Enable Gift Returns for Your Customers
Plans: Pro, Premium, Enterprise Platforms: Shopify, Magento 1, Magento 2, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more
AfterShip Returns’ new gift return functionality enables you to allow customers who receive a product as a gift to use the AfterShip Returns branded returns page to initiate a return or exchange request without any interaction with the original buyer or your customer support team.
In this tutorial, we will show you:
Gift returns set up
Gift returns email notifications
Gift recipient’s experience
Creating gift return requests manually
Managing gift returns requests
Gift return requests resolution
FAQs
Go to Order lookup in the AfterShip Returns admin
Toggle on the Gift Returns option to enable customers to return a gift
Click Customize content to open the gift returns order lookup page editor to edit the customer-facing content on the returns portal
Start off with the text asking customers if they are returning a gift on the order lookup page
Select Gift returns from the dropdown above to customize the elements of the entire gift return request submission process
Edit the Order lookup card and Return request form content as per your requirement
Click Localize to redirect to the returns page language editor to edit the Order lookup card and Return request form content in languages that your returns page supports
Go to Notifications in the AfterShip Returns admin. A template for the Gift return request received is supported
Toggle on Gift return request received to auto-trigger an email notification to gift recipients when a return request is submitted successfully
Click Edit to make changes to the template
Go to Internal notifications in the AfterShip Returns settings
Toggle on internal notifications for Gift return request submitted by recipient. Once enabled, you will receive a notification when a recipient requests a gift return
Click Manage to select the recipients of the notification. You can choose yourself (owner) and/or other members of the organization
The gift recipients have to go through the standard return or exchange process to initiate a return request for a product they received as a gift. There are two scenarios within the standard gift return experience.
Scenario #1: Gift recipient has the original order information
The gift recipient will enter the original order number and shipping postal code and then click the Start gift return button
Once they’ve filled out the required information, the gift recipient will complete the return request submission on the AfterShip Returns branded returns page by selecting the item they wish to return, the resolution method, shipping address, and contact details
Note: Gift returns feature only supports Replace with the same item and Refund to store credit as resolution methods
Scenario #2: Gift recipient does not have the original order information
The gift recipient will start by clicking Don't have your order information?
They need to fill in a static form with additional information, including
Gift buyer’s name
The product they are returning
Resolution method
Variant they'd like to exchange for (if applicable)
Shipping address
Contact details
Any additional information
Once the form is submitted, the gift recipient will be taken to a confirmation page to let them know that their request is under review
The gift recipient will also receive a confirmation notification to the email address they've provided in the form to wait for your team to manually process the request and send further information to them
1. Gift return request submitted by the recipient with order details
You will receive an email notification with the gift return request form filled by the gift recipient with the subject line: {You receive a gift return request from |RECIPIENT_NAME|}
Click Create gift return, and you will be directed to AfterShip Returns admin, wherein to have to manually create a gift return request on behalf of the recipient with the order information. The recipient name and email will be auto-populated. Click Continue
You will be taken to the branded returns page to create a gift return request. The order lookup fields will be auto-populated. Generate the return request from the item selection, resolution method, to the shipping method based on the recipient's requirements in the form. Click Submit to place a gift return request on the recipient’s behalf.
2. Gift return request submitted by the recipient without order details
You will receive an email notification with the gift return request form filled by the gift recipient with the subject line: {You receive a gift return request from |RECIPIENT_NAME|}
Click Create gift return, and you will be directed to AfterShip Returns admin, wherein to have to manually create a gift return request on behalf of the recipient by adding the required information. Use the information provided by the gift recipient in the form to locate the original order details in Shopify.
Once information is added, click Continue
You will be taken to the branded returns page to create a gift return request. The order lookup fields will be auto-populated. Generate the return request from the item selection, resolution method, to the shipping method based on customer's requirements in the form. Click Submit to place a gift return request on the recipient’s behalf
On the returns dashboard, an RMA will be created with a gray gift icon next to the order number to identify gift returns
Click More filters in the right-hand side corner and select Gift return checkbox to filter RMA data based on Gift return refund resolution
The gift recipient’s contact information and shipping address will be auto-populated and updated on the RMA detail page under Recipient section, and any further return updates will be sent to the gift recipient’s email address instead of the original buyer’s
- Click Edit to modify the recipient details to meet carrier or platform requirements
Only members with Admin and Manager roles can edit recipient address
- Edit the name and address and hit Save
Your edits to the address may impact the return label generation and the exchange order creation
Go to Returns dashboard in your AfterShip Returns admin
Click Create request on the upper right corner
AfterShip Returns supports two request types: Standard and Special requests that you can raise on behalf on your customers. If the request you are raising is a gift request, select the “This is a gift return request” checkbox, and fill in the recipient details:
a. If the resolution method selected for a gift return is Return to store credit, recipient contact details are mandatory
b. If the resolution method selected for a gift return is Replace with the same item, recipient contact details and address are required
c. If you want the customer to ship back the return item with a return label, recipient address is quintessential in that case
AfterShip Returns now allows merchants to manually or automatically refund store credit and generate an exchange order for the gift returns on the AfterShip Returns admin without generating an exchange order or a gift card on the eCommerce platform.
1. Manual processing
Go the gift return's RMA detail page and approve the request
Click Refund. On the side panel, review the refund amount and select whether you want to refund the shipping fee. Click Issue gift card > Submit
Once the gift card is issued, a Gift card code will display under the refund section and the same will be logged on the RMA timeline
An email notification informing the recipient of the refund issued in the form of store credit will be sent from AfterShip Returns. Following this email, another email with the gift card will be sent to the recipient by your eCommerce platform.
2. Automatic processing
To automate the refund to store credit for gift returns, select and enable the Return to store credit option in your Auto-refund automation rules.
1. Manual processing
Go the gift return's RMA detail page and approve the request
Click Create Shopify order to generate an exchange order on the original platform
After the exchange order is generated, the exchange order number will display under the Exchange order section on the order card and the same will be logged on the RMA timeline
2. Automatic processing
To automate the exchange order creation for gift returns, enable and configure the Automatically create a replacement order in store in your 'Replace with the same item' Advanced settings section.
Gift recipients can only replace the product with the same item or request store credit. They cannot request a refund to the original payment method.
To change the copy of the Gift Return Request Received notification email, navigate to Notifications in AfterShip Returns admin. Migrate to Gift Return Request Received notification and click Edit to change the notification message as needed. Once the edits are done, save the template.
Automatic and manual refund to store credit for gift returns is available for Shopify, and WooCommerce
Automatic and manual exchange order creation for gift returns is available for Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud
If you still have some questions regarding the gift returns, get clarity from our chat support team.
Overview
AfterShip Returns’ new gift return functionality enables you to allow customers who receive a product as a gift to use the AfterShip Returns branded returns page to initiate a return or exchange request without any interaction with the original buyer or your customer support team.
What you’ll learn
In this tutorial, we will show you:
Gift returns set up
Gift returns email notifications
Gift recipient’s experience
Creating gift return requests manually
Managing gift returns requests
Gift return requests resolution
FAQs
Gift returns set up
Go to Order lookup in the AfterShip Returns admin
Toggle on the Gift Returns option to enable customers to return a gift
Click Customize content to open the gift returns order lookup page editor to edit the customer-facing content on the returns portal
Start off with the text asking customers if they are returning a gift on the order lookup page
Select Gift returns from the dropdown above to customize the elements of the entire gift return request submission process
Edit the Order lookup card and Return request form content as per your requirement
Click Localize to redirect to the returns page language editor to edit the Order lookup card and Return request form content in languages that your returns page supports
Gift returns email notifications
External notification
Go to Notifications in the AfterShip Returns admin. A template for the Gift return request received is supported
Toggle on Gift return request received to auto-trigger an email notification to gift recipients when a return request is submitted successfully
Click Edit to make changes to the template
Internal notification
Go to Internal notifications in the AfterShip Returns settings
Toggle on internal notifications for Gift return request submitted by recipient. Once enabled, you will receive a notification when a recipient requests a gift return
Click Manage to select the recipients of the notification. You can choose yourself (owner) and/or other members of the organization
Gift recipient’s experience
The gift recipients have to go through the standard return or exchange process to initiate a return request for a product they received as a gift. There are two scenarios within the standard gift return experience.
Scenario #1: Gift recipient has the original order information
The gift recipient will enter the original order number and shipping postal code and then click the Start gift return button
Once they’ve filled out the required information, the gift recipient will complete the return request submission on the AfterShip Returns branded returns page by selecting the item they wish to return, the resolution method, shipping address, and contact details
Note: Gift returns feature only supports Replace with the same item and Refund to store credit as resolution methods
Scenario #2: Gift recipient does not have the original order information
The gift recipient will start by clicking Don't have your order information?
They need to fill in a static form with additional information, including
Gift buyer’s name
The product they are returning
Resolution method
Variant they'd like to exchange for (if applicable)
Shipping address
Contact details
Any additional information
Once the form is submitted, the gift recipient will be taken to a confirmation page to let them know that their request is under review
The gift recipient will also receive a confirmation notification to the email address they've provided in the form to wait for your team to manually process the request and send further information to them
Managing gift returns requests
1. Gift return request submitted by the recipient with order details
You will receive an email notification with the gift return request form filled by the gift recipient with the subject line: {You receive a gift return request from |RECIPIENT_NAME|}
Click Create gift return, and you will be directed to AfterShip Returns admin, wherein to have to manually create a gift return request on behalf of the recipient with the order information. The recipient name and email will be auto-populated. Click Continue
You will be taken to the branded returns page to create a gift return request. The order lookup fields will be auto-populated. Generate the return request from the item selection, resolution method, to the shipping method based on the recipient's requirements in the form. Click Submit to place a gift return request on the recipient’s behalf.
2. Gift return request submitted by the recipient without order details
You will receive an email notification with the gift return request form filled by the gift recipient with the subject line: {You receive a gift return request from |RECIPIENT_NAME|}
Click Create gift return, and you will be directed to AfterShip Returns admin, wherein to have to manually create a gift return request on behalf of the recipient by adding the required information. Use the information provided by the gift recipient in the form to locate the original order details in Shopify.
Once information is added, click Continue
You will be taken to the branded returns page to create a gift return request. The order lookup fields will be auto-populated. Generate the return request from the item selection, resolution method, to the shipping method based on customer's requirements in the form. Click Submit to place a gift return request on the recipient’s behalf
On the returns dashboard, an RMA will be created with a gray gift icon next to the order number to identify gift returns
Click More filters in the right-hand side corner and select Gift return checkbox to filter RMA data based on Gift return refund resolution
The gift recipient’s contact information and shipping address will be auto-populated and updated on the RMA detail page under Recipient section, and any further return updates will be sent to the gift recipient’s email address instead of the original buyer’s
- Click Edit to modify the recipient details to meet carrier or platform requirements
Only members with Admin and Manager roles can edit recipient address
- Edit the name and address and hit Save
Your edits to the address may impact the return label generation and the exchange order creation
Creating gift return requests manually
Go to Returns dashboard in your AfterShip Returns admin
Click Create request on the upper right corner
AfterShip Returns supports two request types: Standard and Special requests that you can raise on behalf on your customers. If the request you are raising is a gift request, select the “This is a gift return request” checkbox, and fill in the recipient details:
a. If the resolution method selected for a gift return is Return to store credit, recipient contact details are mandatory
b. If the resolution method selected for a gift return is Replace with the same item, recipient contact details and address are required
c. If you want the customer to ship back the return item with a return label, recipient address is quintessential in that case
Gift return requests resolution
AfterShip Returns now allows merchants to manually or automatically refund store credit and generate an exchange order for the gift returns on the AfterShip Returns admin without generating an exchange order or a gift card on the eCommerce platform.
Return to store credit
1. Manual processing
Go the gift return's RMA detail page and approve the request
Click Refund. On the side panel, review the refund amount and select whether you want to refund the shipping fee. Click Issue gift card > Submit
Once the gift card is issued, a Gift card code will display under the refund section and the same will be logged on the RMA timeline
An email notification informing the recipient of the refund issued in the form of store credit will be sent from AfterShip Returns. Following this email, another email with the gift card will be sent to the recipient by your eCommerce platform.
2. Automatic processing
To automate the refund to store credit for gift returns, select and enable the Return to store credit option in your Auto-refund automation rules.
Replace with the same item
1. Manual processing
Go the gift return's RMA detail page and approve the request
Click Create Shopify order to generate an exchange order on the original platform
After the exchange order is generated, the exchange order number will display under the Exchange order section on the order card and the same will be logged on the RMA timeline
2. Automatic processing
To automate the exchange order creation for gift returns, enable and configure the Automatically create a replacement order in store in your 'Replace with the same item' Advanced settings section.
FAQs
1. Can the gift recipient submit a return request for a refund?
Gift recipients can only replace the product with the same item or request store credit. They cannot request a refund to the original payment method.
2. How can I change the message in the Gift Return Request Received notification template?
To change the copy of the Gift Return Request Received notification email, navigate to Notifications in AfterShip Returns admin. Migrate to Gift Return Request Received notification and click Edit to change the notification message as needed. Once the edits are done, save the template.
Supported platforms
Automatic and manual refund to store credit for gift returns is available for Shopify, and WooCommerce
Automatic and manual exchange order creation for gift returns is available for Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud
If you still have some questions regarding the gift returns, get clarity from our chat support team.
Updated on: 01/02/2024
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