---
title: "Return items"
slug: "return-items"
updated: 2025-09-02T18:23:34Z
published: 2025-09-02T18:23:34Z
canonical: "docs.newstore.com/return-items"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.newstore.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Return items

You can process 2 types of returns in NewStore Associate App:

- **Standard return**: the customer's order can be found.
- **Blind return**: the customer's order cannot be found.

> [!WARNING]
> Technical configuration
> 
> The following section involves working with technical configurations and APIs. Contact your IT support team for more information.

To configure returns for your business in NewStore Associate App, see [Configuring returns in NewStore Associate App](/v1/docs/configuring-returns).

## Returning an item

1. Tap ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/25c09965-b387-4a55-9b61-d31e49df3dc5.png) to open the customer list and open the customer's profile.
2. Tap `Activity`. You can see the list of purchases for the customer.
3. Tap the purchase that contains the item to be returned. If the returned product has an RFID tag and was sold by scanning the QR code on the RFID tag or reading the RFID tag via an RFID reader, the Electronic Product Code (EPC) and the decoded serial number is shown on the purchase.
4. Tap `Return` in the top right corner.
5. Tap the item to return. If the purchase displays the Electronic Product Code (EPC) and multiple items of the same product were purchased, check the last 4 digits or EPC printed on the tag and select the corresponding item on the app.
6. Select a return reason.
7. Select the item condition.
8. Repeat the last 2 steps for each item to return.
9. Check the return details and tap `Apply Amount to Cart`.

A new shopping cart is created, containing the item(s) to be returned.

> [!TIP]
> Note
> 
> Notice the credit added to the cart. It represents the total value of the items to return. This may also implicitly include the shipping costs to be refunded to the customer.

If all of the items from an order are returned, the shipping cost for the order is refunded to the customer. The refunded amount for shipping costs is available in the return receipt of the order.

Once the shopping cart is ready with the items that will be returned to the customer for a refund, proceed to [Choosing a refund option](/v1/docs/using-newstore-associate-app#choosing-a-refund-option).

## Choosing a refund option

> [!WARNING]
> Technical configuration
> 
> The following section involves working with technical configurations and APIs. Contact your IT support team for more information.

To set up refund options for the retailer, see [Configuring refund options](/v1/docs/configuring-refund-options#config-refund-options).

1. Tap `Refund`.
2. Select a refund option from the following options:

> [!WARNING]
> **Important Refund rule for Gift Cards:**
> 
> When refunding to a new Gift Card, the **entire refund amount must be applied in a single transaction**.
> 
> - Multiple refunds **cannot** be added to the same gift card in separate transactions.
> - Example: If a customer returns 3 items worth $10 each, you must issue one gift card refund for the total amount ($30).
> 
> If a store associate refunds one item ($10) to a new gift card, then tries to add another refund to that same card, the additional funds will **not** be applied. In this case, a **new gift card** must be issued for the second refund.
  - `New Gift card`: Issues a new gift card for the refund amount. This option may not be available if your store's policies don't allow refunds to gift cards.

Enter the following details if required by your business and tap `Add Gift Card`:
    - `Gift Card Number`
    - `PIN` for the gift card
    - The customer's email address
  - `New Electronic Gift card`: Issues an electronic gift card for the refund amount, which is sent to the customer's email address.
  - `Present Card for Refund`: Allows you to swipe the credit/debit card that should receive the refund.

> [!TIP]
> Note
> 
> Currently, you cannot enter a credit/debit card number manually to receive the refund.
  - `Original Payment Method`: Refunds to the original payment method that was used to pay for the item via an external order management system.

For orders that were paid for via external payment options such as `WeChatPay` or `AliPay`, this option is disabled by default. Use the `External Payment Method` to refund the amount instead.

> [!NOTE]
> Important
> 
> This refund method only works if the order number for the returned item, from the external order management system, was entered during the return process.
    - If the customer used several credit cards to pay, each credit card is refunded for the amount that was deducted from it.
    - Certain debit cards cannot be refunded without swiping them again. In this case, use the `Present Card for Refund` option.
  - `External Payment` (refund method): If enabled for your business, use this method to record refunds via an external payment provider that is not integrated into NewStore. Retailers can define several external payment methods that associates can select to represent the various non-integrated payments in use.

Store associates can see the specific payment methods used in the original order when viewing the customer order within the Associate App. Retailers may want to display the same granularity for the refund options when using external payment systems as they have for the initial payments. See [Configuring Refund Options](/developers/configuration/payments-config/config-refund-options/) for specifics.

> [!TIP]
> Note
> 
> Retailers should consider it a best practice to have the same external refund options as they do for the payment options. This will ensure a match between payment options and refund options and also help in reconciliation.

Associates can skip selecting an `External Payment` refund method if it does not match the external refund requested by the shopper. They can also dismiss the "Refund Methods" view and complete the return and refund process. NewStore will record the refund for this transaction as `External Payment` within the associate app. Within the NewStore Omnichannel Manager, event stream, and APIs, the payment method used for this transaction will be shown as `non_integrated`.

You can print the return receipt or tap `Email Receipt`, to email it to the customer. The return process is complete.

To reprint the sales receipt or return receipt for the customer, tap ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/25c09965-b387-4a55-9b61-d31e49df3dc5.png) and choose the customer. Tap `Activity` and select the purchase you want to reprint the receipt for. Tap `Documents &amp; Receipts` and tap `Print`.

## Performing a blind return

This type of return is referred to as `blind return`.

1. Tap ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/25c09965-b387-4a55-9b61-d31e49df3dc5.png) to open the customer list and open the customer's profile.

> [!TIP]
> Note
> 
> If the customer does not have a profile, [create one](/v1/docs/using-newstore-associate-app#creating-a-new-customer).
2. Tap `Activity`. You can see the list of purchases for the customer. Confirm that no order corresponds to the item to be returned.
3. Tap `Can't find the order for a return?`.
4. Tap `Search Product` to open the catalog and browse or use the search to find the item that the customer wants to return and tap `Add for Return`
5. Or tap `Scan Product` to scan the item handed by the customer. If the item was sold via capturing the Electronic Product Code (EPC) or reading the RFID tag, scan the QR code on the product to perform a blind return. The EPC is displayed on the product card and emitted downstream to third parties.

> [!NOTE]
> Important
> 
> The Electronic Product Code (EPC) will not show on the sales order in Omnichannel Manager.
6. Select a return reason.
7. Select the item condition.
8. *(Optional)* In the pop-window that appears, from the customer's receipt, enter the original order number for the order that the returned item belongs to.

> [!NOTE]
> Important
> 
> If an external order management system is used to manage orders in your store instead of NewStore, ensure that you add the original order number at this step. This helps NewStore to reconcile the order number for the returned item with the external order management system.
9. Repeat the last 5 steps for each item to return. The cart is updated with each item you add.
10. When all the items to return have been added, tap `Apply amount to the cart` to proceed.

> [!TIP]
> Note
> 
> Notice the credit added to the cart. It represents the total value of the items to return. This may also implicitly include the shipping costs to be refunded to the customer.

If all of the items from an order are returned, the shipping cost for the order is refunded to the customer. The refunded amount for shipping costs is available in the return receipt of the order.

> [!TIP]
> Note
> 
> You can also add new items to the cart to perform an [exchange](/v1/docs/using-newstore-associate-app#exchanging-items).

Once the shopping cart is ready with the items that will be returned to the customer for a refund, proceed to [Choosing a refund option for a blind return](/v1/docs/using-newstore-associate-app#choosing-a-refund-option-for-a-blind-return).

## Choosing a refund option for a blind return

1. Tap `Refund`.
2. Select a refund option from the following options:
  - `New Gift card`: Issues a new gift card for the refund amount. This option may not be available if your store's policies don't allow refunds to gift cards.

Enter the following details if required by your business and tap `Add Gift Card`:
    - `Gift Card Number`
    - `PIN` for the gift card
    - the customer's email address
  - `New Electronic Gift card`: Issues an electronic gift card for the refund amount, which is sent to the customer's email address.
  - `Present Card for Refund`: Allows you to swipe the credit/debit card that should receive the refund.

> [!TIP]
> Note
> 
> Currently, you cannot enter a credit/debit card number manually to receive the refund.
  - `Original Payment Method`: Refunds to the original payment method that was used to pay for the item via an external order management system.

For orders that were paid for via external payment options such as `WeChatPay` or `AliPay`, this option is disabled by default. Use the `External Payment Method` to refund the amount instead.

> [!NOTE]
> Important
> 
> This refund method only works if the order number for the returned item, from the external order management system, was entered during the return process.
    - If the customer used several credit cards to pay, each credit card is refunded for the amount that was deducted from it.
    - Certain debit cards cannot be refunded without swiping them again. In this case, use the `Present Card for Refund` option.
  - `External Payment`: If enabled for your business, allows you to refund the amount to the customer via an external payment provider that is not integrated into NewStore. Use this method to refund orders via options such as `AliPay`, `WeChatPay`, and others.

Ensure that the refund has been processed externally before you tap `Confirm` to complete the refund process. NewStore does not offer any visibility into external payments or refunds for later reconciliation.

You can print the return receipt or tap `Email Receipt`, to email it to the customer. The return process is complete.

To reprint the sales receipt or return receipt for the customer, tap ![](https://cdn.document360.io/c2d22fcd-a44b-4e1e-bf3a-84f0ffba0dbe/Images/Documentation/25c09965-b387-4a55-9b61-d31e49df3dc5.png) and choose the customer. Tap `Activity` and select the purchase you want to reprint the receipt for. Tap `Documents &amp; Receipts` and tap `Print`.
