SOP: Customer refund request

How to adapt this template

• Replace every [bracketed] value with your own policy, limits and names.
• Consumer law differs by country. Fill in the [statutory rights] line with the rules for each country you sell to, taken from your government’s consumer-protection site or your lawyer. Your policy can be more generous than the law, never less.
• Name one owner. That person keeps this document current.
• Test it with the person who handles refunds today, then fix what they say is missing.

Purpose

Give every customer a fast, fair and consistent answer to a refund request, and keep a record of each decision.

Scope

Covers refund requests for [products / services / both] received through [email, chat, phone, web form]. Does not cover chargebacks or disputes opened with the card issuer. Handle those under [chargeback SOP].

Trigger

A customer asks for money back, or support finds that a refund is owed.

Roles

• Support agent: logs the request, checks eligibility, issues refunds up to [amount].
• Support lead (owner): approves refunds above [amount] and decides exceptions.
• Finance: reconciles refunds each [week / month].

Steps

1. Support agent: Log the request in the [help desk] with the order number, date and reason.
2. Support agent: Acknowledge the request in writing and state when the customer will hear back.
3. Support agent: Find the order in [Shopify / order system] and confirm the customer’s identity using [order email / name and postcode].
4. Support agent: Check whether the customer has already opened a dispute with their bank or card issuer for this order. If so, stop, tell the support lead and follow [chargeback SOP]. A refund and a dispute can both be paid out, so the business can lose the money twice.
5. Support agent: Check the request against two things: the refund policy (purchase date, condition of item, type of product or service) and the customer’s legal rights: [statutory rights, e.g. a cooling-off period for online or distance sales, remedies for faulty goods or services].
6. If the request is inside the [30]-day policy window, or the law entitles the customer to a refund, then go to step 8.
7. If the request is outside both policy and law, then send it to the support lead with a short note. The lead decides within [1] working day to approve, offer an alternative such as store credit (only if the customer agrees to it), or decline. If approved, go to step 8. If declined, give the customer the reason in writing and go to step 12.
8. If the item must come back, then support agent sends return instructions, says who pays the return cost under [policy / local law], and waits for [tracking / receipt]. Where local law allows, the refund can wait until the item arrives or proof of postage is shown. Otherwise go to step 9.
9. If the amount is above [amount], then the support lead approves it in the help desk before payment.
10. Support agent: Check the amount, then issue the refund to the original payment method, for the full or agreed partial amount. Include shipping paid where [policy / local law] requires it. A Shopify refund cannot be cancelled or reversed once started, so check the amount and the “restock items” setting first.
11. Support agent: Update stock or service records if the item is returned or the service is cancelled. Email the customer to confirm the amount, the method and when funds usually arrive ([5–10] working days, depending on their bank).
12. Support agent: Tag the ticket with the refund or decline reason code and close it.

Checks before closing

• Refund amount matches the order, minus any agreed deductions.
• Refund went to the original payment method, or an exception is noted and the customer agreed.
• No bank dispute was open on the order when the refund was issued.
• The customer has a written confirmation.
• The ticket has a reason code and the approver’s name where approval was needed.
• Stock and accounting records are updated.

Exceptions

• Suspected fraud or repeated refunds from one customer: stop and escalate to the support lead.
• Refund to a different method or closed card: support lead approves, finance issues it. If the customer can no longer use the original method, they may need to claim the funds from their bank or the payment provider.
• Partial refund disputed by the customer: support lead replies personally within [2] working days.
• Payment provider error: log it, tell the customer, and contact [provider support].

Time and targets

Suggested targets, adjust to your volume. Legal refund deadlines override them: [statutory refund deadline, e.g. 14 days under EU and UK distance-selling rules; confirm for each country you sell to] is a hard limit, so set internal targets well inside it.

• First reply: within [1] working day.
• Decision: within [2] working days of receiving all information.
• Refund issued: within [2] working days of the decision.
• Share of refunds closed on time: review at [monthly] meeting.

Related

• [Returns policy]
• [Chargeback and dispute SOP]
• [Order exception SOP]

Review: [every 6 months]