How to issue a full or partial refund

BySupport Admin

Managing refunds is a routine part of running a shop. Whether a customer changed their mind, an item arrived damaged, or you need to correct a shipping overcharge, you can handle the money and the inventory directly from your WooShop dashboard.

How to process a refund

  1. Log in to your dashboard and go to WooCommerce > Orders.

  2. Click the name of the customer or the order number you need to refund.

  3. Scroll down to the Items section and click the Refund button.

  4. For a full refund: Adjust the quantity of the items being returned. The system will automatically calculate the total. Ensure the Restock refunded items box is checked if you want that inventory back in your store.

  5. For a partial refund: If you are only refunding a specific amount (like a $10 discount for a delay), enter that amount directly into the Refund amount box for the specific line item or the shipping row.

  6. Add a Reason for refund (optional). This is helpful for your own internal records.

  7. Click the blue Refund $[amount] via [Your Payment Gateway] button. This sends the money back to the customer’s card or account automatically.

Common refund scenarios

  • The item was out of stock: You’ll want to do a full refund. Set the quantity of the missing item to match the order amount. If the customer paid for shipping, you can refund that specific line as well.

  • The customer is keeping a damaged item: If you agree to give a 20% discount instead of a return, do not change the quantity of the items. Simply type the discount amount into the "Refund amount" field and process it.

  • Return to store credit: If you prefer to give a coupon instead of cash, you would not use the refund button. Instead, you would generate a unique coupon code and email it to the customer.

Troubleshooting

The "Refund via [Gateway]" button isn’t there
If you only see a button that says Refund Manually, it means your payment processor (like Stripe or PayPal) isn’t communicating that specific transaction back to your site. This often happens with older orders or if the API connection was interrupted. If you click "Refund Manually," the order will update in WordPress, but you must log in to your Stripe or PayPal dashboard to actually send the money back.

The refund amount is grayed out
You cannot refund more than the original total of the order. Double-check your math if you are doing multiple partial refunds. Also, ensure the order status is set to "Processing" or "Completed." You cannot refund an order that is still "Pending Payment."

Inventory didn’t increase after the refund
Check the order notes on the right side of the screen. If you forgot to check the Restock refunded items box during the process, the inventory won’t move. You will need to go to the specific product page and manually update the stock count.

Summary

Issuing a refund in WooShop takes just a few clicks and keeps your sales data accurate. Most modern payment methods handle the transfer automatically, so you don’t have to leave your dashboard.

Related guides:

  • How to update an order status

  • Managing your inventory levels

  • Adding private notes to customer orders

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