Processing returns and refunds

The way returns/refunds are processed by and displayed in Ometria depends on the way you choose to send the data to us.

There are two main methods for sending Ometria refunded orders:

1. (Recommended) Update an existing order record
2. Sending a new order with negative values

Your Technical Project Manager will work with you to decide the right method for your brand during your onboarding with Ometria.

Method one: Update an existing order record

This is the preferred method for sending refunds to Ometria and we recommend that you update the original order using the same order ID where possible.

This method has the least impact on your order and revenue reporting metrics. 

When an order is refunded, re-send the order to Ometria as an update, with the same order ID. 

So, if a customer order one item for $50, and then returns it a week later (a full refund), you need to resubmit the entire order with the following parameters set:

"is_valid": "false"
    "status": "refunded"

Or, if a customer orders two items for $50 each, and then returns one item a week later (a partial refund), send an order update with the following:

    "is_valid": "true"
    "status": "partial_refund",
“lineitems”:[{
    "product_id": "472755",
      "quantity": "1",
      "total": "50",
      "unit_price": "50",
      "quantity_refunded": "1",
      "refunded": "50",
      "subtotal": "50"
}]

Processing refunds via API

Here are our step by step guides for sending refunds and cancellations to Ometria via API:

• How to process a full refund
• How to process a partial refund
• How to process a cancelled order
• How to process an order with a cancelled line item

Timestamps

Updating the order timestamps when refunding an order can affect your reporting:

• If you want your reports to show when the order was made, then don't update the timestamps.
• If you want your reports to show when the items were refunded, update the order timestamp.

Example

This is how a refunded order would look in the order details screen using this method:

Method two: Sending a new order with negative values

In this method, rather than updating the order record, you send Ometria a new order record with the refund data in negative values. 

We only recommend this method if you're unable to update the original order.

So, if a customer order one item for $50, and then returns it a week later (a full refund), send a new order as follows:

"status": "refund",
"is_valid": "true",
"grand_total": "-50",
"quantity": "-1",

Or, if a customer orders two items for $50 each, and then returns an item a week later (a partial refund), send an order update with the following:

"Status": "partial_refund",
"is_valid": "true",
"quantity": "1",
"Total": "50",
"unit_price": "50",
"quantity_refunded": "1",
"refunded": "50",
"subtotal": "50",

Example

This is how a refunded order would look in the order details screen using this method.

Original order:

Refunded order:

Reporting on returns and refunds

If you're using method two, your reporting KPIs in Ometria will be slightly inaccurate.

This is because you're sending Ometria two orders rather than one, so metrics like average order value will increase.

Affected metrics:

Segment out refunded orders

Because this method impacts your revenue reporting, we recommend filtering refunded orders out of your reports by using: 

• Has placed an order that matches - Order status - which is - refund

You can also use this method to look at your total orders before returns, i.e. total sales without accounting for negative revenue from returns.

Invalid orders

Automation campaigns only recognise valid orders. 

This means that if you have any post-purchase campaigns, i.e. campaigns that trigger content following up on recent purchases, you should segment out refunds.

See also: Valid orders in Ometria

Discount codes

Ometria calculates all discounts as a negative value, regardless of the +/- value passed.

This means that in a refund, if the discount is passed again then the refunded amount could be less than the refunded amount.