Set Up Exchange for Other Items Resolution Settings
Plans: Premium, Enterprise Platforms: Shopify, WooCommerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud
AfterShip Return’s Exchange for other items upgraded (V2) feature leverages your existing Shopify collections to encourage customers to opt for exchanges instead of returns by incentivizing them with bonus credits and pre-discount applications. This helps you retain and increase revenue with the additional benefits of selecting and setting up the exchange flow and checkout method for those flows on a single portal.
Exchange flow: You can direct your customers directly to your store website or keep them on the AfterShip branded returns page to make a new purchase in exchange for a product they want to return with their return credit.
Checkout method: You can set up and manage Stripe and Shopify checkout methods to charge customers for the price difference if they opt for an exchange item higher in value than the original item, cost of return, and exchange shipping (if applicable).
Tip: Exchanging items instead of giving refunds is an effective strategy to reduce refund rates. When a customer requests a refund, AfterShip Returns displays a Shop Now (Exchange for Other Items) popup on the returns page, encouraging them to use their refund credit to purchase other items from the store rather than requesting a refund. To further incentivize exchanges and potentially increase sales, allowing customers to apply pre-discounts and extra credit can enhance the likelihood of an exchange and boost the potential for upselling.
Go to Refunds and exchanges in the AfterShip Returns admin.
Move to the Exchange for other items section.
Click Set up to enter the configuration window of this resolution option. From the side tab enable the status of the exchange resolution option.
Exchange in your store method setup is done in 8 steps .
i. Set up display text
ii. Select exchange flow
Iii. Configure checkout method
iv. Configure exchange shipping rates
v. Pre-discount credit
vi. Extra credit
viii. Exchanges of exchanges
ix. Product recommendations
On the Exchange for other items configuration window, edit the customer-facing content, including the title and description.
Select the Exchange flow. This option will determine whether the customers can select the item they want to receive in exchange of the item they are returning on your store or on the AfterShip Returns portal itself.
a. Exchange on your store: Customers will be redirected to your store to shop for new items.
b. Exchange on AfterShip returns page: Customers select new items directly on the returns page.
Set up the checkout method to charge the upsell amount if the customers choose an expensive product than the original item and also the cost of return and shipping fees, if enabled.
Click Add a checkout method to access the Checkout methods configuration window and proceed with the set up.
Learn to configure checkout methods for charging exchange orders, including the cost of return and exchange shipping in this article .
Set up exchange shipping. You can choose to keep it free or set up a custom exchange shipping fee for exchange orders. Select the desired option from the dropdown.
Set exchange shipping rate in all the currencies supported by your connected stores. Click. + Add another currency to configure the currencies you want and input the value against each.
Toggle on pre-discount credit to allow customers to use the discount amount from their original purchase for an exchange.
Learn how Pre-discount credit works here.
By enabling this option, you can offer Extra credit to encourage customers to opt for an exchange instead of a return. This will give customers an extra amount on top of their original order value to purchase the exchanged product. Any excess amount will not be refunded to the customer and will be treated as unused.
Change the Extra credit status from Disabled to Enabled
Choose the credit type
Fixed amount: A fixed amount on top of the original order amount to be offered as extra credit. One order can only have one chance to use the fixed amount.
Percentage: Percentage of the original item price (excluding shipping rates) to be offered as extra credit
Input the Extra credit value based on the credit type selected
AfterShip Returns supports the option to add multiple currencies as configured in your store to convert prices automatically, as per the current foreign exchange rates. If you don’t set the relevant currencies, your customer cannot get the extra credit if the buyer placed an ordr in that currency.
Click + Add another currency
Select the currency from the dropdown by simply clicking the Enter currency field
Input the credit value
Let's consider 3 different scenarios.
Case 1: Shopper uses all extra credits
The shopper wants to exchange a $100 item (tax included) with $200 item, and you've set $5 as an extra credit and $10 as cost of return. In this case, he/she will have to pay $105 ($200 - $100 - $5 + $10 = $105).
Case 2: Shopper uses extra credits partially
The shopper wants to exchange a $100 item (tax included) with $102 item, and you've set $5 and $10 as an extra credit and cost of return. In this case, he/she will have to pay $10 ($102 - $100 - $2 (partial extra credit) + $10 = $10).
Please note that your customer won't be able to use the remaining $3 extra credit next time. Also, extra credit only applies to the order value, which means it can't be used to adjust the cost of return.
Case 3: Shopper selects a cheaper product for exchange
The shopper wants to exchange a $100 item (tax included) with a $80 item, and you've set $5 and $10 as an extra credit and cost of return. In this case, he/she will get a refund of $10 ($80 - $100 + $10 = -$10).
$5 extra credits will not be refunded back to the customer and will be treated as unused.
Decide whether shoppers can raise exchange request(s) for newly created exchange requests and how many in a sequence they can raise.
By default, the option will be disabled, which means if a shopper wishes to place an exchange request for a recently placed exchange order, they won't be able to do that. The Exchange for other items Resolution method will not be given to the shopper on the return page.
Shift the toggle to the right to Enable the feature.
When enabled, the No limit on number of exchanges option will be selected by default, which means the shopper will be able to place the exchange request for a recently placed exchange order successfully.
Select the checkbox for Limit the number of sequential exchanges and input the number to restrict the number of times shopper can raise an exchange request for a recently placed exchange order.
AfterShip Returns supports an exchange recommendation feature on your store to offer customers personalized recommendations for exchange. When customers opt to exchange for other items from your store collection, a new section of Recommended for you will display on your store that will list the relevant product recommendations based on your selected criteria to entice customers to shop for better and higher value items in exchange for an item they wish to return. This is powered by AfterShip Personalization.
AfterShip Returns supports an exchange recommendation feature to offer customers personalized recommendations for exchange on the return page. When customers opt to exchange for other items from your store collection, a new section of Recommended for you will display on the popup during the Resolve step that will list the relevant product recommendations based on your selected criteria to entice customers to shop for better and higher value items in exchange for an item they wish to return. This is powered by AfterShip Personalization.
Move to Product recommendations and shift the toggle to the right to enable it
Select the Recommendation type from the dropdown list. Find the list of supported types.
Hit Save
Is there automation for exchanging items?
Yes, you can set up automatic exchange orders or refunds. Visit the automation rules page to configure these settings.
Overview
AfterShip Return’s Exchange for other items upgraded (V2) feature leverages your existing Shopify collections to encourage customers to opt for exchanges instead of returns by incentivizing them with bonus credits and pre-discount applications. This helps you retain and increase revenue with the additional benefits of selecting and setting up the exchange flow and checkout method for those flows on a single portal.
Exchange flow: You can direct your customers directly to your store website or keep them on the AfterShip branded returns page to make a new purchase in exchange for a product they want to return with their return credit.
Checkout method: You can set up and manage Stripe and Shopify checkout methods to charge customers for the price difference if they opt for an exchange item higher in value than the original item, cost of return, and exchange shipping (if applicable).
Tip: Exchanging items instead of giving refunds is an effective strategy to reduce refund rates. When a customer requests a refund, AfterShip Returns displays a Shop Now (Exchange for Other Items) popup on the returns page, encouraging them to use their refund credit to purchase other items from the store rather than requesting a refund. To further incentivize exchanges and potentially increase sales, allowing customers to apply pre-discounts and extra credit can enhance the likelihood of an exchange and boost the potential for upselling.
Enable and set up exchange for other items resolution settings
Go to Refunds and exchanges in the AfterShip Returns admin.
Move to the Exchange for other items section.
Click Set up to enter the configuration window of this resolution option. From the side tab enable the status of the exchange resolution option.
Exchange in your store method setup is done in 8 steps .
i. Set up display text
ii. Select exchange flow
Iii. Configure checkout method
iv. Configure exchange shipping rates
v. Pre-discount credit
vi. Extra credit
viii. Exchanges of exchanges
ix. Product recommendations
Step 1: Display text
On the Exchange for other items configuration window, edit the customer-facing content, including the title and description.
Step 2: Select exchange flow
Select the Exchange flow. This option will determine whether the customers can select the item they want to receive in exchange of the item they are returning on your store or on the AfterShip Returns portal itself.
a. Exchange on your store: Customers will be redirected to your store to shop for new items.
b. Exchange on AfterShip returns page: Customers select new items directly on the returns page.
Step 3: Set up checkout method
Set up the checkout method to charge the upsell amount if the customers choose an expensive product than the original item and also the cost of return and shipping fees, if enabled.
Click Add a checkout method to access the Checkout methods configuration window and proceed with the set up.
Learn to configure checkout methods for charging exchange orders, including the cost of return and exchange shipping in this article .
Step 4: Configure exchange shipping rates
Set up exchange shipping. You can choose to keep it free or set up a custom exchange shipping fee for exchange orders. Select the desired option from the dropdown.
Set exchange shipping rate in all the currencies supported by your connected stores. Click. + Add another currency to configure the currencies you want and input the value against each.
Step 5: Pre-discount credit
Toggle on pre-discount credit to allow customers to use the discount amount from their original purchase for an exchange.
Learn how Pre-discount credit works here.
Step 6: Extra credit
By enabling this option, you can offer Extra credit to encourage customers to opt for an exchange instead of a return. This will give customers an extra amount on top of their original order value to purchase the exchanged product. Any excess amount will not be refunded to the customer and will be treated as unused.
Change the Extra credit status from Disabled to Enabled
Choose the credit type
Fixed amount: A fixed amount on top of the original order amount to be offered as extra credit. One order can only have one chance to use the fixed amount.
Percentage: Percentage of the original item price (excluding shipping rates) to be offered as extra credit
Input the Extra credit value based on the credit type selected
AfterShip Returns supports the option to add multiple currencies as configured in your store to convert prices automatically, as per the current foreign exchange rates. If you don’t set the relevant currencies, your customer cannot get the extra credit if the buyer placed an ordr in that currency.
Click + Add another currency
Select the currency from the dropdown by simply clicking the Enter currency field
Input the credit value
How does extra credit work
Let's consider 3 different scenarios.
Case 1: Shopper uses all extra credits
The shopper wants to exchange a $100 item (tax included) with $200 item, and you've set $5 as an extra credit and $10 as cost of return. In this case, he/she will have to pay $105 ($200 - $100 - $5 + $10 = $105).
Case 2: Shopper uses extra credits partially
The shopper wants to exchange a $100 item (tax included) with $102 item, and you've set $5 and $10 as an extra credit and cost of return. In this case, he/she will have to pay $10 ($102 - $100 - $2 (partial extra credit) + $10 = $10).
Please note that your customer won't be able to use the remaining $3 extra credit next time. Also, extra credit only applies to the order value, which means it can't be used to adjust the cost of return.
Case 3: Shopper selects a cheaper product for exchange
The shopper wants to exchange a $100 item (tax included) with a $80 item, and you've set $5 and $10 as an extra credit and cost of return. In this case, he/she will get a refund of $10 ($80 - $100 + $10 = -$10).
$5 extra credits will not be refunded back to the customer and will be treated as unused.
Step 7: Exchanges of exchanges
Decide whether shoppers can raise exchange request(s) for newly created exchange requests and how many in a sequence they can raise.
By default, the option will be disabled, which means if a shopper wishes to place an exchange request for a recently placed exchange order, they won't be able to do that. The Exchange for other items Resolution method will not be given to the shopper on the return page.
Shift the toggle to the right to Enable the feature.
When enabled, the No limit on number of exchanges option will be selected by default, which means the shopper will be able to place the exchange request for a recently placed exchange order successfully.
Select the checkbox for Limit the number of sequential exchanges and input the number to restrict the number of times shopper can raise an exchange request for a recently placed exchange order.
Step 8: Set up exchange recommendations
1. Exchange on store
AfterShip Returns supports an exchange recommendation feature on your store to offer customers personalized recommendations for exchange. When customers opt to exchange for other items from your store collection, a new section of Recommended for you will display on your store that will list the relevant product recommendations based on your selected criteria to entice customers to shop for better and higher value items in exchange for an item they wish to return. This is powered by AfterShip Personalization.
2. Exchange on AfterShip Returns page
AfterShip Returns supports an exchange recommendation feature to offer customers personalized recommendations for exchange on the return page. When customers opt to exchange for other items from your store collection, a new section of Recommended for you will display on the popup during the Resolve step that will list the relevant product recommendations based on your selected criteria to entice customers to shop for better and higher value items in exchange for an item they wish to return. This is powered by AfterShip Personalization.
Move to Product recommendations and shift the toggle to the right to enable it
Select the Recommendation type from the dropdown list. Find the list of supported types.
| Recommendation type | Definition |
|---|---|
| Similar products | Recommend products that are semantically or visually similar without using any customer data. |
| Bestsellers | If you want to show your top-selling products, this is the type you need to choose. The products sold in the last 30 days will be considered your best-selling products and ranked based on their sales volume. If some of your top-selling products are not in stock, they won’t be part of the product recommendation widget. If a store visitor has already purchased top-selling products, the most viewed products will be recommended. |
| New arrivals | This recommendation type is meant to suggest products you’ve added to your store recently. |
| Frequently bought together | If you want to show items that shoppers buy together, for example, ordering a screen protector with a smartphone, this is the type for you. Only in-stock items will be considered for recommendations. The most viewed products will be recommended if a store visitor has already purchased the frequently bought together products. |
Hit Save
FAQs
Is there automation for exchanging items?
Yes, you can set up automatic exchange orders or refunds. Visit the automation rules page to configure these settings.
Updated on: 09/09/2024
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