How to Write a Return Policy (2026): 7 Sections, Examples and Templates

To write a return policy, state seven things in plain language: how many days customers have (14, 30 or 60 are common), counted from delivery or purchase; what condition items must be in; how to start a return; who pays return shipping; how and when refunds are paid; which items can't be returned; and what happens if an item arrives damaged or wrong.

That's the whole structure. The hard part is making those answers fit what you sell and the laws where your customers live. Our free return policy generator asks each of those questions and writes a plain-English draft you can copy as text, Markdown or HTML. This guide is the deeper version, with sample wording, legal minimums and marketplace settings. It's general information, not legal advice.

How to write a return policy: the 7 sections

Write each section as one short paragraph or a few bullets, and use the same order on every store you run, so customers find answers fast.

Add three small extras: a line on exchanges (“We exchange for another size or color” or “Return it and place a new order”), any restocking fee, and a “Last updated” date. The generator covers each of these, including the restocking fee, whether original shipping is refunded, and a returns page link if you use one.

How long should a return window be?

30 days from delivery is the common default; 14 days is the floor in many places; 60 to 90 days, or longer over the holidays, can lift conversion for clothing and gifts. Count from delivery rather than purchase, because slow shipping eats into a purchase-date window and annoys customers.

What return rights do customers have by law?

In many countries, buyers have rights your policy can't take away, so your policy can be more generous than the law but not less. A few examples, checked against official sources, follow.

• European Union: under the Consumer Rights Directive, consumers generally have 14 days from receiving goods to withdraw from an online purchase without giving a reason. The seller refunds the payment, including standard delivery, within 14 days of being told, and can wait until the goods come back. The buyer pays return shipping only if you told them so before the sale. Exceptions include goods made to the buyer's specifications or clearly personalized, sealed hygiene items once unsealed, perishables, and digital content once the download starts with the buyer's consent and acknowledgment.
• United Kingdom: similar 14-day cancellation rights apply to most online purchases, with similar exceptions.
• United States: there's no general federal right to return items bought online. A few states have rules on how refund policies must be disclosed, and items that are faulty or not as described can be covered by warranty and consumer protection laws.
• Everywhere: a “no returns” policy rarely covers items that arrive broken, faulty or not as described.

If you ship to EU or UK customers, check your policy against those rules or ask a lawyer before you publish.

Return policy examples for handmade, personalized and digital items

Different products need different exceptions. Here's sample wording to adapt.

Handmade items (not personalized)

“Returns accepted within 30 days of delivery. Items must be unused and returned in their original packaging. Return shipping is paid by the customer unless the item arrived damaged or wrong. Because each piece is handmade, small variations in color, glaze or grain are part of the item and aren't considered defects. Refunds are issued to your original payment method within 5 business days of the return arriving.”

Showing those variations honestly in your listing photos prevents a lot of “not as pictured” returns; how to price handmade products also covers building a return allowance into your price.

Personalized and custom items

“Personalized and made-to-order items can't be returned or exchanged unless they arrive damaged, faulty or different from what you ordered. Please check spelling, sizes and colors before you place your order; we send a proof for approval on custom designs.” Sending a proof and keeping the customer's approval is your best defense in a dispute.

Digital downloads

“Because digital files can't be returned, all sales of digital downloads are final. If a file is damaged or won't open, email us within 14 days and we'll send a working copy or refund you.” For EU customers, the no-refund exception generally only applies once the buyer has agreed that the download starts immediately and acknowledged they lose the right to withdraw, so make that part of checkout where your platform allows it.

How do return settings work on Etsy and Shopify?

Both platforms have return settings you fill in, and those settings are what buyers see on the listing or use at checkout, so make them match your written policy.

Etsy and Shopify return settings were checked in October 2026. Marketplaces change their rules, so confirm the current requirements in your seller dashboard before you upload a large batch.

• Etsy: sellers outside the EU must set a return policy on physical listings, even if it's “no returns or exchanges”. Etsy's case system and purchase protection can still refund a buyer for an item that doesn't arrive or isn't as described, whatever your policy says.
• Shopify: also write your full policy in the refund policy text field so it appears in your store's footer and checkout. Shopify notes return fees aren't deducted from refunds automatically; you deduct them when you issue the refund.
• Your own site: link the policy in the footer, on product pages and in order emails, and add a short line on your packing slip (see what is a packing slip).

How do I write and publish my return policy, step by step?

1. Decide your answers for the seven sections. Be honest about what you'll actually do.
2. Check legal minimums for the places you ship to (EU and UK especially).
3. Open the return policy generator, enter your store name, contact email and answers, and read the live preview.
4. Edit the draft: add product-specific exceptions and any wording your marketplace requires.
5. Copy it as plain text for most store editors, or HTML if your editor has a code view.
6. Set the matching options in your Etsy, Shopify or Amazon settings.
7. Add a “Last updated” date and review it when your products, carriers or prices change.

Write your shipping policy at the same time; returns and shipping questions often come together, and our guide to writing a shipping policy covers the other half.

Frequently asked questions

What should be included in a return policy?

The return window and when it starts, the condition items must be in, how to start a return, who pays return shipping, how and when refunds are paid, which items can't be returned, and what happens if an item arrives damaged or wrong. Add a contact email and a last-updated date.

Can a small business have a no-return policy?

In the US, generally yes, as long as it's clearly disclosed before purchase, though some states have disclosure rules. Customers in the EU and UK usually have a 14-day right to cancel most online purchases, and faulty or misdescribed items must be handled everywhere. This isn't legal advice.

What is a good return policy for a small business?

30 days from delivery for unused items in original packaging, customer-paid return shipping unless the item is damaged or wrong, refunds within 5 business days of receiving the return, and clear exceptions for personalized, perishable or digital items.

Do I have to accept returns on personalized items?

Usually not for change-of-mind returns; in the EU, goods made to the buyer's specifications or clearly personalized are excluded from the 14-day withdrawal right. You still have to fix items that arrive damaged, faulty or different from what was ordered.

Do I have to refund return shipping?

If the item is faulty or wrong, you'd normally cover it. For change-of-mind returns, many sellers have the customer pay. In the EU, the buyer can be asked to pay return costs only if you told them before the sale, and the original standard delivery cost must be refunded on withdrawal.

Is there a free return policy generator?

Yes. AiArter's return policy generator writes a plain-English draft from your answers, in your browser with no sign-up, and you can copy it as text, Markdown or HTML. It's a starting template to check and edit, not legal advice.