Shopify’s latest merchant update introduces return window overrides, a powerful tool that lets you customize the return period for specific markets, collections, products, or even individual variants. If you’ve ever struggled with a one‑size‑fits‑all return policy—like offering a 90‑day window for everything but needing a tighter 14‑day window for seasonal stock—this feature gives you the flexibility to match policy to product strategy without manual workarounds.
What Changed: Return Window Overrides
Previously, merchants could only set a single global return window for their entire store. The new “Return window overrides” capability adds a hierarchy of settings: default store‑wide window → market level → collection → product → variant. Each level can specify a different number of days, and the most specific rule wins at checkout and in the order timeline.
Who Is Affected?
How to Set Up Overrides in the Admin
The UI also lets you filter by market, making it easy to comply with local consumer‑law requirements.
Configuring Overrides via the API
Developers can create or update overrides using the Admin API. The endpoint is POST /admin/api/2024-07/return_window_overrides.json. Below is a minimal JSON payload that sets a 14‑day window for a specific collection in the US market:
{
"return_window_override": {
"return_window_days": 14,
"scope": "collection",
"scope_id": 123456789,
"market_id": 987654321
}
}
When you query a product’s return policy (GET /admin/api/2024-07/products/{product_id}/return_window.json), the response now includes an effective_return_window_days field that reflects the most specific override in effect. Update any custom logic that previously assumed a single store‑wide value.
