ITEM 01
Every Return Is a Negotiation
No process means whoever is at the counter decides. One employee refunds everything, another refuses everything — and customers learn to argue.
Returns & Refunds
Returns & Refunds Without the Counter Arguments
A clear process for the least fun part of retail: item-level returns with recorded reasons, control over what goes back on the shelf, an approval step, and four refund methods — including store credit that keeps the money in your business.
Live view — returns
NO. 01
Messy Returns Cost More Than the Refund
Every shop gets returns. The damage is not the return itself — it is the missing record, the wrong stock count, and the cash that left the drawer with no trace.
ITEM 02
Returned Items Vanish
The item came back, but did it go back into stock? Was it damaged? Without restock tracking, returns quietly corrupt your inventory counts.
ITEM 03
Refunds With No Record
Cash handed back from the drawer with no paper trail. At the end of the month, the numbers do not add up and nobody remembers why.
ITEM 04
No Idea Why Things Come Back
Wrong size? Damaged in delivery? Quality problems? If reasons are not recorded, you keep buying and selling the same mistakes.
NO. 02
Three Return Types, Because Reality Has Three
Not every return needs a refund, and not every refund involves goods coming back. Pick the type that matches the situation.
ITEM 01
Return & Refund
The classic case: the customer brings the items back and gets their money. Items are checked back in, and the refund is created with the return.
ITEM 02
Return Only
Goods come back with no money out — an exchange, a warranty case, or store policy. Inventory is corrected without touching the cash.
ITEM 03
Refund Only
Money goes back with no goods returned — a compensation, a goodwill gesture, or an item the customer keeps. The refund is recorded against the order.
NO. 03
Every Detail of the Return, Handled
Item by item, reason by reason — the return flow asks the right questions so your stock and your money stay correct.
ITEM 01
Item-Level Returns
Pick exactly which items and quantities come back. The system knows what was already returned and only offers what is still returnable.
Per-Item QuantitiesReturnable CheckPartial Returns
ITEM 02
Restock Control
Decide per item whether it goes back into sellable stock. Damaged, expired, or contaminated items are marked with a non-restock reason instead — never resold by accident.
Restock ToggleNon-Restock ReasonsCondition Notes
ITEM 03
Restocking Fees
Charge a restocking fee on returned items when your policy calls for it — recorded on the return, deducted from the refund.
Per-Item FeePolicy Support
ITEM 04
Recorded Return Reasons
Every return carries a reason — changed mind, wrong item, defective, damaged, size issue, and more. Reasons feed the Returns report so patterns become visible.
11 ReasonsNotesFeeds Analytics
ITEM 05
Approval Flow
Returns are created as pending, then approved, rejected, or cancelled — rejections and cancellations require a written reason. Stock only moves on approval.
Pending → ApprovedReject With ReasonAudit Trail
ITEM 06
Four Refund Methods
Cash from the drawer, online for digital payments, receipt-documented transfers, or store credit added to the customer's balance.
CashOnlineReceiptStore Credit
ITEM 07
Refunds Processed Deliberately
Creating a refund does not move money by itself. A pending refund is processed explicitly — or cancelled with a reason — so the books match the drawer.
Pending → CompletedExplicit ProcessingCancel With Reason
ITEM 08
Full or Partial Refunds
Refund a specific payment or any custom amount up to what is still refundable on the order. The order's payment history shows every refund.
Specific PaymentCustom AmountRefund History
NO. 04
A Return in Three Clean Steps
From the moment the customer walks back in to the moment the money and stock are settled.
01
Create the Return From the Order
Open the original order and click Create Return. Choose the type, select the items and quantities, decide restocking per item, and record the reason.
02
Approve It
A pending return is reviewed and approved — or rejected with a written reason. On approval, restockable items go back into inventory automatically.
03
Refund the Money
Create the refund — full or partial — pick the method, and process it. Store credit refunds land on the customer's balance the moment they are processed.
NO. 05
Refund Methods for How Money Actually Moves
Each method is recorded against the order, so the payment history always tells the full story.
| Method | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Cash | The customer paid cash and wants cash back — straight from the drawer, recorded |
| Online | Refunding a digital payment — available when the original payment was online |
| Receipt | A bank or wallet transfer documented with proof of the refund |
| Store Credit | The refund becomes balance on the customer's account — money stays in your business |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about returns and refunds in Cashvio.
Can I refund without taking items back?
Yes — that is the Refund Only type. Money is returned against the order with no return record and no inventory movement. Useful for compensations and goodwill gestures.
Can I take items back without refunding?
Yes — Return Only. The items are returned and restocked (or marked non-restockable) with no money out. Useful for exchanges and warranty flows.
When does returned stock go back into inventory?
When the return is approved. Items you marked as restockable are added back to the store's stock; items with a non-restock reason (damaged, expired, etc.) are not.
Does approving a return automatically refund the money?
No — returns and refunds are separate deliberate steps. Approving a return settles the goods; you then create and process a refund to settle the money. Nothing moves by accident.
How does a store credit refund work?
Choose Store Credit as the refund method (the order must have a customer attached). When the refund is processed, the amount is added to the customer's balance — which they can spend on any future order.
Can I refund part of an order?
Yes. Refund a specific payment or enter a custom amount up to what is still refundable on the order. Every refund appears in the order's refund history.
Can I charge a restocking fee?
Yes. When restocking a returned item you can add a restocking fee — it is recorded on the return and reflected in the refund amount.
Do returns show up in my reports?
Yes. The Returns report shows your return rate, the reasons breakdown, the most-returned products, and the total value of returns — so recurring problems surface instead of repeating.
Also free on Cashvio
Start with a free POS and a free online store — no credit card required.
Make Returns Boring Again
A clear process, correct stock, and refunds with a paper trail — set it up free in minutes.
Returns and refunds are included in every plan