What is the Shopify Return API?
The Shopify Return API enables seamless integration between Shopify and yayloh, allowing structured communication of return data within Shopify. This integration improves the clarity and management of active returns, ensuring that return information is accurately reflected across both platforms. This is an optional set up.
How Does the Integration Work?
Return Registration: When a return is registered through yayloh, a return is created in progress in Shopify. You can view details like return status, reasons, expected items, and the return tracking number within the order in Shopify.
Refund Calculation: As default behaviour, when a return is created, Shopify calculates the refund amount due based on return item and adjusts the sales calculation accordingly. Once the refund or store-credit is completed, these numbers are adjusted, too.
Restocking: When an item is restocked in Shopify—potentially via a warehouse integration—yayloh imports this update as "inspected OK."
Refund Processing: When a return is refunded through yayloh, Shopify updates the refund information and triggers the refund process.
Store Credit: If store credit is issued via yayloh, Shopify marks the order as refunded.
Return Completion: The return is marked as complete in Shopify only when the item is restocked (in shopify) and refunded/ store-credited via yayloh.
Exchanges: Exchanges must be manually closed and adjusted in reporting, as Shopify doesn't automatically mark them as returned due to the absence of a refund.
Benefits of Shopify Return API Integration
Return information tracking: Monitor both registered and completed returns directly within Shopify.
Streamlined system synchronization: Easily sync your reverse logistics systems. For example, your warehouse can restock items directly into Shopify, and yayloh will automatically mark them as "inspected OK." Similarly, your return information can be imported in your other systems.
Return tracking: Access return tracking information directly in Shopify, allowing your warehouse to identify return packages easily.
Unified Return Data: Simplify reconciliation with integrated return reporting in Shopify, including return reasons.
Good to Know
yayloh only creates a return (step 4) in shopify return API.
Exchanges: Shopify does not automatically close return requests for exchanges, so manual management and reconciliation are required. In the case of exchanges, Shopify includes the refund amount 'due' in its financial reporting because a return is created in the system, even though no refund has been issued.
Order Unarchiving: Shopify unarchives orders during an active return to indicate outstanding tasks.
Fulfillment Flows: If your fulfillment processes are tied to unarchived orders, adjust them to account for fulfillment status before proceeding.
Active Order Count: Unarchived orders will increase your "active orders" badge count.
Order Visibility: Use Shopify filters to exclude orders with returns in progress if unarchiving affects your view of new orders.