Returns & Exchanges
How to Track Returns and Exchanges in Shopify
If returns only live in email, you cannot see request volume, resolution mix, or where exchanges actually retained a sale. Shopify’s admin shows return objects; Souvely adds a merchant queue, status model, dashboard, analytics views, and (on Pro) exports.
Statuses worth knowing
Souvely tracks requests through statuses such as:
Requested → Approved / Rejected → Awaiting shipment → In transit → Received → Processing → Refunded / Exchanged / Store credit issued → Closed (plus Canceled).
Use the list view to operate the queue; use analytics to spot trends.
Estimated retention vs confirmed financial results
| Signal | Meaning | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Shopper chose exchange/credit at submit | Intent only | Leading indicator / UX checks |
| Status Exchanged or Store credit issued after process | Confirmed operational outcome in Souvely once Shopify financials succeeded | Weekly resolution mix |
| Analytics / Pro “retained revenue” totals | Amounts derived from processed returns (exchange/credit paths); useful ops estimate | Rule tuning—not audited P&L |
| Shopify payouts / accounting reports | Source of truth for cash movement | Finance close |
Do not treat Requested-queue tallies or marketing-style retention % as confirmed financial results.
Step 1 — Operate from the returns queue
- Open Souvely → Returns.
- Filter/focus on Requested daily.
- Open a request for photos, exchange intents, and eligibility notes.
- Approve, reject, or process as your SOP dictates.
Webhook handlers keep Souvely aligned when Shopify return topics fire.
Step 2 — Use the dashboard and analytics page
- Basic dashboard + 30-day metrics: available across plans.
- Deeper analytics (longer windows, richer charts): Growth+.
- Per-return analytics fields can store processed amounts / exchange-related figures when financials complete.
Read these as operational metrics for your shop—not as marketing benchmarks to republish.
Step 3 — Export when you need spreadsheets (Pro)
On Pro (and during the install trial’s Pro access):
- CSV export of returns
- Retained-revenue reporting / on-demand email digest
Growth improves interactive analytics; Pro adds export workflows for finance or monthly reviews. Label export “retained” columns as operational estimates tied to processed exchange/credit statuses.
Step 4 — Practical weekly reporting example
Illustrative worksheet (replace with your real counts; not a customer result):
| Week of Nov 3 | Count | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New requests submitted | 18 | Intake volume |
| Still Requested (end of week) | 3 | SLA risk |
| Closed — Refunded | 6 | Confirmed cash refunds |
| Closed — Exchanged | 5 | Confirmed exchanges after process |
| Closed — Store credit issued | 4 | Confirmed credit after process |
| Rejected / canceled | 2 | Policy / stock / fraud |
| Ops retained share (exchanged + credit) / closed | 9 / 15 | Directional mix—not finance P&L |
Meeting agenda (15 minutes):
- Clear the Requested backlog older than your SLA.
- Compare refund vs exchange vs credit closed counts to last week.
- Pick one rule change (for example prefer variant exchange on one collection).
- If on Free, check progress toward the 5/month cap.
Step 5 — Connect tracking to decisions
Questions the data should answer:
- What share of processed requests are exchanges vs refunds vs credit?
- Which reasons dominate?
- Are damaged claims rising (photo quality / carrier issues)?
- Are you hitting Free’s 5/month cap and failing shoppers at the portal?
Then change rules, not just reports.
Plan snapshot for tracking features
| Capability | Free | Growth ($29) | Pro ($79) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Queue + core process | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 30-day metrics | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deep analytics | — | Yes | Yes |
| CSV / retained-revenue export | — | — | Yes |
| Monthly request cap | 5 | Unlimited | Unlimited |
First install: 30-day Pro trial unlocks Pro analytics/export features temporarily.
Hypothetical example
Example (illustrative): A merchant notices closed refunds cluster on one collection. They add a Growth rule preferring variant exchange for that collection, then watch the next two weekly worksheets for a healthier exchanged share—without publishing invented percentages.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Only looking at Shopify payout refunds | Also track request statuses and resolution mix in Souvely |
| No daily Requested triage | Put queue review on the ops checklist |
| Wanting CSV on Free post-trial | Upgrade to Pro or use trial window for a one-time export |
| Treating trial metrics as forever Pro | Note when trial ends and features re-gate |
| Quoting “retained revenue” as accounting fact | Keep the estimated-vs-confirmed distinction |
Related reads
Also useful: Returns product page · Pricing
Track Shopify returns and exchanges with Souvely Returns & Exchanges. Explore the app—30-day full-access trial, then Free, Growth $29/mo, or Pro $79/mo.