Return Policy Template for Online Stores
· 8 min read
A return policy tells shoppers whether they can send a product back, by when, at whose cost and how they get their money. A clear one removes a common reason to hesitate before buying; a vague one creates disputes. Below are the parts every ecommerce return policy needs, a template you can adapt, and where to publish it.
What should an ecommerce return policy include?
- The return window: how many days, and from when (order date or delivery date).
- Condition: unused, with tags, in the original packaging, or simply undamaged.
- Exceptions: items that can't be returned, such as personalized or perishable goods.
- Return shipping: who pays, and whether you provide a label.
- How to start a return: a form, an email address or an account page.
- Refund method and timing: original payment method, store credit, how many days.
- Exchanges: whether you offer them and how.
- Damaged, defective or wrong items: what the shopper should do.
Return policy template
Copy the text below, replace everything in square brackets with your own terms, and remove what doesn't apply. Check it against the law of every country you sell to before you publish it.
- Returns: You can return most items within [30] days of delivery for a refund. Items must be [unused, in their original packaging, with tags attached].
- Items that can't be returned: [personalized items, perishable goods, gift cards, items marked final sale].
- How to start a return: Contact us at [email address] or use [returns page link] with your order number. We will reply within [2] business days with return instructions.
- Return shipping: [Return shipping is free; we will send you a prepaid label.] or [You are responsible for return shipping costs unless the item is damaged or incorrect.]
- Refunds: Once we receive and check your return, we will refund you to your original payment method within [5] business days. Your bank may take a few more days to show it.
- Exchanges: [We offer free size and color exchanges within the return window.] or [To exchange an item, return it for a refund and place a new order.]
- Damaged or wrong items: If your order arrives damaged, defective or incorrect, contact us within [7] days of delivery with a photo, and we will replace it or refund you at no cost.
- Questions: Email [email address] and we will help.
Legal minimums: the EU and Turkey
In the European Union, consumers who buy online can cancel within 14 days of delivery without giving a reason. They usually pay the return postage, unless the seller offered to pay or didn't tell them about the cost in advance. Exceptions include personalized items, perishable goods and opened digital content (Your Europe).
In Turkey, the withdrawal period for distance sales is 14 days, and the seller must refund all payments within 14 days of the withdrawal notice. When the shopper uses the carrier the seller has named, they can't be charged for return shipping (Turkish Ministry of Trade).
Other countries have their own rules. If you sell abroad, your policy has to meet the strictest market you sell to, or state different terms per country.
Return policy examples: generous vs. strict
- Generous: 60 days, free return labels, free exchanges. Builds confidence for first orders and products that are hard to judge online, such as clothing and shoes, at the cost of more returns.
- Standard: 30 days, shopper pays return shipping unless the item is faulty. A common middle ground.
- Strict: 14 days or the legal minimum, store credit only where the law allows it. Fits low-margin or made-to-order products, but expect more questions before purchase.
Whatever you choose, the cost of a return is easier to plan than the cost of a sale lost to doubt. Answering size and fit questions before purchase is one of the best ways to reduce returns.
Where to publish your return policy
On Shopify, go to Settings > Policies to add or generate your return and refund policy. Shopify links your policies in the checkout footer, and a link to the return policy also appears on the order review page. Shopify can generate templates, but only in English and for checkouts set to English, and you are responsible for following the policy you publish (Shopify Help Center).
On WooCommerce, create the policy as a page and link it from your footer, your product pages and checkout.
On every platform, mention the key terms, such as "Free returns within 30 days", on the product page itself, where shoppers decide.
Make sure your policy answers questions on its own
Shoppers rarely read the whole policy. They ask: can I return this if it doesn't fit, who pays, how long does a refund take. Write the policy so each of those questions has a one-sentence answer, and keep your FAQ in sync with it; see our guide to the Shopify FAQ page.
agenola, an AI shopping assistant, reads your store's refund and shipping policies when you connect Shopify or WooCommerce, and answers these questions on the product page in the shopper's language. When you edit the policy, the assistant's copy can be refreshed so its answers match.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Consumer law differs between countries and changes over time; check your return policy with a lawyer or the official sources for every market you sell to.
Sources
- Your Europe — Guarantees and returns: cancelling a purchase. European Union, official consumer information
- T.C. Ticaret Bakanlığı — İnternet ve telefon vasıtasıyla yapılan satışlara yeni standartlar geldi. Turkish Ministry of Trade, 28 November 2014
- Shopify Help Center — Adding store policies