Where to find it
Settings > Returns > Policies, under Return Policies.
[Screenshot: Policies tab — Return reasons list with drag handles and icons]
What this is
Onward ships with four default reasons: no longer needed, not what I expected, received the wrong item, and product was damaged.
Drag the handle to reorder
Click the pencil to edit a reason, or the trash icon to delete one
Click Add a return reason to create a new one
The icons beside each reason show what's required — a speech bubble for comments, a camera for photo evidence.
Sub-reasons
Expand a reason to add sub-reasons. Under "Not what I expected" you might add too small, too large, color didn't match, and quality not as expected. Sub-reasons produce more actionable data than top-level reasons alone — a size-related pattern points at the size chart, a color pattern at photography.
Comment requirements
Set per reason and per sub-reason:
Option | Behavior |
Don't ask | No comment field shown |
Ask | Optional comment field |
Required | The customer must comment to continue |
Sub-reasons inherit the strictest requirement from their parent and can't be set less strict.
Photo evidence
Any reason can require a photo upload. Commonly enabled for damage and wrong-item reasons, where a photo speeds up review and supports supplier or carrier claims.
What the customer sees
The customer picks a reason for each item they return, then any sub-reason, comment, or photo your configuration requires.
[Screenshot: Return portal — reason selection step]
Writing reasons
Use the customer's language rather than internal categories.
Avoid overlap — if two options could describe the same situation, the data becomes unreliable.
Keep the top-level list short and put detail in sub-reasons.
Related settings
Randomize return reason order — reduces bias toward whichever option is listed first