Warranty Policies

Updated 11 November 2026

Overview

This article explains warranty claims: returns filed because something is wrong with the item, judged against a warranty policy rather than the ordinary return window. The shopper files a claim in the same portal and you handle it on the same return page. It covers where policies and claims live, how eligibility and outcomes work, and what the shopper sees. The settings themselves are described in Warranty policies, Warranty policy: eligibility and window, Warranty policy: processing, shipping and outcomes and Warranty claims.

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

Before you start

• A connected Shopify store and at least one return policy.
• Products you can identify by ID, SKU or tag, if the warranty covers only some of them.
• A reason group for warranty claims under Shopper > Return Reasons, if you want different reasons from a standard return.

How warranties work

Where it lives

In the admin, go to Policy > Warranty Policies.

The list shows Policy name, Zones, Warranty window and Status (Active or Draft). Create Policy opens the editor. Each policy's menu has Edit, Publish or Unpublish, and Delete. Only a published policy matches new claims.

In the admin, go to Returns > Warranty Processing.

The Warranty Claims page lists claims with RMA, Customer, Total, Status and Created, separate from ordinary returns. Each claim opens the same return page as a return.

Screenshot

Policy > Warranty Policies, the list with Publish and Unpublish in a policy's menu

How it works

Product eligibility. Match products by All products, Product IDs, SKUs or Tags, with the values separated by commas. Tags match the product's tags in Shopify. Product types is listed but not used on claims yet.

Order eligibility. All orders, or a Date range of orders placed Between two dates, After a date or Before a date. Eligible countries limits the policy by shipping country.

Warranty window. A Coverage type of Limited warranty with a Duration in years and days, or Lifetime / unlimited. Coverage starts on the order date. Delay warranty start makes coverage of a Limited warranty begin when the standard return window ends instead, so a shopper can file a claim only once the item can no longer be returned.

Which policy applies. When two active policies cover the same product, order and country, the newest one wins: active policies are checked newest first and the first whose rules all pass is used.

Outcomes. Each warranty policy picks its own: Replace item (send the same product as a replacement), Exchange (with Enable advanced exchanges), Shop Now, Store credit and Refund. At least one must be on. Enable warranty return reason group shows the reason group you choose instead of the standard return reasons.

Processing. A warranty policy has its own processing event picker, including Immediate, which issues the outcome as soon as the customer submits the claim, before the item ships back. When the policy's Shop Now outcome is on, the picker warns that it also governs Shop Now warranty claims. On In transit, a tracking number the shopper typed counts only when the carrier's scan shows your return address. A Keep item policy sets its processing type under Keep item in Shipping requirements instead.

Note: Claims share the same RMA sequence as returns, with no prefix. Reports carry a Return Type column reading Warranty or Standard so you can separate them. A replacement shipped under warranty is a real order in Shopify, so restock and inventory settings apply to it as to any exchange.

What the shopper sees

1. When a warranty policy applies to their order, the first item they tap opens a chooser headed How would you like to handle this return? with two cards: Standard return, This item wasn’t quite right for me, and Warranty claim, There’s an issue with this item. The choice sticks for the rest of the return.
2. On a warranty claim the reasons come from the warranty policy's reason group and the outcomes from the policy: Replace with the same item first when it is allowed, then Exchange for new color or size, any advanced options, Shop Now, Return item and Keep item.
3. The claim then follows the same review, confirmation, label and email steps as a return. A rejected claim sends the Warranty claim rejected email.

Screenshot

The claim type chooser with Standard return and Warranty claim

The warranty policies list

This section covers the Warranty Policies page, where you define warranty coverage rules for eligible products: which products and orders are covered, in which countries, for how long, and how a claim is handled. Claims arrive under Returns > Warranty Processing and are handled on the same return page as a return. The feature article Warranties covers the shopper's claim end to end.

Before you start: A connected Shopify store. A destination under Shipping > Destinations if claims ship the item back.

The policies list

In the admin, go to Policy > Warranty Policies.

Click Create Policy to open a blank policy, or click a policy's name, or Edit in its Actions menu, to open it. An empty page reads No warranty policies configured yet. Create your first warranty policy to get started.

The list has five columns.

• Policy name: your internal name. A policy saved without one reads Untitled warranty.
• Zones: the countries the policy covers, up to three, then +N more.
• Warranty window: the coverage length, for example 2 years, 1 year 90 days, or Unlimited for lifetime coverage.
• Status: Active or Draft. Only active policies match claims; a draft matches nothing.
• Actions: a menu with Edit, Publish or Unpublish, and Delete.

Screenshot

Policy > Warranty Policies, the list with one active and one draft policy and the Actions menu open

Publishing and unpublishing

Publish makes a draft active so it matches new claims; the page confirms with "{name}" is published and will now match new claims. Unpublish stops it matching: "{name}" is unpublished and will not match new claims. The same switch is the status chip beside the title on the policy page. A policy is active as soon as you save it, so use Unpublish to take it out of service without deleting it.

Deleting a policy

1. Open the policy's Actions menu and click Delete.
2. The Delete warranty policy? dialog reads that the policy will be permanently deleted.
3. Click Delete Policy.

Important: Deleting cannot be undone.

How a claim is matched

A claim matches a policy only when the product, the order and the shipping country all pass the policy's rules and the claim is inside its window. Unlike return policies, warranty policies are not limited to one per country, so two active policies can cover the same claim. When they do, the newest policy wins: active policies are checked newest first and the first whose rules all pass is used.

What the shopper sees

A warranty claim option on eligible items in the portal when an active policy covers the product, the order and the country.

Eligibility and window

This section covers the first five sections of a warranty policy, which decide which claims it covers: Basic requirements, Product eligibility, Order eligibility, Zones and Warranty window. Product eligibility by IDs and SKUs, order eligibility, zones, the window length, the status and the return outcomes are enforced on live claims; a control tagged Not active yet is saved but not applied.

Before you start: Product IDs, SKUs or tags for the products you want to cover, if the policy is not for every product.

Settings

In the admin, go to Policy > Warranty Policies and open a policy. The status chip beside the title toggles Active and Draft.

• Warranty name: required. Customers won't see this name. Saving without one is refused with Warranty name is required.

• Match products by: All products, Product IDs, SKUs, Tags or Product types (not active yet). Tags match the product's tags in Shopify.

  Note: A new policy starts on All products, so a policy saved without touching this field covers every product. Product types (not active yet) is greyed out and cannot be chosen.

• Values: the product IDs, SKUs or tags to match, shown for anything but All products. Separate values with commas. Spaces are ignored.

• Order date: All orders or Date range. With Date range, Orders placed can be Between two dates (Start date and End date), After a date (On or after) or Before a date (On or before). Switching the shape clears the date it no longer uses. A new policy has neither selected, which works as All orders.

  Note: Dates are read in your store's timezone, which ReturnZen takes from Shopify.

• Eligible countries: the countries whose customers this warranty applies to.

• Coverage type: Limited warranty with a Duration in years and days, or Lifetime / unlimited. Default: Limited warranty, 0 years 0 days, which expires at once until you set a length.
• Delay warranty start: when on, coverage starts when the standard return window ends, so customers can file a warranty claim only once the item can no longer be returned. When off, coverage starts on the order date. It applies to a Limited warranty only: a Lifetime / unlimited policy accepts a claim inside the return window even with it ticked. Default: off.

Screenshot

Policy > Warranty Policies, a policy open at Product eligibility with SKUs chosen and three values typed, and the Warranty window card below

How it works

A claim is checked against every section in turn: the product has to match, the order has to fall in the date range, the shipping country has to be in the zones, and the claim has to be inside the window. Coverage is counted from the order date. With Delay warranty start on a Limited warranty, it begins the day the standard return window closes instead.

Warranty policies are not limited to one per country. When two active policies both cover a claim, the newest one is used.

What the shopper sees

Whether the warranty claim option appears on an item, and nothing about these rules themselves. Outside the window, or on a product the policy does not match, the item shows no claim option.

Processing, shipping and outcomes

This section covers the remaining sections of a warranty policy: Processing requirements, Shipping requirements, Return outcomes and Return reasons. They decide how a claim is reviewed, what the customer must submit, whether the item ships back, what fee applies, and which resolutions the customer can choose.

Before you start: A destination under Shipping > Destinations, if claims ship the item back with a label. Stripe connected, if you want Shop Now as a claim outcome. A reason group under Shopper > Return Reasons, if claims are to use their own reasons.

Processing requirements

In the admin, go to Policy > Warranty Policies, open a policy and scroll to Processing requirements.

• Default processing type: Manual: warranty claims are processed manually by your team. Automatic: warranty claims are processed automatically at the event you choose under Processing event. Default: Manual.

  Note: This field does not apply to a Keep item policy. Keep item policies set their processing type under Keep item in Shipping requirements.

• Processing event: when an approved warranty claim is processed automatically. Immediate: as soon as the customer submits the claim, before the item ships back. Pre transit: when the return label's tracking number is created. In transit: when the carrier first scans the package. A tracking number the shopper typed counts only when the carrier's scan shows your return address. Out for delivery: when the package is out for delivery to you. Delivered: when the package arrives at your facility.

  Important: Choosing Immediate opens Turn on immediate processing?, which reads that this issues the warranty outcome the moment the customer submits the claim, before the item ships back. At a carrier event, when the policy's Shop Now outcome is on, the picker warns This also governs Shop Now warranty claims.

• Enable photo upload: when on, customers can attach photos of the issue to the claim on the warranty claim form. When off, the claim form asks for no photos. Photos are stored by ReturnZen. With it on, set the Customer instructions shown above the field (default Upload a photo of the issue.) and tick Make this field required to require one. Default: off.

• Enable comment: when on, customers can describe the issue in their own words on the warranty claim form. When off, the claim form has no comment box. It has its own Customer instructions (default Tell us about the issue.) and the same required tick. Default: off.

Shipping requirements

• Keep item: when on, the customer keeps the defective item and sends nothing back. When off, the customer sends the item back as set under Require return shipping. Under it, Processing type is Manual review or Automatic processing, which pays the claim at submission and asks you to confirm with Turn on immediate processing?: on a Keep item policy nothing ships back, and you never receive or inspect the item.
• Require return shipping: when on, the customer must send the item back. When off, sending the item back is not required. Generate labels appears under it, and Return destination appears while Generate labels is on.
• Generate labels: when on, a return shipping label is created automatically for each claim. When off, no label is created and the customer ships the item to your return address themselves. Default: on.
• Return destination: where returned items are sent, picked from a searchable list. Manage destinations under Shipping > Destinations; see Destinations.

Note: Keep item and Require return shipping are exclusive, and one of them is required. Saving with neither reads Select a shipping requirement: Keep item or Require return shipping.

• Handling fees: Default to return policy settings uses the handling fee from the matched return policy. Enable handling fees charges a fee on warranty claims, with a Fee type of Flat rate (a fixed amount in the store currency, entered under Flat fee amount), Percentage of estimated label cost (a percentage of the return label cost, 0 when no label is generated) or Percentage of return value (a percentage of the returned items' value before tax). Waive handling fees never charges one. Default: Default to return policy settings. A flat fee of 0.99 or less is refused with Handling fee must be greater than $0.99.

Screenshot

Policy > Warranty Policies, the Shipping requirements card with Require return shipping on, Generate labels on and a destination ticked

Return outcomes

Pick the resolutions a customer can choose for an approved warranty claim. Each outcome is a toggle: when on, the customer can choose it, and when off, it is not offered. At least one is required; saving with none reads Select at least one return outcome.

• Replace item: customers can get the same product sent as a replacement.
• Exchange: customers can swap for a different size, color or product. With it on the card notes This overrides your existing settings for this return outcome.
• Enable advanced exchanges: shown under Exchange. When on, customers can exchange across products under your current advanced exchange rules, set under Policy > Advanced Exchanges. When off, your advanced exchange rules are not used.
• Shop Now: customers can pick a new item from your store during the claim. Needs Stripe; the toggle reads Connect Stripe to enable until it is connected. A Shop Now claim is issued at the processing event chosen above.
• Store credit: customers can choose store credit equal to the item value.
• Refund: customers can choose a refund to the original payment method.

Return reasons

• Enable warranty return reason group: when on, customers filing a warranty claim see the reason group you choose under Reason group instead of the standard return reasons. When off, they see the standard return reasons. Groups are managed under Shopper > Return Reasons; see Return reasons. Default: off.

What the shopper sees

The claim form with the photo and comment fields you enabled and the reasons you chose, then the outcomes you allow, then a label, a self-ship address, or a message that they can keep the item.

Processing warranty claims

This section covers the Warranty Claims page, the list of warranty claims customers have submitted. A claim is handled on the same return page as a return, with the same actions.

Before you start: An active warranty policy under Policy > Warranty Policies, so claims can be filed.

The claims list

In the admin, go to Returns > Warranty Processing.

The tabs above the table filter the list by status: All, Open, Closed, Cancelled, Expired and Needs review.

The table has five columns.

• RMA: the claim's number. Click it to open the claim.
• Customer: the customer who filed the claim.
• Status: the claim's status chip, the same chips as the returns list.
• Created: the date the claim was filed, in your store's timezone.
• Total: the figure the claim pays the customer. It reads Unavailable when the amount could not be quoted.

When no claims exist the page reads No warranty claims to show and under it Warranty claims will appear here when customers submit them. If the list cannot load it reads Couldn't load warranty claims: followed by the error, with a Retry button.

Screenshot

Returns > Warranty Processing, the list with the status tabs and a few claims

Note: RMA numbers are one sequence shared by returns and claims, with no prefix, so a claim's number sits between return numbers.

How it works

A claim follows the matched warranty policy: its processing type decides whether you process it by hand or the app does at a carrier event; its shipping requirement decides whether a label is bought, the customer self-ships, or the item is kept; its outcomes decide what the customer could pick. See Warranty Policy: Processing, Shipping and Outcomes.

Open the claim and use the return page as you would for a return: receive and inspect the item, approve or reject, and process. See Return page and Processing a return.

What the shopper sees

Their claim status by email, using the notifications under Shopper > Notifications, including the Warranty claim rejected email when a claim is turned down. See Notifications catalogue.

FAQ

Can a shopper file a warranty claim inside the return window? Yes, unless the policy is a Limited warranty with Delay warranty start on. With it on, the warranty choice appears only once the item can no longer be returned.

Do warranty claims use my return policy's fees and outcomes? Not the outcomes. The warranty policy carries its own outcomes, reason group and processing event. Its handling fee follows the matched return policy while Handling fees is set to Default to return policy settings; choose Enable handling fees or Waive handling fees to set it on the warranty policy.

Why did a claim match the wrong warranty policy? More than one active policy covered the product, order and country, and the newest one wins. Unpublish the one you do not want, or narrow its products or dates.

Two active policies cover the same product. Which one is used? The one created most recently. To make an older policy win, unpublish or narrow the newer one.

Can I test a policy before shoppers see it? Save it, then set the status chip to Draft. A draft keeps every setting but matches no claims until you publish it.

Can one policy cover a product line and another cover everything else? Yes. Make the broad policy first and the narrow one after it, because the newest active policy that matches wins. The narrow policy then catches its products and the broad one catches the rest.

Why does a product with the right tag not qualify? A whole tag has to match one of the product's tags in Shopify, ignoring upper and lower case, and the order, country and window all have to pass as well. Also check that the policy is Active, not Draft.

Does the fee come out of what the customer receives? Yes. A fee is deducted from the claim's refund or credit, the same as on a return.

What is the risk of Automatic processing on a Keep item policy? The claim is paid at submission on an item you will never receive or inspect. Use Manual review unless the items are low value.

Why is a claim in Needs review? The same reasons as a return: a refund, credit or exchange order that Shopify or Stripe refused, or a replacement that is out of stock. Open the claim; the banner at the top says what to do.

Where do I change what a claim offers? On the warranty policy that matched it, under Policy > Warranty Policies. The outcomes a claim offers are fixed when it is submitted. A change to the policy's processing settings also applies to claims already filed and not yet processed.

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