Returns
What conditions can you set in a return policy?
You can condition a return on time window, item condition, product category, order value, discount level, customer return history, destination country and reason code. Each condition should map to an automated outcome — approve, exchange only, store credit, fee applied, or manual review — or it will not be enforced consistently.
By Saara Editorial Team · Updated
Direct answer
Return policy conditions are the eligibility rules that decide whether, how and at whose cost an item comes back. In a modern returns platform each condition is a rule with an outcome attached, so the same request gets the same answer whether it arrives at 2pm on a Tuesday or during Black Friday peak.
The conditions worth configuring
These eight cover almost every policy we see in production.
Constraints to respect
Statutory rights sit above store conditions. In the EU and UK a distance-selling cooling-off period applies regardless of your window; faulty-goods rights in India and Australia cannot be waived by a final-sale flag. Restocking fees must be disclosed pre-purchase and never applied to defects. Write conditions that are strict on change-of-mind and generous on defects — that split is what keeps chargebacks low.
Turning conditions into a working portal
EcoReturns maps each clause to a rule in the returns portal, so exclusions appear before the customer invests effort, fees are shown up front, and edge cases land in a review queue rather than an agent's inbox. Generate a starting policy with our free return policy generator, then encode it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I have different windows per category?
Yes. Category-level windows are standard — for example 14 days for beauty and 60 days for outerwear — as long as both are published.
Can I block a customer from returning?
You can remove instant refunds and require inspection for high-risk accounts. Outright blocking is risky where statutory rights apply.
Should final-sale items be non-returnable?
For change-of-mind, yes. Faulty final-sale items must still be returnable.
How do I charge return shipping conditionally?
Set free returns for exchanges and defects, and deduct a flat fee for change-of-mind refunds. That single rule shifts a large share of refunds to exchanges.
Do conditions need to be on the product page?
Category exclusions should appear at product and checkout level, not only in the policy page, or they are disputable.