This article walks through the full claims process from the customer's perspective — from finding their claim link to receiving their resolution.
Getting to the Claims Page
Customers can access the claims page in two ways:
Welcome email — Every protected order generates an Onward welcome email. It includes a direct "File a Claim" link.
Direct URL — Merchants can provide customers with a direct link to the Onward claims page (e.g., from their support page or help center).
Step-by-Step: Filing a Claim
Step 1: Find Your Order
The customer enters their order number and either their email address or zip code to look up their order.
If the order is found and has active Onward protection, they proceed to the next step. If not, they'll see a message explaining the order isn't eligible.
Step 2: Do You Have the Item?
The customer is asked whether they've received the package:
"I have the item" — The package was delivered and they have it.
"I don't have the item" — The package hasn't arrived or was taken.
This answer, combined with the delivery status of the order, determines which claim causes are shown in the next step.
Step 3: What Went Wrong?
Based on the previous answers, the customer sees a list of relevant issues to choose from. For example:
If the order was delivered and they have the item:
Damaged
Missing items
Wrong item
Not satisfied (if Quality Guarantee is enabled)
Late delivery (if enabled)
Return or exchange
If the order was delivered but they don't have it:
Stolen
Stuck in transit
Returned to sender
The exact options depend on your store's configuration and which causes are enabled.
Step 4: Select Affected Items
The customer selects which items from their order were affected by the issue. They can select one or multiple items.
Step 5: Upload Evidence
For certain claim types (damage, missing items, wrong item, not satisfied), the customer is asked to upload photos as evidence. They can upload multiple photos.
For other claim types (stolen, stuck in transit), this step may be skipped.
Step 6: Choose a Resolution
The customer selects their preferred resolution:
Reorder — Receive the same items again in a new shipment.
Refund — Get a refund to their original payment method.
Store Credit — Receive a store credit (gift card) to use on a future purchase.
The available options depend on your store's settings. For example, if you've disabled refunds, only reorder and store credit will be shown.
If the item is out of stock, the reorder option is automatically removed and the customer is offered refund or store credit instead.
Note: For some claim causes (like stolen packages or returned-to-sender), the system may default to a reorder without showing all options, unless your store has enabled "Display all resolution options."
Step 7: Variant Exchange (Quality Guarantee Only)
If the customer filed a "Not Satisfied" claim and chose "Reorder" as their resolution, and if your store has Claims Exchanges enabled, they may be offered the option to exchange for a different variant of the same product (e.g., a different size or color) instead of receiving the exact same item.
Step 8: Confirm Your Information
The customer reviews and confirms their:
Shipping address — Where the reorder should be sent (if applicable).
Contact information — Name, email, and phone number.
They can update any of this information before submitting.
Step 9: Review and Submit
The customer reviews a summary of their claim:
What went wrong
Which items are affected
Preferred resolution
Shipping address
They click Submit to file the claim.
Sample Claims Flow:
After Submission
Once a claim is submitted:
Confirmation email — The customer receives an email confirming their claim was submitted, with a link to check the status.
Onward team review — Our claims team will review and resolve the claim within an average of 1 business day.
Resolution email — Once resolved, the customer receives an email with the resolution details (reorder confirmation, refund notification, or store credit code).
Claim Status Page
After filing, customers can check their claim status by visiting the claim link from their confirmation email. The page shows:
Current claim status (In Review, On Hold, Resolved, etc.)
The items claimed
The chosen resolution
Any messages or updates
What If the Customer Is Asked to Wait?
If the customer files too early (before the minimum wait period), they'll see a message like:
"It's a little too early to file a claim. Please wait X more days for your package to arrive, then try again."
This protects against premature claims for packages that are still in transit, or have not yet been fulfilled.
What If the Window Has Closed?
If the customer tries to file after the submission window has ended, they'll see a message explaining the claim period has passed. They can contact the merchant's support team for further assistance.