Exchange an order on Shopify POS

You can issue refunds with Shopify POS. If you're on the POS Pro subscription, then you can also exchange a returned item for a new item. If there's a difference in price between the two items, then you can collect or pay out the difference during the exchange.

On Shopify POS, exchanges are processed through the combined Return or exchange flow. You select the items to return, and then you add the replacement item to the cart to complete the exchange. Until you add the replacement item, the checkout displays a refund total only.

Requirements for exchanging orders with Shopify POS

To exchange an order, staff members must have the Return and exchange orders permission. Staff also require permissions to take any of the following actions with returns:

To return ineligible items, staff members must have the Return ineligible items permission.
To create unverified returns, staff members must have the Create unverified returns permission.
To complete in-progress returns, staff members must have the Complete in-progress returns permission.
To manage where items get restocked, staff members must have the Manage item restock permission.

Learn more about staff permissions.

Considerations for exchanges on Shopify POS

Before processing an exchange on Shopify POS, review the following considerations:

Automatic discounts don't apply during exchanges. To discount an exchange item, tap the item on the Exchange summary page and apply a manual discount.
If you need to exchange a bundle on Shopify POS, then you need to exchange each item individually. You can't exchange the bundle together, even if the items are identical.
If an order already has a return in progress from the Shopify admin, then you can't exchange it on Shopify POS until the return is closed. Learn how to cancel a return.
Returned items are always restocked at the location where the exchange is processed. You can't redirect inventory to a different location.

Process an exchange with a Shopify POS Pro subscription

If your location has a Shopify POS Pro subscription, then you can use the following steps to process your customer's exchange or refund.

Steps:

From Shopify POS, tap the icon.
Tap the order that you want to create an exchange for.
Tap Return or exchange, and then select the item that's being exchanged. Returned items are added to the inventory of the assigned location for your POS device.
Optional: Tap Return reason, and then select the reason for the return.
Optional: Enter a note in the Note field.
Optional: Tap an item in the cart to open an action tray. When the action tray opens, you can take the following actions:

If you want to remove the item from the return, then tap Remove.
If you don't want to return an item to your inventory, then tap the item in the cart, and then tap Restock at this location to deactivate the restock option.
If you want to view the original order details, then tap View order details.

When you've added the items you want to exchange to the cart, tap Done to return to the Shopify POS home screen.
Scan or search for the new item to exchange for the returned item.
Optional: Tap the purchase item to open an action tray. When the action tray opens, you can take the following actions:

To update the quantity of the item, tap - or +.
To credit a staff member for the sale, tap Add staff to sale on your smart grid.
To change the variant, tap Change variant.
To activate or deactivate taxes, tap the taxes.
To view the product details, tap View details.

Tap the checkout button. The button label reflects the exchange balance: Checkout followed by the amount owed if there's a balance to collect, or Refund followed by the amount if there's a balance to return to the customer.
If there's a balance remaining, then complete the transaction.
Tap Done.

If a customer wants to exchange again and the first exchange was completed as a refund or return, then you need to refund either the original order or the exchange order from your Shopify admin.

Troubleshooting exchanges on Shopify POS

Troubleshoot Refund being displayed instead of an exchange option

To switch the checkout from Refund to Checkout, tap Done after you select the return items, and then add the replacement item to the cart from the home screen or smart grid. The label updates when an outstanding balance is due. Refer to the exchange steps for the full workflow.

If exchange options still aren't available after you add a replacement item, then confirm that your location has a Shopify POS Pro subscription and that staff have the required permissions.