You can read more about the process on the Shopify website here and here.
The last step of onboarding is to test return through the whole process. It is a great way to review your whole digital process and troubleshoot issues.
You can test a return by following these steps:
Create a test dummy order:
You can create a dummy order on your Shopify store. When you create your order you can create an order in such a way that you can test all your features. Select 3 to 4 items if you allow, refunds, store credits, exchanges, restocking. So you can test all the variations.
You can create and test a dummy order occasionally as well to check the customer experience and check for any bottlenecks your customers are facing.
Follow the steps below to create the dummy order:
Log in to your Shopify store.
Enter the orders tab in your Shopify store.
Click "Create Order".
Click on the green button on the top right "Create order".
In the order details, add items either by searching in the search box or click on browse.
Select and assign a customer in the name of one of your team members and enter their contact information in the "Find or create a customer tab".
In the total and amount section, If you are worried that your analytics and data will get affected you can click add the discount and add 90% discount. This will ensure that your overall revenue will not get affected.
Remember to mention in the notes that this is a "Test order & do not fulfill" so no other member of your team or your warehouse personnel.
Click on "collect payment" & select "Pay by Credit Card".
Fill in the following information into the credit card:
Name on card - "Bogus Gateway"
Credit card number - 1
CVV - Enter any 3-digit number (for example, 111.)
Expiry Date - Enter any date in the future.
Click on "Charge". This saves it as a draft.
Scroll to the top, on the top, In the message complete: Click on "View the order".
Fulfill this order "Fulfill items".
Click "Fulfill items" in the bottom right in green.
Check if your order is archived to ensure you can register the order.
Copy & save the order number and customer email ID.
If you have any challenges you can refer to this article to get a more detailed information about the process from Shopify.
Register the test return using the digital return process
Follow the steps to fill in the digital return process. Throughout the process, keep checking the customer interface, your images, and your branding.
It can take up to between 5 to 30 mins for the order to be imported once created and fulfilled. So incase it shows an error when you try to register, give it a few more minutes.
Welcome page
Use the order number and email ID of the dummy order as your login credentials.
Return page
Remember to select all the options that you want to test. So ensure to check and select all the options and variations when you register the return. While doing so also observe the setup of the page.
Select the return alternatives.
Chose one of the 8 return reasons
Leave a comment and add an image if you are testing claims.
Click submit button.
Thank you page
Click on go back to the website.
Process the return, refund, and store credit.
Once you submit the request, check your email ID of a return request confirmation notification and a shipping label (if you have set up this feature).
Make in progress
Select the Home tab from the left column.
Click on the magnifying glass on the top left corner of the dashboard and type in the order number (only numerical) in the box.
Click enter on your keyboard.
Select the order from the drop-down.
Check the order & click on the green “Make in progress” button.
Processing refunds
Open the order page as mentioned before.
Check if the requested return method selected by the customer is "refund".
Click confirm.
If Shopify is your stock master, select the store where the product should be restocked.
Check the amount to be refunded.
Click Apply, click on ok, and refund will be processed.
If there is a Red alert message, the customer must obtain a store credit. This means that the customer paid using a gift card, then you need to send them a store credit only.
Processing store credit refunds
Open the order page.
Check if the requested return method if it is store credit.
Click confirm.
If Shopify is your stock master, select the store where the product should be restocked.
Check the amount to be sent as store credit.
Click Apply & the store credit code will be generated and sent to the customer's registered email ID.
Check refund and store credit updated
To check if the order has been refunded on Shopify:
Go into the orders tab.
Go into closed tabs.
Ideally, your order should be on the top if not search in the search bar.
Click on the order number to get access to the order page.
Scroll down to the timeline section.
Click on the sentence which reads something on the lines of yayloh sent a refund or/ and store credit.
It opens up the history and shares the details of the store credit code which is sent to the email.
Check the history of transactions in yayloh
The history of transactions shows the past updates regarding the refund process. Such as the customer support agent responsible for the order, the date when the refund was processed, the amount, store credit value, other products processed, etc. It also shows more information about the refund amount.
One can access the history of transactions through the order page once the order is processed.
To access the order page, search the desired order number in the search bar on the top of the screen or the search bar in the status tabs.
Click on the order number to open the order page.
On the left side, under order and customer details, there is a button for "history of transactions".
You can click this button to open the history of transactions.