Refund a return to the original payment method in Shopify
Refunding to the original payment method puts the money back where it came from. This tutorial refunds a full return, two tees and a hoodie at $101.00, to the card that paid for the order.
Written · Shopify admin, desktop steps · 5 minutes read
The worked example
| Items returned | 2 tees $56.00, hoodie $45.00, total $101.00 |
| Return shipping fee | $8.95 |
| Refund | $92.05 |
| Method | Original payment |
Download the record: original-payment-refund-record.csv (100 bytes).
A record of the refund in this tutorial. It is a record, not an import file: refunds are issued in the admin, not by CSV.
1Process the return first
Receive the parcel, inspect it, then open the order and click Process return in the Return in progress section. Select all the items and restock the sellable ones. In the Issue refund section, select Later, and then click Process return, so the refund is issued separately in the next steps.
2Choose Original payment
On the order, click Refund. In the Refund method drop-down menu, select Original payment. The other choices are Store credit and Original payment and store credit.
3Check the refund amount
If you owe money to your customer, a banner with the outstanding balance is displayed on your order, and the amount you owe is automatically added to the Refund amount field. Read it before you click: it should be $92.05.
4Click Refund
Click Refund to refund the customer's order. The refund goes back to the original payment method.
5Tell the customer what to expect
Tell the customer the refund is on its way to their original payment method, and that their bank or card issuer shows it on their statement.
The arithmetic
The refund is the returned items less the return shipping fee. No restocking fee applies in this tutorial: the store waived it for a full return.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| 2 Trail Crew Tees | $56.00 |
| Summit Hoodie | $45.00 |
| Items total | $101.00 |
| Return shipping fee | $8.95 |
| Refund to original payment | $92.05 |
56.00 plus 45.00 is $101.00, and 101.00 less 8.95 is $92.05. The refund method changes where the money goes, not how much it is.
Held at the counter
The method is chosen at refund time. Original payment, store credit, or both is a choice in the Refund method drop-down when you issue the refund. Pick it before you click Refund.
A refund without a return records no reason. If the customer is sending items back, create the return before you refund the items. A refund alone records no return reason, and you cannot create a return for items you have already refunded.
Store credit first can limit a later refund. If the refund screen allows only a limited amount after store credit was previously issued, the order has a limit on further refunds. Check the order banner before you refund again.
Sources
- Processing and managing returns — Shopify's help pages: the process-return steps, the restock choice, the refund-shipping section, the refund-method choices, and the cancel / remove / close rules.