Enable Gift Returns for Your Customers

Overview

AfterShip Returns’ new gift return functionality enables you to allow customers who receive a product as a gift to use the AfterShip Returns branded returns page to initiate a return or exchange request without any interaction with the original buyer or your customer support team.

What you’ll learn

In this tutorial, we will show you:

• Gift returns set up
• Gift returns email notifications
• Gift recipient’s experience
• Creating gift return requests manually
• Managing gift returns requests
• Gift return requests resolution
• FAQs
• Key takeaways

Gift returns set up

1. Go to Order lookup in the AfterShip Returns admin.
2. Toggle on the Gift Returns option to enable customers to return a gift.
3. Click Customize content to open the gift returns order lookup page editor to edit the customer-facing content on the returns portal.

• Start off with the text asking customers if they are returning a gift on the order lookup page.
• Select Gift returns from the dropdown above to customize the elements of the entire gift return request submission process.

4. Edit the Order lookup card and Return request form content as per your requirement.
5. Click Localize to redirect to the returns page language editor to edit the Order lookup card and Return request form content in languages that your returns page supports.

Gift returns email notifications

External notification

1. Go to Notifications in the AfterShip Returns admin.A template for the Gift return request received is supported.
2. Toggle on Gift return request received to auto-trigger an email notification to gift recipients when a return request is submitted successfully.
3. Click Edit to make changes to the template.

Internal notification

1. Go to Internal notifications in the AfterShip Returns settings.
2. Toggle on internal notifications for Gift return request submitted by recipient. Once enabled, you will receive a notification when a recipient requests a gift return.
3. Click Manage to select the recipients of the notification. You can choose yourself (owner) and/or other members of the organization.

Gift recipient’s experience

The gift recipients have to go through the standard return or exchange process to initiate a return request for a product they received as a gift. There are two scenarios within the standard gift return experience.

Scenario 1: Gift recipient has the original order information

1. The gift recipient will enter the original order number and email address and then click the Start gift return button to fill in the required order related information like contact details and shipping address.

2. The gift recipient will complete the return request submission on the AfterShip Returns self serve gift returns portal by selecting the item they wish to return, the resolution method, and the return method like the normal return request flow.
3. Once the request is submitted, the gift recipient will receive an email confirming that their request has been submitted.

Scenario 2: Gift recipient does not have the original order information

1. The gift recipient will start by clicking Don't have your order information?
2. They need to fill in a static form with additional information, including

• Gift buyer’s name
• The product they are returning
• Resolution method
• Variant they'd like to exchange for (if applicable)
• Shipping address
• Contact details
• Any additional information

Once the form is submitted:

1. The gift recipient will be taken to a confirmation page to let them know that their request is under review.
2. The gift recipient will also receive a confirmation notification to the email address they've provided in the form to wait for your team to manually process the request and send further information to them.

Managing gift returns requests

1. Self Serve Portal: Gift return request submitted by the recipient with order details

When the gift recipient enters valid order information and submits a request, a gift RMA is automatically created in the dashboard. There is no need for manual action from the merchant.

• You will no longer receive an email asking you to manually create the return.
• The gift recipient will receive a Return request submitted confirmation email.
• Recipient details (contact and shipping info) are stored under the Recipient section on the RMA detail page.

2. Gift return request submitted by the recipient without order details

• You will receive an email notification with the gift return request form filled by the gift recipient with the subject line: {You receive a gift return request from |RECIPIENT_NAME|}
• Click Create gift return, and you will be directed to AfterShip Returns admin, wherein to have to manually create a gift return request on behalf of the recipient by adding the required information. Use the information provided by the gift recipient in the form to locate the original order details in Shopify.

• Once information is added, click Continue
• You will be taken to the branded returns page to create a gift return request. The order lookup fields will be auto-populated. Generate the return request from the item selection, resolution method, to the shipping method based on customer's requirements in the form. Click Submit to place a gift return request on the recipient’s behalf.

Additional actions

1. Identify gift return requests: On the returns dashboard, an RMA will be created with a gray gift icon next to the order number to identify gift returns
2. Filter gift return requests: Click More filters in the right-hand side corner and select Gift return checkbox to filter RMA data based on Gift return refund resolution
3. Edit gift recipient’s contact information: The gift recipient’s contact information and shipping address will be auto-populated and updated on the RMA detail page under Recipient section, and any further return updates will be sent to the gift recipient’s email address instead of the original buyer’s

• Click Edit to modify the recipient details to meet carrier or platform requirements

• Edit the name and address and hit Save

Creating gift return requests manually

1. Go to Returns dashboard in your AfterShip Returns admin.
2. Click Create request on the upper right corner.
3. AfterShip Returns supports two request types: Standard and Special requests that you can raise on behalf on your customers.

• If the request you are raising is a gift request, select the “This is a gift return request” checkbox, and fill in the recipient details.

a. If the resolution method selected for a gift return is Return to store credit, recipient contact details are mandatory

b. If the resolution method selected for a gift return is Replace with the same item, recipient contact details and address are required

c. If you want the customer to ship back the return item with a return label, recipient address is quintessential in that case

Gift return requests resolution

AfterShip Returns allows merchants to manually or automatically refund store credit and generate an exchange order for the gift returns on the AfterShip Returns admin without generating an exchange order or a gift card on the eCommerce platform.

Return to store credit

1. Manual processing

1. Go the gift return's RMA detail page and approve the request
2. Click Refund. On the side panel, review the refund amount and select whether you want to refund the shipping fee. Click Issue gift card > Submit
3. Once the gift card is issued, a Gift card code will display under the refund section and the same will be logged on the RMA timeline
4. An email notification informing the recipient of the refund issued in the form of store credit will be sent from AfterShip Returns. Following this email, another email with the gift card will be sent to the recipient by your eCommerce platform.

2. Automatic processing

To automate the refund to store credit for gift returns, select and enable the Return to store credit option in your Auto-refund automation rules.

Replace with the same item

1. Manual processing

1. Go the gift return's RMA detail page and approve the request
2. Click Create Shopify order to generate an exchange order on the original platform
3. After the exchange order is generated, the exchange order number will display under the Exchange order section on the order card and the same will be logged on the RMA timeline

2. Automatic processing

To automate the exchange order creation for gift returns, enable and configure the Automatically create a replacement order in store in your Replace with the same item Advanced settings section.

FAQs

1. Can the gift recipient submit a return request for a refund?

Gift recipients can only replace the product with the same item or request store credit. They cannot request a refund to the original payment method.

2. How can I change the message in the Gift Return Request Received notification template?

To change the copy of the Gift Return Request Received notification email, navigate to Notifications in AfterShip Returns admin. Migrate to Gift Return Request Received notification and click Edit to change the notification message as needed. Once the edits are done, save the template.

Supported platforms

3. Why is the gift recipient seeing an error that says “Something went wrong. No available resolution. Please contact the store”?

This happens when only “Refund to original payment method” is enabled. This resolution is automatically hidden for gift returns. Enable at least one of the following resolutions:

• Store credit
• Replace with same item

Key takeaways

• Gift recipients can now initiate return/exchange requests directly from the branded returns portal, no action required from the merchant if order info is provided.
• Gift return requests support only Replace with the same item and Refund to store credit resolutions. Refund to original payment method is not supported.
• Merchants can enable gift returns via Order lookup and customize the experience, including localized messaging.
• Email notifications:

a. External: Recipients get confirmation upon submission.

b. Internal: Merchants receive alerts for gift return requests without order details.

• Two gift return flows:

a. With order info: RMA creation in the dashboard after the gift return request submission via the self-serve gift return portal. RMAs can be processed manually or automatically.

b. Without order info: Manual processing by the merchant after the static gift return request submission.

• Gift RMAs are marked with a gray gift icon in the Returns dashboard and can be filtered for reporting.
• Recipient contact and address details are stored and can be edited by Admins/Managers to meet carrier requirements on the RMA detail page.
• Merchants can create gift RMAs manually by checking “This is a gift return request” and entering recipient details.
• Merchants can charge return shipping fees and enable Shop now for upsells, with all charges going to the recipient.

• Resolution automation:

a. Store credit: Refunds can be issued manually or automatically with gift cards sent over the email to customers.

b. Exchange orders: Can be created manually or auto-generated on supported platforms.

• If recipients see No available resolution error, ensure that store credit or exchange is enabled (not just refund to original method).

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

Updated on: 29/07/2025