Exchanges
ReturnDesk Pro lets customers exchange an item for another variation of the same product at the same price - for example a different size or colour. Configure exchanges under WooCommerce → ReturnDesk → General → Exchange Settings.
Exchange Settings
| Setting | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Enable Exchanges | On | Allow customers to request exchanges |
| Exchange Window (days) | 7 | Maximum days since the order was completed (or paid, or created) |
| Auto Approve Exchanges | Off | New exchange requests are approved immediately |
| Allow Partial Exchanges | On | Customers choose which items and how many to exchange |
| Allow Exchanges For Sale Products | On | Whether sale items can be exchanged |
| Exchange Guidelines | Default text | Shown to customers when they submit or view an approved exchange |
| Exchange Reasons | Wrong size, Wrong color, Defective item, Missing parts | One reason per line |
Exchanges also use the Allowed Order Statuses, Excluded Categories, Excluded Products and Terms & Conditions Page from Common Settings.
A longer exchange window than return window encourages customers to exchange instead of asking for a refund.
Which Items Can Be Exchanged
- The item must be a variation of a variable product. Simple products can only be returned.
- The product must have at least one other variation with the same price. If none exists, the customer sees "No same-price variation available for exchange."
How Customers Request an Exchange
- The customer opens the order under My Account → Orders → View (or finds it in the Return Center).
- They choose to request an exchange.
- For each item, they pick the replacement under Exchange with - a list of same-price variations.
- They choose an exchange reason, describe the issue, and optionally attach photos.
- They submit the request.
The request shows the Original Item (Ordered) and the Requested Item (Exchange) on your Requests tab.
Replacement Orders
When an exchange is approved - by you or by Auto Approve Exchanges - ReturnDesk Pro automatically creates a replacement order:
- It contains the replacement variation(s) the customer chose, at a total of $0 (no shipping or discounts).
- It copies the billing and shipping address from the original order.
- It is linked to the original order (as its child order) and set to Processing, so it enters your normal fulfilment flow.
- An order note records the ReturnDesk request ID.
The replacement order number is shown on the request - to you on the Requests tab (linked to the order screen) and to the customer on their request, linked to the order in My Account. Only one replacement order is created per request.
The customer's original item still needs to come back to you. Share your return address and exchange guidelines, and approve the exchange when you're ready to ship the replacement.