Gift Returns
OVERVIEW
On all Loop plans, you can enable the Gift Returns functionality, which allows customers who receive a product as a gift to utilize the Loop portal to submit a return request. This article will explain how this feature works, as well as outline some of the most common issues that could occur with exchanges and label generation.
In this article:
- Gift Receipts
- Standard Gift Returns
- FAQ
New: Gift Receipts!
Loop’s new gift return flow enables your customers to generate gift receipts for items purchased for others and distribute them to gift recipients so that they can initiate a return or exchange for a new item without any interaction from your customer support team, saving you valuable time when you need it the most.
In addition, this flow can be leveraged in the event that a customer reached out to their support teams directly to inquire about returning an item they received as a gift. Instead of walking through the entire process manually with the customer or resolving the return for them, a CX rep can quickly gather some information from the customer, locate the order, and go through the flow to digitally share a copy of the gift receipt with the recipient, enabling them to self-serve the rest of the way through.
Giver Experience
When a customer gets their Shopify order confirmation email, there will be a Loop gift receipt button. Once clicked, the customer will get the receipt and the customer will enter the name of the gift recipient. The customer then selects which products will be included in the gift. Multiple gift receipts can be generated per order if different products on the order are going to different recipients. Once the products are selected, the customer is taken to a screen with a QR code that they can share with the recipient or print the receipt. The QR code link can be copied or the QR code can be sent via text or email.
Recipient Experience
Once the recipient accesses the QR code link, they are directed to a landing page where they can either initiate a return or print the gift receipt. If they choose to initiate a return, their order credentials will be automatically populated and they will immediately enter the returns flow.
Note: Shop Now is not supported on gift returns initiated via receipt at this time. However, Shop Now is still supported in the standard gift returns flow.
Setup
- To configure the receipt flow, head to Settings > General > Gift Returns, and identify the gift receipt generator URL that shows the automatically generated gift receipt link that functions exactly like the order lookup URL.
- Open Shopify > Settings > Notifications
- Click on Order Confirmation and edit code
- Once there, identify the snippet <table class="row footer">
- Then insert the following snippet:
Once inserted, use the store URL copied in Step 1 and insert that URL in this section of the code: <a href= 'https://STORE.loop.gift?order={{ order.name | remove_first: "#" }}&zip={{ order.shipping_address.zip }}'
Example: <a href='https://standardwear.loop.gift?order={{ order.name | remove_first: "#" }}&zip={{ order.shipping_address.zip }}
<tr>
<td class="footer__cell" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(229, 229, 229); padding-bottom: 35px;">
<center>
<table class="container">
<tr>
<td>
<table class="row">
<tr>
<td style="width: 120px; vertical-align: top;">
<img src="https://d33v4339jhl8k0.cloudfront.net/docs/assets/5c93a8d02c7d3a1544612c1c/images/631a0a1a037bc877147b7187/loop_logo_whitebg.png"
style="height: auto; max-width: 100%; max-height: 50px;"/>
</td>
<td>
<div style="margin-top: 10px; margin-left: 24px;">
<h2>Buy something for someone else?</h2>
<p>Make sure they get exactly what they want. Streamline gift exchanges with our
partner Loop.</p>
<a href='https://store.loop.gift?order={{ order.name | remove_first: "#" }}&zip={{ order.shipping_address.zip }}'
style="background-color: white; margin-top: 10px; font-weight: 500; border: 1px solid rgb(201, 203, 207); border-radius: 8px; padding: 8px 16px; display: inline-block; color: inherit;">Create
gift receipt</a>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
</td>
</tr>
Once the snippet is inserted, then the Loop gift receipt prompt should appear in the notification. To confirm that everything is working as it should, we recommend creating a test order in Shopify and attempting to submit a gift receipt via the order confirmation email.
Further Considerations
Customizations
The customizations seen in the gift receipt flow will be pulled directly from your existing customization settings in the Loop admin.
Specifically, we will pull the background image or color, text color, accent color (for buttons and order/zip inputs) and the logo you have set in the Light Background Logo field. If you do not have a light background logo set, then we will pull the order lookup Logo.
The background image will appear on each screen in the flow, and the copy will not be customizable at this time.
Standard Gift Returns
The Gift Recipient's Experience
If gift receipts are not configured, then the gift recipient must go through the standard gift returns flow. There are two workflows within the standard gift return experience.
Example #1: Gift recipient has the original order information
- The gift recipient will begin by clicking the Start Here button under the Returning or Exchanging a gift? section
- They will then enter in the original order number and shipping zip code and click the Start a gift return button
- Once they've filled out the required information, the gift recipient will complete their return in the portal as normal by selecting the item(s) they want to return
- Lastly, they will either choose to receive a store credit or another item and submit the return when complete
Example #2: Gift recipient does not have the original order information
- The gift recipient will begin by clicking the Start Here button under Returning or Exchanging a gift? section
- They will then click on the Don't have your order information? section
- They will then fill out a static form asking for additional information including the following:
- The gift giver's name
- The product they're returning
- The item they'd like to exchange for (if applicable)
- Any additional context
- Contact email
- Shipping address
- Once the gift recipient completes the form and clicks Continue, they will be taken to a confirmation page that lets them know you will be in touch with them to provide the information needed to initiate a gift return
-
The gift recipient will receive a confirmation message to the email address they input into the form and will then wait for your team to manually action the form and send further communication back to them
Managing Gift Returns
How to Action the Gift Inquiry Form
The gift inquiry form will be sent to the Gift Support email address you set up in the Loop Admin with the subject line: "{{shop_name}} Gift Return"
Note: The gift inquiry form is a copy of the Gift Return Request Received notification. If you need to update this notification, please do so by visiting the Gift Return Order Information in Notification within the Loop Admin
Option #1: Use the information provided by the gift recipient on the form to locate the original order details in Shopify
- Once you have located the order information, contact the gift recipient with the order details and instruct them to go through Gift Return flow in the Loop portal, as noted at the beginning of this article
- The gift recipient will be able to experience the usual returns experience through Loop and will be able to select a store credit or initiate an exchange
Option #2: Use the original order information to place the return request on the gift recipient's behalf
- Use the information provided by the gift recipient on the form to find the original order details in Shopify
- If you know the outcome they'd like (exchange for different item or store credit), your team can submit the return request through the Loop portal on behalf of the gift recipient
- Email the gift recipient with a link to their return status page so they can access their label and return instructions
How to Identify Gift Returns in the Returns View
- Navigate to your Returns dashboard in the Loop Admin
- Gift returns will appear within your returns with a gift symbol next to the order number
- Clicking into the return will display the updated contact info and shipping address for the gift recipient. Any exchange orders processed automatically by Loop will reflect this updated information as well.
FAQ
Can the gift recipient submit a return request for a refund? Gift recipients can only request store credit or receive an exchange. The gift recipient is not able to request a refund to the original payment method.
How can I change the copy in the Gift Return Request Received Notification Template? Within the Loop admin, navigate to Settings > Notifications > Gift Return Request Received to update the notification as needed. Once the desired edits have been made, save the template.
What if a customer is returning a gift and submits an exchange that goes out-of-stock? If the Automated Out of Stock feature is enabled, Loop will default to the store credit option for returns that go through the gifting flow. If the Automated Out of Stock feature is not enabled, the return request will go into the Needs Review tab.
What email address is listed as the sender on gift inquiry forms sent to my gift returns support email address? Gift inquiry form emails will be sent to you from yourbrandname@loopreturns.com.