A returns policy and a shipping policy answer the questions a shopper has before paying. This guide sets out what each should say, how to word it and where to put it.
A returns policy should say what can be sent back, how long the buyer has, who pays for the return, how the refund is made and how to start. A shipping policy should say where you deliver, what it costs, how long it takes and what happens when a parcel is late or lost. Rules differ by country, so check local law.
What a returns policy should say
A returns policy is the written set of rules for sending a purchase back: what can come back, how long the buyer has, what it costs, how the refund is paid and how to begin. Write it before launch. Shoppers read it to judge whether buying from an unfamiliar store is safe, and your inbox will fill with questions if it is vague.
The table lists the points to settle. Decide each one for your own margins, courier and products first, then write it down in plain words.
| Point | What to state | Decide first |
|---|---|---|
| What can be returned | Unused items in original packaging, and anything that cannot be returned, such as made-to-order, perishable or personal-care goods | Which products have a safety, hygiene or custom-work reason for an exception |
| Time allowed | A clear window, and the event it counts from, such as delivery or dispatch | If your courier tracking shows the delivery date reliably |
| Condition | What counts as unused, and whether tags and packaging must be intact | Who inspects returned goods and how |
| How to start | The email address, form or account page to use, and what to include, such as the order number | Who reads those messages and how quickly they reply |
| Return postage | Who pays, if you supply a label, and any difference between a change of mind and a faulty or wrong item | What each option costs you on an average order |
| Refund method and timing | That refunds go to the original payment method, and when the buyer should expect the money after you receive the parcel | How long your payment provider takes to process a refund |
| Exchanges and credit | If you offer exchange, store credit or refund only, and who chooses | If your platform supports each option |
| Faulty, damaged or wrong items | How to report them, what evidence you need, such as a photo, and how you will put it right | Who bears the cost, with local law in mind |
Rules that apply whatever your policy says
A returns policy sits on top of consumer law, and consumer law differs between the USA, the UK, the UAE, Australia, Singapore and Japan. It also changes. This guide cannot tell you what applies to your store, so read the points below as questions for the official source and for a lawyer.
Official guidance in the UK and in Australia says much the same thing in different words: a store's own returns policy can add to a buyer's legal rights but cannot take them away. A buyer with a faulty or misdescribed product keeps their rights whatever your page says. Wording that suggests otherwise, such as a blanket "no refunds" line, can itself cause trouble with the regulator.
Some countries also give online buyers extra rights, because they could not inspect the goods before paying. Whether that applies, what it covers and how long it lasts depends on where the buyer lives as well as where you trade. If you sell across borders, check the rules for each country you ship to, or limit the countries you serve until you have.
Before you publish, put these questions to a lawyer or your local consumer regulator:
- Does my wording match the legal rights of buyers in each country I sell to?
- Which exceptions, such as custom or perishable goods, am I allowed to apply?
- What must I tell the buyer before they pay, and where must it appear?
- How quickly must I refund, and in what form?
Do not copy another store's policy word for word. It was written for their country and their courier.
What a shipping policy should include
A shipping policy tells the buyer how the order reaches them. Handling time and transit time are different, and the policy should give both. Handling is how long you take to pick, pack and hand over the parcel. Transit is how long the carrier takes after that.
| Topic | What to state |
|---|---|
| Where you deliver | Countries and regions you serve, and places you exclude, such as remote areas or PO boxes |
| Delivery options | The choices shown at checkout, such as standard and express, and which carrier handles each |
| Charges | Flat rate, charge by weight or order value, or free above a basket value, and the point at which the buyer sees the charge |
| Handling time | How long before dispatch, and the daily cut-off for same-day processing, with the time zone you work in |
| Delivery time | An estimate for each option, described as an estimate |
| Tracking | When the buyer receives a tracking link and where to follow the parcel |
| Customs, duties and import taxes | For international orders, whether they are charged at checkout or collected by the carrier on delivery, and who pays |
| Delays, lost and damaged parcels | How to report a problem, how long after the expected date to do so, and what you will do |
| Wrong address and failed delivery | What happens next, who pays for a second attempt and what happens to a parcel sent back to you |
| Pre-orders and made-to-order items | Separate dispatch dates, shown on the product and in the policy |
Be careful with promises. Give the delivery estimate your courier actually achieves, not the best day it has ever managed. Google's Merchant Center help asks stores to state handling and transit times on product and checkout pages and to keep them in line with the settings given to Google. It is a sound habit even if you never use Google Shopping.
Duties and import taxes on cross-border parcels depend on the destination country, the goods and their value. Do not guess. Check the carrier's guidance and the customs authority of the destination country, then say plainly on the page who pays.
Plain wording for each policy
Use short sentences and speak to the buyer as "you". Put the answer to each question under its own heading so a shopper can find it in seconds. Vague lines cause disputes because each side reads them in its own favour. The table shows common vague lines and a clearer version of each.
| Vague | Clearer |
|---|---|
| Returns accepted at our discretion. | We accept returns of unused items in their original packaging. If we cannot accept a return, we will tell you why. |
| No refunds. | We refund unused items returned within the return window. Made-to-order items cannot be returned unless they arrive faulty. This does not affect your legal rights. |
| Fast delivery. | We dispatch within the handling time shown at checkout. Delivery then takes the time shown for the option you choose, which is an estimate from the carrier. |
| Shipping costs may apply. | Delivery charges are shown in your basket before you pay. |
| We are not responsible for customs charges. | Orders sent to other countries may be charged import duties and taxes set by the destination country. They are not included in our prices and are paid to the carrier on delivery. |
The last row only works if it describes how you ship. Change each line to match your arrangements.
UK official guidance suggests saying that a returns policy is offered in addition to the buyer's legal rights. A line to that effect is common good practice, though the right wording depends on your country, so ask your lawyer. Also ask which version of a policy governs an order placed before you change the text, and keep dated copies of old versions.
Where to show shipping and returns policies
A policy that nobody finds reassures nobody. Show each one at the points where a shopper is deciding.
- In the footer of every page, as two separate links.
- On each product page, as a short summary with a link to the full text, such as the delivery estimate and the return window.
- In the basket and at checkout, next to the delivery choice, so charges and times are clear before payment.
- In the order confirmation email, with a link, so the buyer can find it again when something goes wrong.
Give each policy its own page rather than burying it in the terms of sale or a long FAQ page. Google's Merchant Center help asks for a returns page that anyone can open without logging in. It also says the return details in your account must match your website, or the policy can be rejected. Google documents ways to share shipping and returns policies with search too, through markup on your pages or settings in Search Console. Those options change, so check the current documentation and keep any markup in line with the visible text.
Payment providers commonly ask to see these pages before they approve a store, so they belong in the launch sequence. The guide to starting an online store, step by step shows where they fit among the other jobs. Delivery charges that appear late are a common reason for abandoned baskets, and the abandoned cart emails guide explains what a reminder can and cannot repair.
Count the cost before you promise free shipping or free returns
Free shipping and free returns are offers, and each one costs money. Before you print either on the site, work out what an average order leaves after the product, packaging, outbound postage, payment fees and the share of orders that come back. Refunding an order does not always return the payment provider's fee, so read your provider's terms.
If the sum is tight, there are middle routes:
- Build part of the delivery cost into product prices and offer free delivery above a basket value that sits comfortably over a typical order.
- Offer free exchanges but charge return postage for refunds after a change of mind.
- Supply a prepaid return label and deduct its cost from the refund, if your local rules allow it.
- Offer free returns on faulty or wrong items only, and say so clearly.
Postage and returns are two lines in the larger sum of running a store. The guide to Shopify store costs beyond the plan lists the other recurring costs, such as payment fees and apps, that belong in the same budget. The arithmetic is the same on any platform.
Reduce the returns you do not need
A policy handles returns. Good product information prevents many of them. The most avoidable reason for a return is that the item is not what the shopper expected. Look through your return reasons and fix the pages that produce them.
- Photographs that show true colour, scale and detail, taken in a consistent style. The product photography basics guide covers how.
- Measurements in one unit across the catalogue, and a size or fit guide where sizing varies.
- Descriptions that state what is in the box and what is not.
- Honest delivery estimates, so nobody cancels because a parcel took longer than promised.
- Packaging that protects the product, since damage in transit is a return you caused.
Run the process behind the policy
A policy is a promise your team has to keep. Before launch, settle who receives return requests, where parcels arrive, who checks them, how stock is updated and who issues the refund. Place a test order and return it. Note how long each step takes and compare the result with what the policy says.
Review the policy after the first batch of real returns. The reasons customers give show which sentences to rewrite and which products need better information. If the store is being built for you, ask whether the platform can handle return requests and refunds without manual work. The ecommerce solutions page describes the online stores Liftup builds.
Questions and answers
What should a returns policy say?
It should say what can be returned and what cannot, the time allowed and the event it counts from, the condition required, how to start a return and who pays for postage. It should also say how and when the refund is made and what happens with faulty or wrong items. Rules differ by country, so check local law.
What should a shipping policy include?
It should state where you deliver, the delivery options and their charges, handling time and delivery estimates, and how tracking works. For international orders it should say who pays duties and import taxes. It should also explain what happens with late, lost, damaged or undeliverable parcels.
Where should I show these policies?
Link both in the footer of every page, summarise them on product pages and show the delivery details at checkout. Link them again in the order confirmation email. Give each policy its own page so it is easy to find and to cite.
Can I say all sales are final?
Be careful. In many countries buyers keep legal rights, such as a remedy for faulty goods, whatever a store's policy says. Official guidance in the UK and Australia warns against wording that suggests those rights do not exist. Ask a lawyer to check any no-refund wording for the countries you sell to.
Who should pay for return postage?
It depends on the reason and on the law where the buyer lives. Sellers commonly cover the cost for faulty or wrong items. For a change of mind, many stores ask the buyer to pay or deduct the cost from the refund. Work out what each option costs you on an average order, then check the rules.
Do I need to mention customs and import charges?
Yes, if you ship to other countries. Duties and import taxes depend on the destination, the goods and their value, so you cannot give one answer for every order. State whether charges are collected at checkout or by the carrier on delivery, and who pays.
How often should I update my policies?
Review them after the first batch of returns and whenever you change couriers, products or the countries you serve. Date each version and keep old copies. Ask your lawyer which version applies to orders placed before a change.