Fashion Returns and Exchanges on WhatsApp, Within Your Policy
This recipe handles “can I return this” and “can I change to M” on WhatsApp, Instagram and web chat. It finds the order, checks it against your return window, offers an exchange for another size first and explains how to send the item back. Damaged items, wrong items and anything outside your policy go to your team. Part of the fashion store workflows.
What happens today
A customer writes “the dress is too big, can I change to S?”. Someone looks up the order, checks the date, checks whether the S is in stock, explains the return address and waits for a reply. Two days later the customer asks again because they lost the message. Nobody has a single list of which returns are on their way, so the parcel arrives and someone has to work out whose it is.
An exchange keeps the sale. A slow, confusing reply turns it into a refund and a customer who does not come back.
The flow that works
- The customer asks to return or exchange. AeroChat finds the order and checks the email or phone number matches.
- It checks the delivery date against your return window and the item against your conditions, such as unworn with tags.
- It offers an exchange first, for a different size or colour, and checks the replacement is in stock.
- It explains how to send the item back: your return address or drop-off point, and your courier’s pickup if you offer one.
- It opens a return request on the order in Shopify with the item and reason, so your team approves it in Shopify admin and knows what to expect.
- Anything outside the window, damaged, wrong or disputed goes to your team with the details and photo.
The recipe
Copy this into AeroChat
When a customer asks to return or exchange an item, follow these steps.
- Ask for their order number, then look up the order in Shopify and check the email or phone number matches the customer.
- Ask which item and why: size, colour, changed mind, damaged or wrong item.
- If the item is damaged or we sent the wrong item, do not decide anything. Ask for a photo, tag the conversation “return issue” and hand it to our team with the order number.
- Check our return policy. Example: returns and exchanges within 14 days of delivery, unworn, with tags, sale items exchange only. If the request is outside the policy, tell them our policy plainly and hand it to our team if they want an exception.
- If it is inside the policy, offer an exchange first. Check the size or colour they want is in stock. If it is, confirm the exchange.
- Explain how to return the item. Post it to the return address in our policy, or drop it at our studio during opening hours, and send us a photo of the postage receipt.
- Open a return request on the order in our store with the item and the reason, and note whether the customer wants an exchange or a refund and the replacement item if any. Our team approves it.
- Tell them what happens next: the exchange ships when we receive the item, or our team processes the refund within 5 working days of receiving it (example).
Never approve a refund yourself. Never offer a discount or store credit that is not in our policy. If the customer is upset, hand to our team. Reply in the customer’s language.
Change the return window, conditions, address and processing time to your own before you paste it.
What to connect
- Shopify. Built in, for order lookup, stock checks on the replacement size, and return requests on the order. Your team approves each return in Shopify admin.
- Your return and exchange policy. Upload it to the knowledge base, with your return address and any rules for sale items.
- Your courier, if you offer return pickups. If your courier has a public API for shipments and pickups, it connects through that API with the key from your courier account, and AeroChat can book the pickup in the chat.
Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.
Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.
What you still decide
- Your return window and conditions, and the rules for sale items.
- Who pays return shipping.
- Every refund, and any exception to the policy.
- What happens with damaged or wrong items.
AeroChat follows the policy as written and leaves money decisions with your team.
The result to expect
Return requests inside your policy get a full answer in one conversation, and more of them become exchanges because the exchange is offered first with stock already checked. Your team works from one list of returns on the way, in Shopify.
Measure it with your own numbers: the share of return requests that end as exchanges, and the time from request to resolution, before and after.
Next: size and fit questions, which prevents some of these returns.
Try a return on a test order
Install the app, paste the recipe and ask to exchange an item from a recent order for a different size.
Install AeroChat from the Shopify App Store. Start your 7-day free trial, no credit card needed.
Not on Shopify? Sign up here.