Return/Refund Procedure Template

Return and refund procedure — Consumer electronics (all channels)

Category
Consumer Electronics
Status
Active
Owner
SPSophie Petit
Ref
CS-RET-003 — Effective 01/01/2026

✅ Eligibility criteria

  • Timeframe: Within 14 days of delivery (EU consumer right) or 30 days for loyalty members.
  • Condition: Product in original packaging, all accessories included. Opened products accepted if defective.
  • Proof: Order confirmation email or in-store receipt required. Gift receipts accepted for exchange only.

📝 Processing steps

  1. Agent verifies eligibility (purchase date, product condition, proof of purchase) in CRM.
  2. Agent creates return authorisation (RA) number and sends confirmation email with return label.
  3. Warehouse receives product, inspects condition, and updates RA status within 48 hours.
  4. Decision point: Refund amount above €250? If yes → route to Team Lead for approval. If no → proceed to step 5.
  5. Finance processes refund to original payment method within 5 business days.

⚖️ Approval thresholds

Refund AmountApproverSLA
Up to €250Agent (auto-approved)Immediate
€251 – €1,000Team Lead4 hours
Above €1,000Service Manager24 hours
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Give customer service teams a repeatable format for documenting return and refund procedures — from eligibility criteria through processing steps to exception handling. This template ensures every agent applies the same rules, customers receive consistent answers, and refund decisions are auditable.

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What is a return and refund procedure?

A return and refund procedure is a documented process that defines the rules, steps, and responsibilities for handling product returns, exchanges, and refunds. It specifies eligibility criteria, processing timelines, approval thresholds, and the communication that customers receive at each stage of the process.

Returns and refunds are high-stakes moments in the customer relationship. A clear, consistent process protects the business from policy abuse while ensuring legitimate requests are handled quickly. Without a documented procedure, agents make different decisions for the same situation — one approves a refund, another denies it, and the customer shares the inconsistency on social media. A structured template ensures every agent applies the same criteria and every customer receives a fair, predictable experience.

Who should use this template?

This template is for teams responsible for returns and refund processing:

  • Customer Service Managers — define return policies and ensure agents follow them consistently across channels
  • Support Agents — reference eligibility criteria, processing steps, and exception rules during customer interactions
  • Finance Teams — track refund approvals for reconciliation and fraud prevention
  • E-commerce Managers — align online and in-store return processes into a single documented procedure

What’s included in this template?

The template has two parts: structured metadata fields and the procedure body.

Metadata fields classify each procedure:

  • Procedure name and reference number (e.g. CS-RET-003)
  • Product category or channel
  • Procedure owner
  • Effective date and next review date
  • Status (draft, active, under review)

Procedure body documents the full process:

  • Eligibility criteria — conditions for accepting returns (timeframe, condition, proof of purchase)
  • Processing steps — numbered actions from request receipt through inspection to refund issuance
  • Approval thresholds — refund amounts requiring manager or finance approval
  • Exception handling — rules for damaged goods, warranty claims, and goodwill gestures
  • Customer communication — templates for confirmation emails and status updates at each stage
  • Metrics and reporting — return rates, processing times, and cost tracking

How to create and customise this template in Elium

  1. Open the Template Builder — Go to your profile menu and select the Template Builder tab, or click “+ Create” and choose “Create a new template”.
  2. Set the scope — Choose an icon, enable the template, and decide whether it applies platform-wide or to specific spaces (e.g. Customer Service only).
  3. Add structured fields — Click “Field” to add metadata: text fields for procedure name and reference number, a tag field for product category, a user field for procedure owner, date fields for effective and review dates, and a tag field for status. Mark procedure name and status as mandatory.
  4. Build the procedure structure — Use the “+” button to add content blocks: text blocks for eligibility criteria and exception handling, a numbered list block for processing steps, a table block for approval thresholds (columns: refund amount, approver, SLA), and text blocks for customer communication templates and metrics.
  5. Preview and save — Review the template layout, then save. Service managers can now select it when documenting return procedures, and you can apply it to existing content in bulk.

How AI helps you create and use this template

Capture faster. Paste your existing return policy, FAQ answers, and agent guidelines into Elium’s AI. It restructures the content into a formatted procedure with numbered steps, eligibility criteria, and exception rules — ready for your team to review.

Retrieve smarter. An agent asks Elium’s AI: “Can a customer return an opened electronic product after 20 days?” The AI returns the specific eligibility criteria and exception rules from your refund procedure — a definitive answer, not a guess.

Why teams use Elium for customer service procedures

Return and refund procedures must be accessible the moment a customer contacts support. When policies live in training manuals or PDF folders, agents guess rather than look up the answer. Elium makes procedures findable: structured templates keep every policy in the same format, search lets agents find the right procedure from a customer’s question, and version control ensures everyone follows the current policy.

Fnac Darty — 35,000 employees with 1,800 customer advisors — manages over 2,000 procedures in Elium, achieving 80% first-contact resolution. Agents access consistent return and refund procedures across all channels, ensuring customers receive the same answer whether they contact support online, by phone, or in store.

Frequently asked questions

A refund procedure is a documented process defining the rules and steps for processing customer returns and refunds. Without one, agents make inconsistent decisions that frustrate customers and expose the business to policy abuse. A documented procedure ensures fairness, reduces disputes, and provides auditable evidence of how refund decisions are made.
A complete refund procedure includes eligibility criteria (timeframe, product condition, proof of purchase), numbered processing steps, approval thresholds by refund amount, exception handling for damaged goods and warranty claims, customer communication templates, and reporting metrics for return rates and processing times.
Standardised refund procedures improve customer satisfaction because every request is handled fairly and consistently. They reduce refund fraud because approval thresholds enforce oversight. They accelerate resolution because agents follow documented steps rather than seeking ad-hoc approval. They also provide data for identifying product quality issues.
Start with clear eligibility criteria — timeframe, acceptable condition, required documentation. Number each processing step with a named role and expected timeline. Define escalation thresholds so agents know when to seek approval. Include exception paths for common edge cases. Review the procedure quarterly using return data.
A return policy is the customer-facing document stating the conditions under which returns are accepted — the rules. A refund procedure is the internal document describing how agents process returns step by step — the operational workflow. The policy tells customers what to expect; the procedure tells agents what to do.

Related reading: Read more on our blog