Return rules
Return rules allow you to automate decisions in your Returnless workflow based on specific conditions. These rules help you streamline returns, reduce manual work, and ensure customers receive the correct return instructions and outcomes.
Accessing Return Rules
To open the Return Rules panel:
- Log in to your Returnless dashboard.
- Go to Return forms.
- Select the return form you want to manage.
- Navigate to the Return rules tab.
Types of Return Rules
Returnless offers two types of rules:
1. Return Rules (Return-level)
These rules are executed after a customer completes the return announcement flow. They evaluate the return as a whole, based on all items in the return.
2. Item-Level Rules
These rules run before customers see their eligible return items. They evaluate and apply conditions per individual item, and are executed for each item in the order. Please find the article for Item-Level Rules here.
Return Rules Overview
On the Return Rules page, you can review all rules configured for your return form:
- Active rules display an Active tag.
- Return rules are applied in a priority order, from top to bottom. To change the priority use the arrows on the left of each return rule to drag and drop them in the desired order..
- Use the drag handles to change the rule priority.
Adding a New Return Rule
Newly created return rules apply only to future returns, not existing ones.
To add a new rule:
- Click Add return rule in the top-right corner.
- Configure the rule’s parameters:
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | The name of your return rule. |
| Show Return Instruction | Select the instruction template shown to customers when this rule applies. |
| Enabled | Toggle to activate or deactivate the rule. |
Conditions
Conditions determine when a rule should trigger. You can add one or multiple conditions, and the rule will trigger when all selected conditions match.
Below is the complete list of available conditions and their meanings:
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Amount of customer returns | Number | Number of customer returns is lower/equal/higher than the set number. |
| Amount of items | Number | Total amount of items in the order is lower/equal/higher than the set number. |
| Cost price | Price | Cost price of return is lower/equal/higher than the desired price. |
| Customer country | Country | Customer country is equal/different than the specified country. |
| Delivery age (days) | Number of days | Number of days since order delivery is lower/equal/higher than the set number. |
| Delivery date | Date | Delivery date is before, after, or on the specified date. |
| Fulfilment age (days) | Number of days | Number of days since the order was fulfilled is lower/equal/higher than the set number. |
| Fulfilment date | Date | Fulfilment date is before, after, or on the specified date. |
| Order age (days) | Number of days | Number of days since the order was placed is lower/equal/higher than the set number. |
| Order date | Date | Order date is before, after, or on the specified date. |
| Product SKU | Text | Product SKU is equal/different or includes the desired text. |
| Product brand | Text | Product brand is equal/different or includes the desired text. |
| Product category | Text | Product category is equal/different or includes the desired text. |
| Product discount amount | Price | Product discount amount is equal/different or includes the desired price. |
| Product discount percentage | Number | Product discount percentage is equal/different or includes the desired number. |
| Product name | Text | Product name is equal/different or includes the desired text. |
| Product price | Price | Product price is lower/equal/higher than the desired price. |
| Product supplier | Text | Product supplier is equal/different or includes the desired text. |
| Quantity returned | Number | Number of items selected for return is lower/equal/higher than the set number. |
| Quantity sold | Number | Number of items for a product is lower/equal/higher than the set number. |
| Question answered | Return question | The return question was answered with the desired answer. |
| Return order value | Price | Return order value is lower/equal/higher than the desired price. |
| Return reason | Return reason | Return reason is equal/not equal to the desired return reason. |
| Return status | Return status | The status of the return equals/differs from the specified status. |
| Returned age (days) | Number of days | Number of days since the return was handed over to the carrier is lower/equal/higher than the desired value. |
| Returned date | Date | The date the return was handed over to the carrier is before, after, or on the specified date. |
| Sales order discount amount | Price | Sales order discount amount is equal/different or includes the desired price. |
| Sales order discount code | Text | Sales order discount code is equal/different or includes the code (e.g., “SALE10”, “NEWSLETTER05”). |
| Sales order discount description | Text | Sales order discount description is equal/different or includes the description (e.g., “Sale”, “Newsletter subscription discount”). |
| Product discount percentage | Number | Product discount percentage is equal/different or includes the desired number. (Appears twice in original list; preserved for accuracy.) |
| Sales order item metadata | Text | Metadata on item level — enter a key and specify whether its value should be equal, greater than, smaller than, start with, end with, or include the given input. |
| Sales order metadata | Text | Metadata on order level — enter a key and specify whether its value should be equal, greater than, smaller than, start with, end with, or include the given input. |
| Sales order number | Text | Sales order number is equal/different or includes the desired text. |
| Sales order payment method | Text | Sales order payment method is equal/different or includes the desired text. |
| Sales order discount percentage | Number | Sales order discount percentage is equal/different or includes the desired number. |
| Sales order shipping method | Text | Sales order shipping method is equal/different or includes the desired text. |
| Sales order status | Text | Sales order status is equal/different or includes the desired text. |
| Sales order value | Price | Sales order value is lower/equal/higher than the specified value. |
| Tags | Tag | Tags include / do not include the specified tag. |
| Total weight of returned items | Weight | Total weight of returned items is lower/equal/higher than the desired weight. |
| Tracking number | Text | Tracking number is equal/different or includes the desired text. |
| Value of retained items | Number | Value of retained items is lower/equal/higher than the set number. |
Actions
When all conditions match, the rule triggers the selected action(s).
You may add multiple actions to a single rule.
Below is the list of available actions for return-level rules and their meanings:
| Action | Effect |
|---|---|
| Add shipping fee | Adds a fee (positive) or discount (negative) to the return shipment. |
| Set return order state | Changes the state to: Return Request, Free Return, Reject, Approve without shipment. |
| Mark order as | Tags the return as Refund, Voucher, Repair, Replace, or Exchange. |
| Set Return status | Sets a custom return status. |
| Set Request status | Sets a custom request status. |
| Add Tag | Adds a tag to the return or request. |
| Set Return Address | Assigns a specific return address or store location. |