Process a return
Recording a return in Ribbn does not always send money back to the customer.
- Ribbn records the return
- The payment provider or your team sends the money
- For Stripe, you must also complete the refund in Stripe
- For Zettle, follow Zettle’s refund process
- For credits or manual transfer cases, staff must reissue the value manually
Always make sure both parts are completed:
- Record the return in Ribbn
- Complete the actual refund using the correct payment method
Use this guide when a customer returns an order and you need to make sure the return is recorded correctly, the customer is refunded the right way, and the item is ready for resale if applicable.
Before you start
You’ll usually need to:
- Find the original order
- Confirm how the customer paid
- Decide how much to refund
- Record the return in Ribbn
- Complete the actual refund outside Ribbn when required
- Restock the item if it is being put back on sale
For one-of-a-kind and resale items, inventory status matters. If the returned item is back in sellable condition and should go live again, you must manually set it back to Listed after the return is processed.
Quick decision guide
Use the payment method on the original order to decide what to do next.
| Payment method | Record return in Ribbn | Send money back in Ribbn? | What staff must do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Yes | No | Record the return in Ribbn, then process the refund in Stripe |
| Zettle | Yes | No | Record the return in Ribbn, then follow Zettle’s refund steps |
| Credits | Usually no refund button, or limited refund flow | No | Reissue credits manually and track the action on the order |
| Swish or similar manual transfer case | Yes | No | Send a manual bank transfer, then record the return in Ribbn |
Process a standard return
1. Open the order
- Go to Orders in the admin dashboard.
- Select All Orders.
- Find and open the order you want to return.
- Click Refund in the top-right corner.
2. Record the return in Ribbn
- Select the amount to refund in Ribbn.
- Review the return details.
- Click Refund to record the return.
This step records the return in Ribbn, but it does not guarantee that the customer has been paid back.
If the payment was handled by Stripe, Zettle, or a manual payment method, you still need to complete the refund separately.
3. Notify the customer if needed
Before confirming the refund in Ribbn, tick the notification box if you want the customer to receive an update.
Use this when you want the customer to know the return has been processed in your store records.
4. Complete the actual refund
After recording the return in Ribbn, refund the customer using the original payment method.
Stripe payments
- In Ribbn, go to Settings > Payments.
- Select Go to Stripe.
- Complete the refund in Stripe.
For Stripe orders, the Ribbn refund step alone is not enough. If you do not complete the refund in Stripe, the customer may see the return recorded but will not receive their money back.
Zettle payments
Follow Zettle’s own refund process to send the money back to the customer.
Best practice:
- Record the return in Ribbn
- Complete the payment refund in Zettle
- Confirm both steps are done before closing the case
5. Restock the item if it is being resold
If the returned item has been received back and is ready to be sold again:
- Open the item record if needed.
- Change its status to Listed.
This is especially important for:
- One-of-a-kind items
- Resale and re-commerce inventory
- Omnichannel stock that may be sold in-store or online
Only restock items that are actually back in your possession and ready for sale. If the item needs review, repair, relisting work, or new product details, update it only when it is ready for the next sale.
Special cases
Return an order paid with credits
Orders paid with credits may show an order value of 0. In these cases:
- The Refund button may not appear in Ribbn
- You may need to manually reissue credits to the customer instead
Recommended process:
- Confirm the order was paid with credits.
- Reissue the credits manually.
- Include the order number in the note or message.
- Tag the order so staff can see it has been refunded or adjusted.
This helps with:
- Internal tracking
- Bookkeeping
- Clear follow-up for customer service staff
Return an order paid by Swish or manual transfer
If the order was paid using Swish, or another payment flow that requires a manual repayment:
- Ask the customer for the bank details you need.
- Send the refund by manual bank transfer.
- Go back to Ribbn and use the Refund flow to record the return in the order.
In manual transfer cases, the money movement happens outside Ribbn. Make sure the transfer is completed before you treat the case as fully resolved.
Return checklist
Use this checklist to avoid missed steps:
- Open the correct order
- Confirm the original payment method
- Record the return in Ribbn
- Notify the customer if needed
- Complete the actual refund in Stripe, Zettle, credits, or manual transfer workflow
- Tag or note the order if manual handling was required
- Set the item to Listed if it should be resold
Troubleshooting
The Refund button is missing
Common reason:
- The order was paid with credits, so the order total may be 0
What to do:
- Reissue credits manually
- Add the order number to the note
- Tag the order for tracking
The return is recorded, but the customer has not been paid
Common reason:
- The return was marked in Ribbn, but the payment refund was not completed in Stripe, Zettle, or by manual transfer
What to do:
- Check the original payment method
- Complete the refund in the correct external system
- Confirm the refund has actually been sent
The item is not available for sale again
Common reason:
- The item was returned, but its inventory status was not changed back to Listed
What to do:
- Update the item status manually once the item is back and ready for resale
Best practices
- Always check the original payment method before starting
- Treat recording the return and sending the refund as two separate tasks
- Add notes or tags for manual exceptions
- Include the order number when reissuing credits
- Only relist returned inventory when it is physically back and ready to sell
Related operational notes
Returns often affect both customer service and inventory workflows. For resale items, especially unique stock, the return is not complete until:
- the customer outcome is resolved,
- the order is correctly recorded,
- the payment is actually returned,
- and the inventory status reflects what can be sold next.
If a returned item needs to be sold again but is not yet ready, complete the return first and update the item record when the product is ready for listing. If your team uses AI QuickList or other listing workflows for re-commerce inventory, make sure the product details and status are correct before putting the item back on sale.