original payment method.

Returns. We accept returns within [30] days of delivery. Items must be unused, in the same condition you received them, with tags attached and in the original packaging. You'll need your order number or proof of purchase.

Starting a return. To start a return, visit [returns portal link] or email us at [support@yourstore.com] with your order number and the items you want to return. If your return is accepted, we'll send you a return label and instructions. Items sent back without first requesting a return will not be accepted.

Return shipping. Return shipping costs [$X, deducted from your refund / are paid by the customer], unless the item arrived damaged, defective or incorrect.

Non-returnable items. The following can't be returned: [final sale items, gift cards, personalised products, earrings and underwear for hygiene reasons].

Refunds. We'll inspect your return within [3] business days of receiving it and email you once the refund is approved. Approved refunds go back to your original payment method within [5 to 10] business days, depending on your bank. If more than [15] business days have passed since we approved your return, contact us at [support@yourstore.com].

Damaged, defective or wrong items. Please inspect your order on arrival and contact us within [7] days if an item is damaged, defective or not what you ordered. Send a photo and your order number and we'll make it right at no cost to you.

Questions. Contact us at [support@yourstore.com] for any return question.

Template 2: Free returns and exchanges

For brands that use free returns as a selling point. Swap Template 1's shipping paragraph for this one, and add the exchange clause.

Free returns. Returns are free within [30] days of delivery for orders shipped to [the United States]. Use the prepaid label from our [returns portal link]. International returns are at the customer's cost.

Exchanges. The fastest way to get a different size or colour is to request an exchange in the [returns portal]. We'll ship the new item as soon as your return is scanned by the carrier. If the item you want is out of stock, we'll refund you instead.

Free-return abuse. We may decline returns from accounts with an unusually high return rate, or returns of items that show signs of wear.

Template 3: Store credit or exchange only

Common for small brands with tight margins. Be explicit: in California, if you don't clearly say refunds are store credit only, customers can claim a refund in the original form of payment.

Returns. We accept returns within [30] days of delivery. Returns are issued as store credit or an exchange. We do not offer refunds to the original payment method, except for damaged, defective or incorrect items.

Store credit. Store credit is issued as a gift card for the value of the returned items, minus [return shipping / nothing], within [3] business days of receiving your return. It [does not expire / expires after 12 months].

Template 4: Final sale and no-returns policy

For made-to-order, personalised, perishable or clearance items. A no-returns policy must still cover damaged and wrong items, and in many places it must be shown before checkout.

All sales final. [All items / Items marked Final Sale / Personalised items] can't be returned or exchanged. Please check sizes and details before you order; contact us at [support@yourstore.com] if you have a question before buying.

Damaged, defective or wrong items. If your item arrives damaged, defective or isn't what you ordered, contact us within [7] days of delivery with photos and your order number. We'll replace it or refund you.

Clause for EU and UK customers

EU consumers have a legal right to cancel most online purchases within 14 days of delivery without giving a reason, and the seller must refund them within 14 days, including standard outbound delivery, as the EU's Your Europe guide explains. Your policy can be more generous but never shorter. The UK has an equivalent 14-day rule. If you ship there, add a clause like this:

Right of withdrawal (EU and UK). If you live in the EU or UK, you can cancel your order within 14 days of receiving it without giving a reason. To cancel, email [support@yourstore.com] or use [withdrawal form link]. Send the items back within 14 days of telling us. We'll refund the price and the standard delivery cost within 14 days of receiving the items or proof that you've sent them. Return shipping is [paid by you / free]. This doesn't apply to [personalised items, sealed hygiene products once unsealed, perishable goods].

Since June 2026, EU rules also require an easy online way to withdraw, often a clearly labelled withdrawal button, according to Zonos's summary of Directive (EU) 2023/2673. Check with your platform or app how this is handled on your checkout.

US rules to know before you publish

• There's no federal law requiring US stores to accept returns. What's regulated is disclosure and keeping your promises.
• California, Civil Code §1723: if your policy is anything less than a full refund or exchange within 7 days with proof of purchase, you must display it clearly. If you don't, customers can return goods for a full refund within 30 days, per the California Attorney General. Florida and Maryland have similar posting rules.
• State laws also govern implied warranties on defective products, which a no-returns policy doesn't override.
• Card networks and payment providers look at your posted policy when deciding chargebacks. A clear, visible policy is your first piece of evidence.

How to add your return policy in Shopify

• In Shopify admin, go to Settings > Policies (some admins label it Legal).
• Paste your policy into Return and refund policy, or click Create from template and replace the text with yours. Shopify's own help page notes that you're responsible for following what you publish.
• Save. Shopify publishes it at yourstore.com/policies/refund-policy and links it at checkout.
• Add it to your footer: Online Store > Navigation > Footer menu > Add menu item > Policies.
• Link it from product pages that have special rules (final sale, personalised), and from your order confirmation email.
• Set up Shopify's self-serve returns if you want customers to request returns from their account without emailing you.

Write it so your team (and your AI) can apply it

Most return tickets aren't "can I return this?". They're the edge cases your policy didn't spell out. Every vague sentence becomes a judgement call in the inbox. Before you publish, check that the policy answers these without anyone asking you:

• Does the window start at delivery or purchase, and what happens with a late carrier scan?
• Who pays return shipping when the customer simply changed their mind, and when the item was wrong?
• What happens to a return requested on day 31? (Write the answer down, even if it's "we decide case by case", and who decides.)
• Can a gift recipient return without the order number, and do they get a refund or store credit?
• Is there a refund amount above which a person must approve?

Those answers are also exactly what an AI support agent needs. Relay reads your published policy and the rules you set (window, refund cap, which items are excluded), checks each request against the order, and processes in-policy returns on its own. Anything outside the rules goes to you with the order attached.

What large brands do differently

Big brands treat the return policy as a sales page as much as a legal one. Three patterns are worth copying even for a small store:

• One short summary at the top: window, cost and refund method in a single sentence, then the details below.
• A separate, generous path for defects and mistakes, so the strict rules only apply to change-of-mind returns.
• Clear exchange-first options, which keep revenue and are usually faster for the customer.

We compared the policies of brands such as Nike, Zappos and Skims in brand return policies compared.

FAQ

What is a good return policy for a Shopify store? For most stores: 30 days from delivery, unused items with tags, refund to the original payment method within 5 to 10 business days, free fixes for damaged or wrong items, and a short list of non-returnable products.

Do I legally need a return policy? In the US you aren't required to accept returns, but several states, including California, require you to display your policy if it's stricter than a standard full refund. In the EU and UK you must offer at least the 14-day right of withdrawal on most online orders.

Can I offer store credit instead of a refund? Yes, if your policy says so clearly before purchase. Defective items and EU or UK withdrawals still require a refund.

Where is the return policy in Shopify? Settings > Policies (or Legal) in Shopify admin. Shopify publishes it at /policies/refund-policy on your store.

How long should a return window be? Thirty days is the most common. Holiday purchases often get an extended window into January; if you do this, say so on your policy page and in your order emails.