Articles on: Returns Management

Create a Workflow for Holiday/Product-Specific Windows

Plans: Premium, Enterprise Platforms: Shopify, Magento 1, Magento 2, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more


Overview


AfterShip Returns’ workflow feature allows you to configure a return window for specific products based on certain conditions. This gives customers a flexible return policy and windows to return or exchange their recent purchases spanning different types, boosting customer confidence and brand loyalty.


You can also set up specific returns windows for the holiday season, allowing customers to enjoy longer windows to return or exchange their impulse, festive purchases without a hassle.


What you’ll learn


In this tutorial, we will show you:



Set up a workflow for holiday/product-specific windows


  • Go to Return policy > Order lookup > Return window > Holiday/product-specific windows > Add workflow
  • Click Add workflow



  1. Head to Settings ** in your AfterShip Returns account and select **Return workflows
  2. Click on Create workflow to configure a new workflow
  3. To edit any existing workflow, from the right-hand drop-down under Holiday/product-specific windows, choose Edit workflow



  • To access different workflow types, switch between tabs



  1. You will see four templates on the popup window. Select Holiday/product-specific windows > Create



Set up workflow triggers


  1. After clicking on Create, you will land on the New Workflow editor page, where you will be asked to select the trigger to activate the workflow
  2. You can choose to activate the workflow when all conditions are met or if any of the conditions are met by simply selecting one of the options


** Merchants can select between


A. TRUE if All conditions are met. This setting is an AND statement that will trigger the corresponding action when all conditions are met
B. TRUE if Any condition is met. This setting is an OR statement that will trigger the corresponding action when any defined conditions are met



  1. Move on to Add conditions > Set up conditions like Product Type, Product Tags, Order tag , and Event date for which the return window workflow will automatically activate



a. Product type: As configured in your ** eCommerce platform **


b. Product tag: As configured in your eCommerce platform



c. Event date condition allows you to select one of the following options



  • Order placed
  • Order fulfilled
  • Order delivered: Need to install ** AfterShip Tracking ** and subscribe to a paid plan


  • Based on the event selected, configure the start and end date to specify the orders that all within that date range and on which returns window settings will be applied


Configure workflow action


The action element allows you to set up return window based on the triggers and conditions configured in the previous stage.


  1. The start date of the return window will be the same as your ** General return window ** configured in the Order lookup settings
  2. The end date you can either set the number of days after the event date the return window will end or,


  • You can set a specific date when the return window will be. Please bear in mind the event date you have configured in the previous step


  1. Click on Save draft if you wish to come back for further changes
  2. Click on Enable to save and activate the workflow right away



  1. Click View in Order lookup on the Return workflows dashboard to access the general return window settings.



  • The newly created return window workflow will be displayed on the Order lookup settings under the general return window. Click Manage to land straight to the Return workflows dashboard



FAQ


  1. What will be prioritized between the general and the holiday/product-specific return window settings?


Let’s understand this with a simple example.


A merchant has set up the following settings in the AfterShip Returns admin.


  • General return window: It will start from the order fulfillment date and will end in 30 days from the order fulfillment date


  • Holiday/product-specific workflow: This will be applicable on all the orders placed between 2022.11.24 - 2022.12.25. The return window for these orders will start from the fulfillment date and will end in 90 days


Scenario 1: A shopper bought an item on 2022.11.28 and it was fulfilled on 2022.12.1. He wanted to return the purchased item on 2023.2.15.


This means the shopper, according to the Holiday/product-specific workflow, can file a return because the return is placed within the predefined order date range (2022.11.24 - 2022.12.25), making the order applicable for a return. He has till 2023.3.1 (90 days from fulfillment date) to return the purchased item according to the Holiday/product-specific workflow and 2023.1.1 according to the General return window.


In this scenario, the Holiday/product-specific workflow will be prioritized over the General return window settings.


Scenario 2: A shopper bought an item on 2022.11.26 and it was fulfilled on 2022.12.30. He wanted to return the purchased item on 2023.2.15. This means the shopper does not fall within the predefined order date range (2022.11.24 - 2022.12.25), so the workflow settings will not be applied. But based on the General return window settings, he still has till 2023.1.30 to return the purchased item.


In this scenario, the General return window settings will be prioritized over the Holiday/product-specific workflow.


Supported platforms


Holiday/product-specific windows template is available for users on Premium and Enterprise plans. The availability of specific conditions and actions varies from one eCommerce platform to another.


  1. Product tag conditions are available for Shopify, Magento 1, and WooCommerce
  2. Product type conditions are available for Shopify, Magento 1, 2, and BigCommerce



For any further questions or help, please contact our chat support team or reach out to us at support+returns@aftership.com.

Updated on: 15/04/2025