SOPFoundry Standard operating procedure Single SOP Build · USD 39
Handling a customer refund request
Support team. Covers refund requests received by any channel, from receipt to completion.
This procedure exists because refunds were being handled four different ways by four people, and two of them were issuing credit notes without recording why. It describes what to do, who decides, and what has to be true before a refund is completed.
Document control
- Document number
- SOP-SUP-014
- Version
- 1.0
- Effective
- 6 October 2026
- Owner
- Support Lead
- Approved by
- Head of Operations
- Next review
- 6 October 2027
- Classification
- Internal
- Supersedes
- None. New document.
Scope
Purpose and scope
This procedure covers refund requests for orders placed through the website, by telephone or by email. It applies to every member of the support team and to anyone covering support.
| In scope | Out of scope |
|---|---|
| Refunds requested within the published returns window | Refunds outside the window, see clause 5.2 |
| Refunds for damaged or faulty goods | Warranty claims after 12 months, escalate to the Head of Operations |
| Partial refunds for missing items | Chargebacks and disputes raised with the card provider |
| Refunds requested by any channel | Trade and wholesale accounts, see SOP-SUP-021 |
| Goodwill credits up to USD 40 | Goodwill above USD 40, which requires approval |
Ownership
Roles and responsibilities
| Role | Responsible for | Authority limit |
|---|---|---|
| Support agent | Receiving, assessing and completing standard refunds | Up to USD 150 |
| Support lead | Approving above limit, goodwill above USD 40, exceptions | Up to USD 600 |
| Head of Operations | Anything above USD 600, all out of window decisions | No limit |
| Finance | Reconciling refunds weekly against the payment record | n/a |
Authority limits are per order, not per item. A single order requiring USD 220 of refund goes to the support lead even if it is four items of USD 55.
Trigger
Inputs required before starting
Do not begin a refund until all five are present. If any is missing, request it and leave the ticket open with the tag awaiting-customer.
- Order number, or enough detail to identify the order in the system
- Which items are being refunded, and the quantity of each
- The reason, recorded in the customer's own words
- For damaged goods, a photograph of the item and the packaging
- Confirmation that the customer wants a refund rather than a replacement
Procedure
Steps
- 4.1
Locate and verify the order
Confirm the order exists, the customer matches the account, and the delivery date. Record the order number on the ticket.
- 4.2
Check the returns window
Thirty days from delivery, not from order. If outside, go to clause 5.2 and do not proceed here.
- 4.3
Determine the refund type
Full, partial, or goodwill. Damaged and faulty goods are always full refunds for the affected items plus any shipping paid on them.
- 4.4
Check the value against your authority limit
Clause 2. If above your limit, assign to the support lead with the assessment complete and do not tell the customer it is approved.
- 4.5
Decide about the return of goods
Items under USD 25 are not returned. Items above USD 25 require return before refund, except for damaged goods, which are never returned.
- 4.6
Process the refund
Refund to the original payment method only. No exceptions, including where the customer asks otherwise. Record the transaction reference on the ticket.
- 4.7
Record the reason code
One of the eight codes in clause 6. This field is mandatory and is the input to the monthly returns review.
- 4.8
Confirm to the customer in writing
Amount, method, and that it takes 5 to 10 working days to appear. Do not promise a shorter period.
- 4.9
Close the ticket
Tagged refund-completed with the reason code. A refund processed but not tagged does not appear in the monthly review.
Exceptions
Exceptions and escalation
| Situation | Action | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Outside the 30 day window | Do not refuse. Assign to the support lead with the full history | Support lead |
| Customer has had 3 or more refunds in 12 months | Flag on the ticket before processing | Support lead |
| Order value above USD 600 | Escalate with your assessment complete | Head of Operations |
| Original payment method closed or expired | Escalate. Do not refund to an alternative method | Finance |
| Customer mentions a legal claim, a regulator or the press | Stop. Do not reply on the substance | Head of Operations, same day |
| Customer is distressed or abusive | Offer to continue by email, end the call politely | Agent, then log it |
| Suspected fraudulent claim | Do not accuse. Process nothing and escalate | Support lead |
The fifth row exists because a legal or regulatory reference changes who should be answering, immediately. Support agents should never be the person responding on the substance of a claim like that, however reasonable the customer sounds.
Records
Reason codes and required records
| Code | Meaning | Return required? |
|---|---|---|
| R01 | Damaged in transit | No |
| R02 | Faulty on arrival | No |
| R03 | Wrong item sent | Yes, prepaid label |
| R04 | Item missing from order | No |
| R05 | Changed mind, within window | Yes, customer pays return |
| R06 | Not as described | Yes, prepaid label |
| R07 | Late delivery | Case by case |
| R08 | Goodwill, no fault | No |
R07 and R08 are the two that get overused. If either exceeds 15 percent of refunds in a month, the monthly review looks at why.
- Order number recorded on the ticket
- Reason code applied, one of the eight
- Refund transaction reference recorded
- Photograph attached where R01 or R02
- Approval recorded where above an authority limit
- Ticket tagged refund-completed
Completion
Completion criteria
This procedure is complete when all of the following are true. A refund that is processed but does not meet these criteria is not complete and will appear as an exception in the weekly finance reconciliation.
- The refund has been issued to the original payment method
- The customer has been told in writing, with the amount and the timescale
- A reason code is recorded
- Any required approval is recorded on the ticket, not given verbally
- Where goods are to be returned, a return has been raised and the customer has the label
- The ticket is closed and tagged
Document control
Revision history
| Version | Date | Author | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 1 October 2026 | SOPFoundry | First issue. Built from process capture interviews with all four support agents and the support lead. |
| 0.3 | 26 September 2026 | SOPFoundry | Draft. Authority limits and reason codes added after review with Finance. |
| 0.2 | 22 September 2026 | SOPFoundry | Draft. Escalation table added following the legal and regulatory question raised by the support lead. |
| 0.1 | 18 September 2026 | SOPFoundry | Initial structure from process capture. |