ShipStation knows returns are time-consuming, and likely your least favorite part of running your business. The hard truth is they are not going away. By using the Shopify Returns & Exchanges Customer Returns Portal, you can save yourself time by allowing your customer to initiate their own returns. Think of it as self-service returns.
This Feature is Part of Shopify Returns & Exchanges
In July of 2025, ShipStation released Shopify Returns &Exchanges. The contents of this article are related to that workflow.
For other selling channel types please see our guide on the Branded Returns Portal to enable a return flow for your customers.
You can customize your Customer Returns Portal with store branding, email templates and return shipping settings.
The steps below walk you through how to access and update your portal's branded theme.
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Navigate to Account Settings > Selling Channels > Store Setup and use the action menu to Edit Store Details.
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Click on the button to Configure Return Settings in the Returns tab of your Store Settings.
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Choose the Branded Theme section.
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Click on the pencil icon to update your portal settings. The preview at the bottom of this page will update as you make changes.
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(optional) Reach out to customer support to customize the subdomain of your portal url. You may choose any subdomain name, as there is no character limit (for example, custom_storename.shipstationreturns).
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Copy your Customer Returns Portal URL into your Shopify store or shipment notification emails so your customers can have access to self-serve returns.
Shipment tracking page is the page where your shoppers will come when they want to check on the status of their return or exchange shipments. You can configure the ads shown here.
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Navigate to Account Settings > Selling Channels > Store Setup and use the action menu to Edit Store Details.
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Open the Returns tab in your store settings.
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Click on the Configure Return Settings button.
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Choose Tracking Page from the Customer Portal section.
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Click the edit icon on the desired banner.
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Click on the edit icon in the top right of the pop up to upload your banner image.
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(optional) Enter the redirection link below the image.
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Click Confirm to save your changes.
With Shopify Returns & Exchanges you have the ability to completely customize email templates and even which parts of the return process will trigger an email to your end customer.
The steps below walk you through how to access and update the branded details of your Shopify Returns & Exchanges email templates.
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Navigate to Account Settings > Selling Channels > Store Setup and use the action menu to Edit Store Details.
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Click on the button to Configure Return Settings in the Returns tab of your Store Settings.
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Choose Email Templates from the Customer Portal Section.
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Access your email branding settings using the Branded Components option at the top of the page.
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Toggle on the desired branding sections: Header Logo, Header Banner Image, Footer Contact Information, Footer Digital Support, Footer In-Person Support, Footer Social Media links.
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Add your desired branding details to the fields in the left column for your email header and footer. The column to the right will show a preview of the details you have selected.
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Click Save Changes once you have made the desired updates.
If you need to make additional edits to your email templates click on Email Templates in the path at the top of the screen.
The steps below will walk you through how to edit your Return and Exchanges for Shopify email templates.
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Navigate to Account Settings > Selling Channels > Store Setup and use the action menu to Edit Store Details.
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Click on the button to Configure Return Settings in the Returns tab of your Store Settings.
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Choose Email Templates from the Customer Portal Section.
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Use the toggles to the left of each email type to activate or deactivate each type of email as needed.
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Click the edit icon to the right of the desired template to access the editing menu.
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Update the template details as desired in the editing menu.
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(optional) Click Preview to see an example of the email that will be sent to your Customers.
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Click Save Email to complete the update.
When using Shopify Returns & Exchanges you can enable, disable, and edit the following customer notification emails:
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Service Request - Return Label Sent if enabled this email will notify customers of a successful return, exchange, or purchase request along with shipping label and instructions.
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Service Request Cancelled if enabled this email will notify customers when the request is cancelled.
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Request Payment for Service if enabled this email will send a payment request to customers when a higher-level service (exchange or purchase) is requested.
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Payment Reminder for Service Request if enabled this email will remind customers to complete payment for their higher-order service request (exchange or purchase).
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Return Package Reminder if enabled this email will remind your customers to put the return package in the mail.
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Reverse Shipment Tracking if enabled this email will update customers on the status of their return package.
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Service Request Success Email if enabled this email will notify customers when their exchange or purchase has been successfully processed and share tracking information when possible.
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Refund Success Email if enabled this email will notify customers when a refund has successfully been initiated to their requested form of payment.
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Manual Deduction Email if enabled this email will notify customers when a manual deduction is applied on a refund request.
You can customize your Returns portal to show your customers a phone number or email to contact about their returns.
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Navigate to Account Settings > Selling Channels > Store Setup and use the action menu to Edit Store Details.
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Click on the button to Configure Return Settings in the Returns tab of your Store Settings.
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Choose Customer Care from the Customer Portal Section.
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Enter an email address (required) and phone number (optional).
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Click Update Information to save your changes.
If you need to provide additional details or a general message to your customers that are returning items you can customize a pop-up. This message will appear when they click "continue" after selecting items for exchange or return.
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Navigate to Account Settings > Selling Channels > Store Setup and use the action menu to Edit Store Details.
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Click on the button to Configure Return Settings in the Returns tab of your Store Settings.
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Choose Custom Pop-up from the Customer Portal section.
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Edit the pop-up heading, main contents, and toggle the option to require a checkbox with additional context as needed.
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(optional) Preview your pop-up.
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Save your changes.