Research says people like to shop from a brand again if they have a good return or exchange experience. Think about it. How many times have you chosen to go back to a shop thinking of the time they made returning a product super simple and refunded you all the money without any problem?
Shoppers crave a simple and uncomplicated shopping experience that doesn’t make them regret the decision they made. Returns are hard and have the potential of souring a customer toward your brand forever but not if they are handled correctly.
If a Shopify merchant manages returns/exchanges well then it actually boosts customer loyalty and satisfaction. They stand to not only turn the return into an exchange but also gain more business from the customer and increase their lifetime value!
We’ll look into the best Shopify return and exchange management apps in the sections below but before that, let’s talk about why Shopify sellers need return & exchange management.
Top 10 Best Returns and Exchanges Apps for Your Shopify Store [2024 Updated List]
1. ClickPost Returns Plus
ClickPost Returns Plus comes with a white-labeled returns portal that can be customized to fit your brand logo, theme, domain name, and marketing tiles for extra sales. The dashboard allows merchants to track their orders in different stages of the return journey. Requests can be automatically rejected or accepted based on your preset return rules like return window, eligibility, etc.
The tracking portal allows customers to check the status of their returns/exchanges and refunds in real-time. ClickPost also enables brands to set up automatic communication with customers on their chosen channels like WhatsApp, SMS, email, IVRS, etc.
2. Parcel Panel Returns & Exchange
ParcelPanel helps brands turn more returns into exchanges with a smooth returns portal that prompts similar product suggestions when customers try to return an item.
It also allows Shopify merchants to share the live status of orders with their customers via email updates. Returns can be processed for refunds, store credit, gift cards, or exchanges.
3. Return Prime
This Shopify return and exchange app is available in 15 languages and provides integrations with 30+ Shopify apps for shipping and business management.
They offer an omnichannel returns experience by allowing customers to return from their homes or in-store. They can also ship the products back to the seller with their preferred shipping carrier in case the seller’s carrier does not operate in the pin code/zip code or is unavailable.
4. ReturnGO Returns and Exchanges
ReturnGo is a self-serve Shopify returns & exchanges app that offers automated returns and real-time tracking updates to customers.
It promotes eco-friendly returns by asking customers to donate their products instead of returning them, thereby, saving return shipping costs and reducing their carbon footprint. They provide integrations with many ERPs, carriers, payment gateways, etc., through APIs.
5. Sorted Returns Center
Sorted Returns Center comes with similar features to the return and exchange apps above. It can auto-generate return labels for USPS, Evri, Collect+, etc., and also allows brands to share labels for other carriers with their customers.
Their email notification templates can be customized according to your brand signature. Order numbers for exchanges are automatically created once an exchange is registered and approved.
6. Return Rabbit
Return Rabbit incentivizes customers to pick exchanges instead of returns through bonuses and discounts. It offers prepaid shipping labels for many shipping carriers with a global reach.
Its customizable returns page displays an exchange catalog for customers to help customers make the switch right there and then. It also sends regular order updates through email notifications.
7. Easy Returns Management System
Easy Returns Management System makes returns and exchanges smoother and faster for Shopify brands through automated self-service portals that gather reasons for returning.
It provides detailed analytics reports on returns. You can choose the frequency of receiving these reports, that is, monthly, quarterly, fortnightly, etc. Although the services are great, some customers find their customer support lacking.
8. PostCo: Returns and Exchanges
PostCo has put a unique spell on the returns/exchanges process by allowing customers to buy directly from returners. This not only saves the product from going into dead stock or losing all retail value, but it also reduces warehousing and logistics costs.
They offer auto return label generation and integrations with over 50 other apps. The return portal can be personalized and tracking updates can be shared with customers in real time.
9. Inmar Package Free Returns
As the name suggests, Inmar offers package-free and label-free returns and exchanges to customers and businesses across the United States. They are available in 32,000 zip codes and have thousands of drop-off locations where customers can return items on the go.
Their branded returns portal collects return reasons and shows them as codes to brands so that they can resolve chronic issues. It also allows businesses to send return packages to their preferred warehouses or put them up on secondary marketplaces.
10. Code Returns & Exchanges
Code simplifies the returns process by allowing Shopify merchants to manage returns/exchanges/refunds right from the Shopify Admin panel.
They get a dashboard that tracks the real-time movement of packages and proactively notifies entrepreneurs about pickup exceptions or delays. Customers are notified via their chosen communication channels regularly.
Shopify Returns: Why Do Merchants Need Shopify Return & Exchange Management Apps?
Shopify comes with an inbuilt functionality for offering returns, refunds, and exchanges to your customers. Sellers can handle returns and exchanges from their Shopify admins. Yet, with the abundance of Shopify return and exchange apps, one wonders why.
Some factors that contribute to the rising popularity and even necessity of adding such apps to the Shopify store are:
1. Automated returns and refunds
Although Shopify offers returns and exchanges through the Shopify Admin, the process is wholly manual unless merchants opt for the self-serve returns option. With the manual process, sellers have to register and verify every return request. The self-serve option allows customers to place returns themselves but even with that features like live shipment and refund tracking are unavailable.
2. Fewer complexities
Shopify’s return and exchange is a laborious process needing a lot of manual intervention. Shopify return and exchange management apps, on the other hand, do that effortlessly. Once the seller has predefined return/exchange rules the app does everything for them. That is, tracking shipment status, updating and refunding customers, refreshing the inventory with the returned items, and more.
3. Additional features
Shopify returns & exchanges apps come with a variety of features that make the entire process user-friendly and boost post-purchase customer experience. With upselling and cross-selling tiles on the return portal, they help businesses bring in added revenue. They also partner with several communication gateways that enable brands to keep customers updated about their order statuses at all times.
4. Lower deductions
Although Shopify does not charge any fee for processing refunds, deductions from card payments are never reimbursed. Moreover, merchants only offering store credit or exchanges face a hard time configuring them to the storefront’s backend.
Final Words
So, folks, that was our quick analysis of the best Shopify returns and exchanges apps out there. The one you choose to opt for depends on the specific problem you are looking to solve but we assure you that you won’t go wrong with either of these. Returns have the potential of becoming profitable but only if you earn to manage it well. Regardless of your company size, we recommend using a return & exchange app for your Shopify store to help you scale faster and with a dedicated fanbase. All the best!