Edit RMA - Remove Exchange Item and Automation

Overview

Sometimes, an exchange item may need to be removed from a return request for reasons such as stock unavailability or a customer changing their mind. AfterShip Returns allows merchants to edit the existing RMA and remove one or more exchange items directly from the Return detail page. This eliminates the need to reject and recreate the entire return request.

Once the exchange item is removed, AfterShip automatically recalculates the return summary and balance. Merchants can also choose to keep customers informed about the edits.

Additional considerations

• Only users with a Manager role or higher can remove items from an RMA.
• The feature is available only on the new Return detail page.
• Merchants still using the legacy return detail page must contact support to upgrade.

Supported plans

When can you remove an item from RMA?

The Remove item option will appear only when the following conditions are met:

• RMA status: Pending or Approved
• Refund status: Pending refund (refund not processed yet)

If these conditions are not met, the option will not be available.

How to remove items from RMA?

1. Go to the Returns dashboard in the AfterShip Returns admin. 
2. Open the RMA you want to edit.
3. On the returns detail page, click More actions > Remove items.

4. Select the return or exchange items to remove.

• If the exchange item is unavailable, an “Out of stock” warning will appear.
• You can add a reason for editing the return request, which is shared with the customer if you choose to send an email notification.
• If removing the exchange item converts the upsell into a refund, you must choose a refund method. This refund method does not have to match the original resolution setting.

5. Select the ‘Send email notification to customer’ checkbox to keep your customer informed about the updates.
6. See the recalculated summary in blue color and click Update request. 

After the item is removed, you can find the removed item on the detail page and view the timeline as well.

Outcomes after removing an item

Once an exchange item is removed, the return totals may change. Two possible outcomes may occur:

Customer owes money: If the new exchange value exceeds the return value, the customer may need to pay the remaining balance. Merchants should collect this payment offline.

Merchant owes money: If the return value exceeds the exchange value, the merchant should issue a refund to the customer. The totals module will reflect the impact on return and automatically display the required action.

Automate out-of-stock exchange

Merchants can also enable automation for out-of-stock exchanges:

1. Navigate to Return Policy > Automation rules.
2. Scroll to Automate out-of-stock exchanges and enable.

If the system attempts to create an exchange order and the item is out of stock, exchanges convert into a refund automatically. The exchange order is created with the remaining items.

And we will refund the remaining balance by your pre-configured refund method. 

You can also add a reason for the edit that will be sent to your customer when this automation is triggered. 

Notify the customer

While you remove the item from RMA or refund out-of-stock exchange items is automated, notify customers about the edits made. 

Follow the steps below to configure notifications:

1. Go to Customizations > Notifications.
2. Enable Return request edited. 
3. Click Edit to open customize email message.

The reason for the edit will be included in the message through |EDIT_REASON| merge tag. 

Key takeaways

• Merchants can remove exchange items directly from the RMA without rejecting the entire return request.
• The feature is available on the new Return detail page. Legacy customers can contact support to upgrade.
• Only Manager role users or higher can remove items from RMA.
• The system automatically recalculates return totals and the balance summary.
• Premium and Enterprise merchants can automate handling out-of-stock item exchanges.
• Proactively notify customers about changes using the Return request edited email notification.

FAQs

1. If RMA has an upsell, after removing exchange item, how do I refund the upsell amount?

If the RMA includes an upsell, you can refund the upsell amount either manually or automatically in AfterShip. 

• AfterShip will always refund the upsell amount to the original payment method, regardless of the RMA outcome.
• If the rest of the return is refunded as store credit, only the upsell amount will be refunded to the “Original payment method”.

Here, “Payment refund” refers specifically to the upsell payment refund.

2. Can I refund to the original payment method for a gift return, after removing the exchange item?

No. For gift returns, the option to refund to the original payment method is hidden. However, if there is an upsell amount involved, that portion will still be refunded to the original payment method. The remaining refund will follow the standard gift return flow. 

3. When can I NOT remove an item from the RMA?

There are certain scenarios where removing an item is not allowed, and you will see a warning in the admin panel.

You cannot remove items when:

• Remove return item: Has more than 1 return item after return removed
• Remove exchange item: The exchange item hasn’t been added to the original item (Exchange API), or the exchange order was created. This doesn’t qualify for the out-of-stock scenario.

Updated on: 24/03/2026