Plenty of brands on Shopify know they’re not competing on price or product. Their competitors are readily available, and their customers are ready to switch.
Instead, they’re competing on a deeper connection: the customer experience they provide to their shoppers, and the trust and loyalty that comes with getting it right.
Even among brands that are nailing their customer experience (CX), there’s still a huge gap that’s often forgotten:
They’re investing in CX up to the point of delivery – but they’re not giving it the same attention on the return journey.
Here’s why they should, and what good customer experience looks like with your Shopify returns.
Table of Contents
Do returns really make a difference to CX?
What does good CX look like with Shopify returns?
Returns without friction
Transparent communication
Fast refunds
FAQs
Do returns really make a difference to CX?
Great customer experience runs across every customer touchpoint: from the first moment of interaction to the last. That means returns by default are an important part of the customer experience on Shopify.
When returns aren’t handled well, either neglected, underdeveloped, or simply seen as a cost to minimise, a negative experience can quickly undo all the goodwill you’ve built with your customer experience during the sales process.
Returns Experience Chart
National Retail Federation, 2025
Nearly three-quarters (71%) of shoppers are less likely to use a retailer again after a poor returns experience, and 81% say they would abandon a retailer after experiencing issues with their returns process.
It works both ways:
A positive return experience causes 70% of shoppers to buy more, and 89% recognise that a positive returns experience affects their future purchases.
When Shopify stores get their returns process right, it can have a huge effect on their overall customer experience, leading to:
Higher retention
More trust and customer loyalty
A higher customer lifetime value.
returns experience %
Appriss Retail, 2024
As a part of the customer’s journey with your brand, it makes sense for returns to have such a big impact on CX. However, there’s an extra psychological layer at play. It helps to explain why the returns experience is a dealbreaker for such a high percentage of shoppers:
When shoppers return a product, they’re already in a negative state of mind. There’s disappointment with their order, the expectation of a long wait, and uncertainty around whether your store will accept their return.
If the return experience goes badly, it’s:
Adding to the existing disappointment
Creating a stronger total negative experience
Making it more likely they’ll avoid your brand in the future.
However, when your brand delivers a positive returns experience, you’re turning a bad situation into a good one. That upswing of emotion creates a lasting impression with your customer, cementing trust and loyalty that’s often stronger than it is with a positive pre-sale experience.
Returns only happen when things haven’t gone to plan. So the way you respond has a stronger effect on how your customers feel.
What does good CX look like with Shopify returns?
On the returns side of the sale, the best customer experience gives your shoppers three things:
Returns without friction
Transparent communication
Fast refunds.
Here’s how that looks in practice, and where the native features of Shopify won’t always be enough:
Returns without friction
For your Shopify customers, returns aren’t glamorous or fun. They’re something that ‘has to be done’ (and usually at a time when they’re feeling disappointed or frustrated).
So the easier you can make it — with minimal effort and hassle throughout the whole process — the easier it becomes to deliver a positive customer experience.
94%
of shoppers say that ‘ease of return’ is crucial
Signifyd, 2024
92%
of consumers say they would buy again if the returns process is easy
Invesp
From a shopper’s perspective, your online returns portal is the first touchpoint in their return journey. And that makes it one of the most important things to get right.
Shopify’s native ‘self-serve’ returns portal already comes with good functionality. Customers can:
Log in to their customer account
See their order history
Select specific items within an order for return.
Now, the native Shopify portal has its limitations. Your customers aren’t able to:
Request exchanges
Choose their preferred carrier
Choose a drop-off location for their parcel.
Instead, you need to add exchanges and send shipping information and labels to the customer manually after approving a return.
With a third-party integration (like the ReBound Shopify App), you can give your customers a full-featured returns portal — one that’s been tested, refined, and improved with multiple ReBound clients across the globe.
shopify Integration with rebound
With the ReBound portal on your Shopify store, your customers can:
Find an order
Choose which items they want to return or exchange
Choose a carrier option
Make a payment (if applicable)
Get their return label or QR code.
For your customers, it’s a one-stop returns initiation that gives them everything they need in one place — without leaving your Shopify store, and without additional messaging after the return is approved.