Handling returns, exchanges, and refunds
Giving a buyer their money back the right way: refunds, cancellations, returns that refund themselves, exchanges, comps, and what the buyer is told.
There are five ways to make a buyer whole, and picking the right one is most of the job. This playbook walks each in the dashboard. For the rules behind them, see Refunds and returns.
Pick the right tool
| The situation | Use |
|---|---|
| Money back, nothing coming back | Refund |
| The order shouldn’t happen at all | Cancel |
| Goods are coming back | Return |
| Goods are coming back and going out again | Exchange |
| Nothing is owed and nothing should be charged | Comp |
Refund
On the order, open Money → Give back → Refund. The amount defaults to everything still refundable; lower it for a partial refund, add a reason if you like, and click Refund.
A card refund usually reaches the buyer in 5–10 business days, on the processor’s timeline. Refunds are per payment, and they don’t change the order’s status — a refunded order is still the order it was. There’s no restock option here; if goods are physically coming back, use a return instead.
On a subscription order, the refund button sends you to the subscription, where per-period refunds live.
Cancel
Choose Cancelled in the order’s status picker. If money was captured, Throttle asks what to do with it — Refund it or Keep it — and won’t let you continue until you’ve chosen. Open authorizations are always voided, linked subscriptions end immediately, and the buyer is emailed that the order was cancelled.
Close order is something else: it archives the order out of your active views and moves no money.
Return
On the Returns tab, click Open a return. Set the quantity coming back for each line, add a reason, tick Restock returned items if they’re going back on the shelf, and Open return.
The return then moves through approve, receive, and complete (or reject / cancel). The important one is complete: that’s when Throttle refunds the buyer automatically, worked out from what they actually paid for those items — including their share of tax and discount. If the order was never paid (an unpaid invoice, say), the return completes with no money moving.
Throttle doesn’t track inventory, so Restock records your intent; your stock system still needs updating.
Exchange
On an approved or received return, click Exchange and list the replacement items with their prices. Throttle compares them to the value of what’s coming back: if the replacement costs more, the difference is charged; if less, it’s refunded. A replacement order is created and the return completes.
Replacement items aren’t taxed, so check the price you enter is the one you mean to charge.
Comp
When the buyer shouldn’t pay what’s still outstanding — a goodwill gesture, a pricing mistake — use Money → Write off → Comp order, give a reason, and confirm. The outstanding balance is waived; money already collected stays collected. Reverse comp undoes it. If nothing is outstanding, refund instead.
What the buyer hears
Every refund — direct, from a completed return, or from a cancellation — sends the buyer a “your refund is on its way” email. Opening, approving, receiving, or rejecting a return sends nothing, and neither do exchanges or comps, so tell the buyer yourself, or drive emails from the return.updated webhook through your email platform.
Related
- Refunds and returns — the four ways money goes back, in detail
- Returns and exchanges for developers
- Fulfilling and shipping orders
- Order management