Returns and Exchanges in Chat for WooCommerce
Yes. AeroChat starts returns and exchanges for WooCommerce orders in the chat. It checks the order against your return policy, sends the return instructions, records the return on the order through WooCommerce’s REST API, and for an exchange, checks the new size is in stock and creates the replacement order, on WhatsApp and every other channel.
This recipe takes “can I return this?” and “can I swap for a bigger size?” from the first message to a recorded return or a new order. Part of connecting WooCommerce to WhatsApp and AI chat.
What happens today
A shopper wants to send something back or swap it. They read the returns page, still have questions, and message you. Someone checks the order date, decides if it is eligible, explains where to post it, and for an exchange, checks the stock and creates a new order by hand. If the new size sells out while the messages go back and forth, the exchange becomes a refund.
The flow that works
- The shopper asks to return or exchange an item.
- AeroChat finds the order in WooCommerce and checks the email or phone on the order matches the shopper.
- It checks your return policy: the days since the order was completed, which items can come back and the condition they must be in.
- It asks which item and why, and for a photo if the item is faulty.
- Return: it sends your return address and instructions, and adds a private note on the order with the item and reason.
- Exchange: it checks the new size or color is in stock, and creates the replacement order in WooCommerce linked to the original by a note, on the terms you set.
- When the returned item is back, the refund is made through the WooCommerce refunds workflow.
What it looks like on WhatsApp
Customer: The Arlo trousers in order 71154 are too tight. Can I swap them for a 32? (example)
AeroChat: Can you confirm the email you ordered with?
Customer: sam@example.com
AeroChat: Thanks Sam. Your order was sent 6 days ago, so it’s within our 30-day exchange window. The Arlo trousers in navy, size 32, are in stock. I’ve created your replacement order 71203, and it ships as soon as you post the 30s back. Here are the return instructions.
In WooCommerce: order 71154 (example) gets a private note “Exchange in chat: Arlo navy 30 for 32, replacement order 71203”, and order 71203 is created on hold for the size 32.
The recipe
Copy this into AeroChat
When a customer asks to return or exchange an item, follow these steps.
- Ask for their order number. Find the order in WooCommerce and check the email or phone on it matches the customer.
- Check our return policy in our knowledge base. The order must be completed within the last 30 days (example), and the item must be one we accept back.
- Ask which item and why. If it is faulty or wrong, ask for a photo.
- For a return, send our return address and instructions from our knowledge base. Add a private note to the order: “Return started in chat” with the item and reason.
- For an exchange, check the new variant is in stock. If it is, create a new order in WooCommerce for that variant at no charge, with status on hold and the note “Exchange for order” and the original number. Add the same details as a note on the original order.
- If the new variant is out of stock, offer the closest one in stock, or a return and refund.
- Tell the customer what happens next and when.
If the order is outside the policy, say so plainly and pass it to our team if they want to ask for an exception. Reply in the customer’s language.
Change the return window, the exchange terms and the order status your team ships exchanges from before you paste it.
What to connect
- WooCommerce orders. In WooCommerce, go to Settings, Advanced, REST API, and add a key with read and write access. Copy the consumer key and consumer secret, and paste them in when AeroChat asks. Orders, order notes and new orders are documented at woocommerce.github.io/woocommerce-rest-api-docs.
- WooCommerce catalog. Built in. The AeroChat WordPress plugin syncs your products, variants and stock, so exchanges are checked against what you have.
- Your knowledge base. Your return policy, return address and instructions, synced from your WordPress pages.
After you paste the recipe, AeroChat builds the workflow as a draft and shows a checklist: connect WooCommerce, add your knowledge base if the recipe uses one, then switch it on. If it built the connection from WooCommerce’s public documentation, the checklist asks you to check it once against the current docs.
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 which items can come back.
- Whether exchanges ship right away or after the return is posted.
- Who pays for return postage. Ready-made wording: return instruction templates.
The result to expect
Returns are started and recorded in the first conversation, and exchanges are secured while the new size is still in stock. More exchanges stay as sales instead of turning into refunds.
Measure it with your own numbers: returns and exchanges started in chat, and the share of exchanges against refunds, for a month before and after.
Next: see the returns and exchanges workflow across every channel, size exchanges in chat and whether you need a returns app.
Works on every chat channel
This workflow runs the same way on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, the chat on your website and email, with the same WooCommerce connection behind it. See what each channel does on the WooCommerce integration page.
Channel versions: WhatsApp and Instagram returns and refunds.
Start your first return in chat
Paste the recipe, add your WooCommerce keys and return policy, and ask your own number to swap the size on a test order.
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