Return statuses
Every return has one request status, plus a few badges that show money, shipping and progress. This page explains each one and what moves a return along.
How a return moves
A typical return goes:
Pending review → Approved → Resolved
A request can be Rejected while it's pending review or approved. Any status can be Archived, and unarchiving puts it back where it was.
Receiving the items doesn't change the request status. It's tracked separately, on the progress bar and with the Received / Restocked filter.
Request status
These are the badges on the returns list and the detail page. Each has its own tab.
| Status | Meaning | What moves it on |
|---|---|---|
| Pending review | A new request waiting for your decision. It lives only in Falcon, with no Shopify return yet, unless it was made in the Shopify admin. | Approve moves it to Approved. Reject moves it to Rejected. An auto-approve workflow can approve it for you. |
| Approved | You accepted the return. Falcon created a return in Shopify, and the customer has instructions. | Refund or Create exchange moves it to Resolved. Reject moves it to Rejected. |
| Resolved | The refund or exchange is done and the Shopify return is closed. | Nothing further. You can archive it. |
| Rejected | You declined the return and the customer was told. Falcon asked Shopify to cancel any Shopify return. | Nothing further. You can archive it. |
| Archived | Hidden from the All tab and its status tab. | Unarchive restores the status it had before. |
Which actions each status allows
| Status | Actions |
|---|---|
| Pending review | Approve, Reject, Archive (detail page only), Resend notification |
| Approved | Mark as received, Refund / Create exchange, Reject, Archive, Resend notification |
| Resolved | Archive, Resend notification |
| Rejected | Archive, Resend notification |
| Archived | Unarchive |
Archiving pending requests
On the returns list, bulk Archive skips requests that are Pending review. Approve or reject them first.
Changes made in Shopify
If a return's status changes in the Shopify admin, Falcon follows it. Requested becomes Pending review, open becomes Approved, declined or canceled becomes Rejected, and closed becomes Resolved. Archived returns are left as they are. See Create a return for a customer.
Resolution status
Shown in the Resolution status column and as a badge on the Money card.
| Badge | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending refund | Approved, money not sent yet. |
| Pending exchange | Approved exchange or replacement, not created yet. |
| Refunded | The refund was issued. The list also shows the amount. |
| Exchanged | The exchange or replacement was processed. |
| – (dash) | Shown in the list only: the request is pending review, rejected, or archived before it was resolved. On the Money card, a pending request shows Pending refund or Pending exchange, and a rejected one shows Rejected. |
The Resolution status filter uses Pending refund / exchange, Refunded, Exchanged and Not resolved. Not resolved finds requests that are pending review or rejected.
Shipping status
Shown in the Shipping column and the Shipping card. A delivered parcel never goes back to an earlier status.
| Badge | Meaning | What moves it on |
|---|---|---|
| No label yet | No label or tracking yet. | A label or tracking number is added. |
| Label ready | A label exists, but the parcel hasn't been scanned. | The carrier scans it, or a tracking number is added by hand. |
| In transit | The parcel is on its way back to you. | The carrier marks it delivered, or you mark the return received. |
| Delivered | The parcel arrived. | Final. |
Green return returns have no shipping status, since nothing is sent back. If a return is rejected after a Shippo label was bought, the label and shipping status are cleared. See Mark a return as received.
Progress steps
The detail page shows the return's progress as steps. Each step is done (with a tick), current, or still to come.
| Step | Done when |
|---|---|
| Requested | Always done. Shows the request date. |
| Approved | The request is no longer pending review. |
| Shipped | The parcel is in transit or delivered, a tracking number was added by hand, or the items were received. |
| Received | You marked the return received, or it was resolved. |
| Resolved | The refund or exchange was processed. |
| Rejected | Shown in red, in place of the other steps, when the request was rejected. |
Green return returns skip Shipped and Received.
The Next step panel matches the first unfinished step: Review the request, Waiting for the parcel, On its way back, Ready to resolve, or Closed when nothing is left to do.
Return numbers
Each return gets a number like R-10482. Numbers count up for your store, starting from R-10001. Older returns may have a longer number that starts with R and a date. Search by either one on the returns list.