Shopify questionAnswer4 min read
How Do I Refund a Customer on Shopify?
Refunding an order in Shopify takes about a minute. The details that trip people up are the refund method, restocking and the card fee you don't get back.
Key takeaways
- Go to
Orders, open the order, click Refund, set the quantities, choose the refund method and click Refund again. - You can refund to the original payment method, to store credit, or split between both, and you can issue several partial refunds.
- With Shopify Payments, a refund stays pending for up to 2 business days, and the customer's bank can take up to 10 business days to post it.
- Shopify charges no fee to refund, but the original card processing fee is not returned to you.
- Who it is for
- Store owners handling returns
- Time needed
- 4 minutes to read
- What you need
- Access to Orders in your admin
To refund a customer on Shopify, open the order from Orders, click Refund, enter the quantity for each item, choose whether to restock and refund shipping, pick the refund method and click Refund. Shopify emails the customer automatically unless you clear the notification box. With Shopify Payments, allow up to 2 business days of processing plus up to 10 business days for the customer's bank.
I set up and fix Shopify stores, and refunds are a task where one wrong click can restock damaged items or send money to the wrong place. The steps and limits below come from Shopify's help center, checked on 7 November 2026.
How to refund an order on Shopify, step by step
- Open the order. In your Shopify admin, go to
Ordersand click the order. - Click Refund. Optionally click an item's price to apply a discount before refunding.
- Set quantities. Enter how many of each item to refund. A quantity of 0 leaves that item out.
- Decide on restocking. "Restock items" is selected by default for tracked inventory. Clear it if the item is damaged or never came back.
- Refund shipping if needed. Under "Refund shipping", enter an amount up to what the customer paid.
- Handle duties. For international orders, choose whether to refund duties, import taxes and customs clearance fees.
- Add a reason. The note is for your team only. Customers don't see it.
- Choose the refund method in the Summary, and edit the amount if you need to.
- Check the notification box, then click Refund.
Original payment method or store credit
Shopify lets you refund to the original payment method, to store credit, or to both. Store credit keeps the money in your store, which suits exchanges and goodwill gestures. You can set an expiry date on store credit, but expiry rules differ by country, so check yours before you do.
One trap: after you issue store credit, the original payment method is locked for that order. To refund the card as well, you need the over-refund permission, which only works on Shopify Payments orders, and you must lower the customer's store credit balance yourself so they don't keep both.
Partial refunds
You can issue several partial refunds on one order until you reach the order total, and the order status changes to "Partially refunded". Use this for a single item from a multi-item order, a price adjustment for a late delivery, or shipping only. Shipping refunds can't exceed the shipping amount the customer was charged.
How long a Shopify refund takes, and what it costs
Shopify Payments refunds at a glance
- ProcessingUp to 2 daysShown as pending, in business days.
- Bank postingUp to 10 daysBusiness days, set by the customer's bank.
- Refund windowAbout 120 daysUsually, depending on the customer's bank.
- Card fee backNoNo refund fee, but the original fee is kept.
If your Shopify Payments balance can't cover a refund, Shopify debits your bank account in countries including the US, Canada and the UK. If the account has a negative balance, refunds wait as "Refund pending" until it's cleared. On third-party gateways, Shopify's transaction fee isn't returned on refunds where Shopify Payments is available. The Shopify fees calculator shows what each sale really costs you.
The Shopify refund email
"Send a notification to the customer" is selected by default, so the customer gets an email confirming the refund. You can edit that template's wording and branding under Settings > Notifications. I recommend adding a line that says how long the bank may take, because "where is my refund" is a common follow-up question.
Refund rules by country
- UK: online customers can cancel within 14 days of delivery and then have another 14 days to return the item. You must refund within 14 days of getting it back, including standard delivery, and you can't deduct fees unless the item was used or damaged.
- EU and the Netherlands: customers have 14 days from delivery to withdraw without giving a reason. They usually pay return postage unless you offer to, but the trader pays to return faulty goods.
- US: there's no federal 14-day rule for online purchases, so your published refund policy sets most of the terms. Make it clear and easy to find.
My guide to consumer rights and returns rules covers each market in more depth.
What to do next
- Write or update your returns policy with my guide to writing a returns policy.
- Edit the refund email to set expectations on bank timing.
- Restrict refund permissions for staff accounts that don't need them.
- Automate the repetitive part. If returns take hours each week, my AI and automation service starts from $600.
Free tools
Check your own store
Free, no sign-up. Each one runs a part of this guide for you.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Shopify refund take?
With Shopify Payments, refunds stay pending for up to 2 business days, then the customer's bank can take up to 10 business days to post the money. Other payment providers set their own timing.
Does Shopify charge a refund fee?
No extra fee is charged to process a refund, but with Shopify Payments the original card processing fee isn't returned to you. On third-party gateways, Shopify's transaction fee isn't returned where Shopify Payments is available.
Can I refund to store credit on Shopify?
Yes. You can refund to store credit, the original payment method, or both. Check local law before setting an expiry date on store credit.
Can I give a partial refund on Shopify?
Yes. Enter the quantities or edit the refund amount, and you can issue several partial refunds until you reach the order total. The order then shows as Partially refunded.
How long after an order can I refund on Shopify?
With Shopify Payments, refunds can usually be issued up to 120 days after the order, though the limit depends on the customer's bank. After that, you may need another way to return the money.
Does the customer get a refund email from Shopify?
Yes, by default. The notification box is selected when you refund, and you can edit the template under Settings > Notifications.
Sources
- Refunding orders, Shopify Help Center
- Shopify Payments refunds, Shopify Help Center
- Accepting returns and giving refunds: distance selling, GOV.UK
- Online and distance selling for businesses: cancellations, returns and refunds, GOV.UK
- Guarantees and returns, Your Europe (European Union)
Related services and work
I'm a Shopify developer and CRO specialist. I have built and improved Shopify stores since 2018, completed more than 1,000 projects, and hold a 4.96 average rating across 719 client reviews.
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