Gift Returns

Updated 11 November 2026

Overview

This article explains gift returns. A gift return lets the person who received a gift return or exchange it without the buyer's email, and without seeing what the buyer paid. It covers the settings card, how the recipient looks the order up, the details ReturnZen asks for, and what happens when the recipient has no order information. The settings themselves are described in Gift returns (General settings).

Use the menu on the left to quickly navigate this article.

Before you start

• A return policy covering the country the gift shipped to.
• A packing slip in the box that prints the order number and the shipping zip code, since those are what the recipient types.
• A support email under Shopper > Notifications, used when no gift support email is set.

Gift Returns

Settings

In the admin, go to Policy > General, Gift returns.

• Gift returns: allow customers to return a gift for refund, exchange, or store credit. Default: off.
• Gift support email: an inbox shown to gift recipients for questions, which also receives a request from a recipient who has no order information. When it is empty, your support email is used. Default: empty.
• Gift return types: Refund, Exchange and Store credit, each on or off for gift returns only. Default: all three on.

Screenshot

Policy > General, the Gift returns card with its three return types

Tip: A refund on a gift return goes back to the buyer's payment method, not to the recipient. If the recipient must always receive something usable, switch Refund off and leave Exchange and Store credit on.

How it works

Lookup. The recipient looks the order up with the order number and the shipping zip code, both printed on the packing slip. The zip is matched against the order's shipping address only, never the buyer's email. If no policy covers the country, the page shows your country not covered message.

Recipient details. Because the label ships from the recipient and any exchange ships to them, the next page asks for their Email address and shipping address: First name, Last name, Address line 1, Address line 2 (optional), City, the region (State, Province or State or region, following the country), Zip, Country and Phone number. The Country list offers United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. Confirmation emails go to this address, not the buyer's.

No order information. Don't have your order information? opens a short form: Who gave you this gift?, Which product are you returning?, Would you like to exchange for something new? and Anything else we should know?, plus the same contact details. Submitting sends the Gift return request received email to the recipient and to your gift support email, and the page reads Request sent with a Back to Store link when a store URL is set.

On your side. A gift return carries a gift icon under the order number on the returns list, with the tooltip Gift return, and the Gift return workflow condition matches it. If a gifted exchange item is out of stock at processing, the Out-of-stock gift exchange notice email under Shopper > Notifications tells the recipient.

What the shopper sees

1. Return a Gift on the order lookup page.
2. A page headed Gift Returns and Exchanges with Order number and Shipping zip code, then Get Started. Start a Standard Return goes back to the normal lookup.
3. We need a few more details, the contact and address form.
4. The normal item picker with only the outcomes your gift return types allow. The recipient does not see prices or payment details at any point.
5. On the confirmation page a refund reads that it will be issued to the original payment method, without naming whose.

Screenshot

The Gift Returns and Exchanges lookup page

The Gift returns card under Policy > General

This section covers the Gift returns card on the Policy > General page. It switches on a separate gift flow in the portal, names an inbox for gift recipients' questions, and decides which outcomes a recipient can pick. For the recipient's walk through the flow, see Gift returns and The gift returns flow.

Before you start: A return policy that covers the order's country, with the outcomes you want recipients to have switched on.

Settings

In the admin, go to Policy > General > Gift returns.

• Gift returns: allow customers to return a gift for refund, exchange, or store credit. Default: off.
• Gift support email: an inbox shown to gift recipients for questions. When it is empty, your support email is used. Default: empty.
• Gift return types: three switches, Refund, Exchange and Store credit, that decide which outcomes a gift recipient can pick. All three are on by default, so turning Gift returns on does not silently remove an outcome; switch off the ones you do not want.

Important: A refund on a gift return goes back to the original payment method, which belongs to the buyer, not the recipient. If you would rather the recipient always receives something they can use, switch Refund off and leave Exchange and Store credit on.

Screenshot

Policy > General, the Gift returns card with the switch on, the Gift support email field and the three Gift return types switches

What the shopper sees

With Gift returns on, the portal's order lookup page shows a Return a Gift button. The gift lookup page, at /portal/gift, is headed Gift Returns and Exchanges and asks for the Order number and the Shipping zip code, the details on the packing slip from the original order. If the order cannot be found the page reads We couldn't find an order matching those details. Check the order number and zip code, then try again.

A recipient who does not have the order information can click Don't have your order information? and fill in a form instead, or go back with Start a Standard Return. The recipient form's Country list offers United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia only.

The recipient never sees prices or payment details, only the items and the outcomes you allow. A refund goes to the buyer's payment method; an exchange or store credit goes to the recipient.

Screenshot

The gift lookup page with the Order number and Shipping zip code fields and the Get Started button

How it works

Gift lookups always use the order number and the shipping zip code, whatever you tick under Order lookup criteria, because the recipient does not know the buyer's email or phone. See Order Lookup Criteria.

FAQ

Can a recipient outside the four listed countries make a gift return? Not through the gift form, because the address form offers only United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Australia. Create the return for them with Create Return under Returns > Return Processing, or send them the standard portal if they have the buyer's lookup details.

Does the buyer get any email about a gift return? No. Confirmation emails go to the address the recipient entered. A refund still lands on the buyer's payment method.

What does the recipient see after sending the no-information form? Request sent, with the line that you will be in touch soon with what they need to start the gift return, and the Gift return request received email. Your team follows up from the copy sent to your gift support email.

Can a gift recipient get a refund to their own card? No. A refund goes back to the original payment method on the order, which is the buyer's. Give recipients exchange and store credit instead by switching Refund off under Gift return types.

Where do gift recipients' questions go? To the Gift support email, which is shown to gift recipients in the gift flow. When it is empty, your support email from Shopper > Notifications is used. Use a separate inbox if gift questions need different handling from ordinary returns.

Please reach out to support@returnzen.app with any additional questions.