Pick your return window, conditions and refund rules. Get a complete, plain-English return and refund policy you can paste into Shopify today.
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Your return policy
[Store name] Return & Refund Policy
We want you to love what you ordered. If something isn't right, you can return it within 30 days of delivery.
1. Return window
You have 30 days from the date your order was delivered to request a return. Requests made after 30 days can't be accepted, except where the law requires otherwise.
2. Condition of returned items
Items must be unworn, unwashed and in their original condition, with all tags attached and in the original packaging.
Please include your order number with every return. Items that arrive damaged, incomplete or showing signs of use beyond what this policy allows may be refused and sent back to you.
3. Items that can't be returned
The following can't be returned or exchanged:
- Items marked Final Sale or bought on clearance
- Gift cards
- Personalized, engraved or custom-made items
If one of these items arrives damaged, defective or isn't what you ordered, contact us and we'll make it right.
4. How to start a return
Email us at [support email] with your order number and the item(s) you want to return. We'll reply with return instructions and the address to send your package to. Packages sent back without a return request first can't be accepted.
5. Return shipping
You're responsible for return shipping costs. We recommend a tracked service, because we can't refund a package that never reaches us.
Original shipping charges are non-refundable, unless the return is due to our mistake.
6. Refunds
Approved refunds are issued to your original payment method.
We inspect every return within 5 business days of receiving it and email you once your refund is approved. Your bank may take a few more business days to show the refund on your statement.
7. Exchanges
Need a different size or color? Request an exchange at [support email] within the return window. Exchanges depend on stock. If the item you want is sold out, we'll refund you instead.
8. Damaged, defective or wrong items
If your order arrives damaged, defective or isn't what you ordered, email [support email] within 7 days of delivery with your order number and a photo of the item and packaging. We'll send a replacement or a full refund, including shipping, at no cost to you.
9. Questions
Contact us at [support email]. We're happy to help.
This template is a starting point, not legal advice. EU and UK customers have a 14-day right of withdrawal on most online purchases, regardless of your policy. Check the consumer rules in every country you ship to.
Your policy is written. Now enforce it automatically.
Relay reads the policy you just generated and applies it to every return request in your inbox: it checks the delivery date against your window, asks for photos on damage claims, issues refunds under your limit and escalates the rest. 24/7, in under 30 seconds.
Most return tickets exist because the policy left a question open. Customers email to ask how long they have, who pays shipping, whether a sale item counts, or when the refund will land. Each answer written down in the policy is one less ticket type for your team.
The generator covers the nine sections that answer those questions:
Return window: counted from delivery, not order date. Delivery is the date customers can actually check.
Condition: unworn with tags, unopened, or used-is-fine. Be explicit, because 'original condition' alone starts arguments.
Non-returnable items: final sale, gift cards, personalized, hygiene items.
How to start a return: one channel, one set of instructions.
Return shipping: free, customer-paid or a flat fee deducted from the refund.
Refund method and timing: original payment, store credit, or the customer's choice, plus your inspection time.
Exchanges: offered or not, and what happens when the size is sold out.
Damaged and wrong items: a reporting window and a photo requirement.
Contact: where to send questions.
How long should your return window be?
30 days is the default for most Shopify stores and matches what shoppers expect from big retailers. Sephora, Allbirds, Glossier, Louis Vuitton and Hermès all use 30 days on online orders.
Longer windows work as a conversion lever when customers need to try the product in real life. Loop Earplugs offers 100 days even on used products, and Dore & Rose gives 100 days on silk pillowcases and sleep masks, because you only know if a pillowcase or earplug works after a few nights. Zappos built its brand on generous returns. If your product needs time to prove itself, a long window removes the main reason people hesitate at checkout.
Shorter windows (14 days) make sense for fast-moving fashion, drops and seasonal stock, where an item that comes back in week six can no longer be sold at full price.
Store credit vs refund: which should you offer?
Store credit keeps the revenue in your business, but credit-only policies generate more 'can I get my money back' tickets and more chargebacks. Letting the customer choose, with a small incentive for credit (free return shipping, or a bonus), usually gives you the best of both. SKIMS, for example, waives its US return shipping fee when customers pick store credit.
Where to put your return policy on Shopify
In your Shopify admin, go to Settings, then Policies, and paste the text into Return and refund policy. Shopify links it in your checkout footer automatically. Then add a link in your site footer, on product pages near the add-to-cart button, and in your order confirmation and shipping emails. The more places customers can find the policy, the fewer tickets you get asking about it.
Frequently asked questions
Is this return policy template legally binding?
It becomes part of your terms once it's published on your store, but it can't override consumer law. In the EU and UK, customers have a 14-day right to withdraw from most online purchases even if your policy says final sale. Have a lawyer review it if you sell in regulated categories.
Do I have to accept returns at all?
In the US there's no federal law requiring returns for non-defective items, but you must honor what your published policy says. In the EU and UK, the 14-day withdrawal right applies to most distance sales. Defective items must be handled under warranty law almost everywhere.
Should I charge for return shipping?
Free returns raise conversion but cost margin on every return. A common middle ground is free exchanges or free returns for store credit, and a flat fee for cash refunds. Make the fee visible in the policy and at checkout so it never surprises anyone.
How do I reduce return-related support tickets?
Publish the policy everywhere customers look, use a self-serve returns portal, and send automatic status emails when a return is received and when the refund is issued. An AI support agent like Relay can then answer the remaining 'where is my refund' and 'am I eligible' questions instantly using your policy.
Can I use this generator for free?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser, needs no signup, and you can copy or download the policy as many times as you want.
