Plans: All plans | Platforms: All platforms
Overview
AfterShip Agent is an AI-powered assistant built into AfterShip Returns. It answers your return-related questions, finds the RMA and order data you need, and helps you configure return policies without navigating the dashboard manually.
Ask questions in everyday language and get answers in seconds. Agent reads your existing settings and data, so you get answers that reflect how your account is actually set up, not generic guidance.
Noteworthy considerations
AfterShip Agent is designed for answering questions, retrieving data, and configuring return policies. It cannot:
Configure settings outside the return window, workflows, allowlist, and blocklist
Change your billing or subscription settings
Process returns on your behalf, including approving, rejecting, or refunding an RMA
Save or publish a policy configuration for you
Access data outside the AfterShip Returns product
What AfterShip Agent Can Do
Every capability below is live for all plans and platforms.
1. Answer return and warranty questions
Agent handles most return-related questions and basic warranty questions. It explains how features work, walks you through setup, and recommends configurations based on your current settings.
The following are some of the example questions you can ask:
"How do I set up exchanges for my store?"
"What's the difference between a refund to store credit and a refund to the original payment method?"
"Why was this return request rejected?"
"How should I configure my return window for international orders?"
"What does my current warranty policy cover?"
2. Read your policy settings, RMA data, and order data
Agent can access your existing return policy settings, RMA records, and order data. This means it can answer questions about your specific account instead of describing the product in general terms.
The following are some of the example questions you can ask:
"What is my current return window?"
"Which resolution options are enabled for my store?"
"Show me the order details for RMA #12345"
"Is free return shipping turned on for domestic returns?"
3. Search and filter RMAs
Instead of building filters on the Returns page, describe the RMAs you want to see and Agent retrieves them. You can combine several criteria in one request.
The following are some of the example requests you can ask:
"Show me all RMAs pending approval"
"List returns created in the last 7 days with a refund resolution"
"Find RMAs from customers in Canada that haven't been received yet"
"Show me returns that were rejected this month"
4. Set up return policy configurations
Agent can configure your general return window and return workflows for you. Describe the rule you want and Agent prepares the configuration in the dashboard.
The following are some of the example requests you can ask:
"Set my return window to 45 days"
"Add a rule that requires photo proof for damaged item returns"
"Create a workflow that auto-approves returns under $50"
Important consideration when using Agent for creating automatic workflows.
Agent prepares the configuration but does not publish it.
Agent will ask you to select whether you want it to create a draft workflow for you or you just want to know how to create one. Based on your input, Agent will take the necessary action.
Review the changes and click Save to apply them. Nothing goes live until you save.
5. Manage allowlists and blocklists
Agent can add entries to your allowlist and blocklist, so you can control which customers, products, or orders are eligible for returns without opening your settings.
For allowlists and blocklists, you will be asked to Approve the action.
The following are some of the example requests you can ask:
"Add this email address to the blocklist"
"Allowlist this customer so they can return past the return window"
6. Summarize return analytics
Agent can turn your return data into a plain summary.
Use View summary when you are already viewing a relevant Returns Analytics dashboard.
Use the chat button when you want to start with a specific question.
Set your date range and filters before generating a dashboard summary.
Include the metric, time period, comparison, breakdown, filters, and threshold when they matter to your question.
Use follow-up questions to refine the analysis without starting over.
AfterShip Agent can connect supported data across Overview, Products, Operations, Upsell and Exchange, and Customers.
The following are some of the example questions you can ask:
"What's my return rate this month?"
Show the trend for return value by week over the last 30 weeks.
"What are the top return reasons for the last quarter?"
“Which products had the most returned items in the selected period?”
"How many returns were approved automatically last week?"
7. Visualize data with charts
When numbers are not enough for proper interpretation, you can ask Agent to turn your data into visual charts. This can make it easier to identify trends, compare performance across carriers or time periods, and quickly spot patterns or outliers at a glance.
Supported chart types:
Column
Line
Bar
Area
Pie
Donut
Table
The following are some of the example questions you can ask:
"Show me a bar chart of return reasons this quarter"
"Plot my order return rate as a line chart over the last 12 months"
"Show me the split between Returns page and Returns POS as a pie chart"
Show my repeat returners as a table with return count and return value"
"Show return volume by reason, broken down by country, as a stacked column chart"
"Create a bar chart of our top return reasons."
Switch chart types
After Agent generates a chart, you can also ask to change how your data is displayed. For example:
“Switch this to a line chart”
“Show this as a table instead”
However, this only changes the visualization chart while the underlying data remains unchanged.
Choose the right chart type
Use line or area charts for trends over time
Use bar or column charts for comparing categories side by side
Use pie or donut charts for proportion understanding
8. Key insights
Every chart generated by a new query in Agent includes a Key observations summary. This summary is automatically created below the chart and states what the data actually means.
The summary includes:
Key takeaways: Most important findings, stated with specific numbers
Notable pattern or anomalies: A trend, outlier, or comparison worth paying attention to.
You do not need to interpret data manually; Agent does it for you.
9. Multi-language support
AfterShip Agent supports multiple languages, allowing you to interact with the AI assistant in your preferred language. You can ask questions and receive responses in various languages, making it accessible for global teams and international operations. Just ask your question in your preferred language, and Agent will respond accordingly.
How to Use Return Agent
1. Open and close the Agent panel
Click the Agent icon in your AfterShip Returns dashboard to open the panel.
Expand it for a wider view of tables and charts, or collapse it to keep working in the dashboard while the conversation stays open.
Agent can be accessed from anywhere in the AfterShip Returns admin panel.
2. Ask a question
Type your question in natural language. You do not need specific syntax, field names, or filter logic.
3. Upload an image
Attach an image to your message when a screenshot explains the situation faster than text. This is useful for error messages, unexpected dashboard states, or customer-submitted return photos.
4. Start a new chat or revisit past conversations
Click New chat to start a fresh conversation. Agent keeps the context of the current conversation, so a new chat is the cleanest way to switch topics. Open your conversation history to return to an earlier chat and pick up where you left off.
5. Contact AfterShip Support from Agent
If Agent cannot resolve your question, you can reach the AfterShip Support team directly from the Agent panel. Your conversation context is carried over, so you do not need to explain the issue again.
Best practices for better results
Be specific with timeframes and criteria: "Show me RMAs created in the last 14 days with a pending approval status" returns more accurate results than "Show me pending returns".
Ask follow-up questions: Agent remembers the context of your conversation. Refine results with requests like "Now group these by return reason" without repeating your original question.
Start broad, then narrow down: Begin with a high-level question to get an overview, then drill into the details based on what you find.
Review configurations before saving: When Agent sets up a return window or workflow, check the values against your intent before you click Save.
Start a new chat when you switch topics: This prevents earlier context from affecting the answer.
FAQs
1. Does Agent make changes to my return policy automatically?
No. Agent prepares the configuration in your dashboard, but you must review it and click Save to apply it. Agent never publishes a policy on your behalf.
2. Can Agent approve or refund a return for me?
No.Agent can find and explain an RMA, but processing the return is a manual action you take in the dashboard.
3. What if Agent doesn't understand my question?
Rephrase it using simpler or more specific language. Adding a timeframe, an RMA number, or a status usually helps.
4. Can Agent see my order data?
Yes. Agent reads your order data, RMA records, and current return policy settings so it can answer questions about your specific account.
5. What happens if Agent can't answer my question?
You can contact the AfterShip Support team directly from the Agent panel, and your conversation context carries over.
Key takeaways
AfterShip Agent answers return and warranty questions in plain language, reading your actual policy settings, RMA records, and order data rather than describing the product in general terms.
Describe the RMAs you want instead of building filters, and combine criteria like status, date range, resolution, and country in a single request.
Agent can set up your general return window, return workflows, allowlists, and blocklists, but you stay in control: nothing goes live until you review it and click Save, and list changes require your approval.
Ask for analytics as a summary or a chart across Overview, Products, Operations, Upsell and Exchange, and Customers, then switch between column, line, bar, area, pie, donut, and table views without changing the underlying data.
Specific questions return better answers, and Agent remembers your conversation, so refine with follow-ups and start a new chat when you switch topics.
Agent cannot process returns, change billing or subscription settings, configure settings beyond the return window, workflows, and lists, or access data outside AfterShip Returns. Contact AfterShip Support from the panel when you hit those limits.
Need help?
If you need any further assistance with Agent, reach out to our support team.