Test a return before you launch
Run one order through the whole flow, from portal lookup to approval, so launch day holds no surprises.
What it is
A dry run of your entire returns flow using a test order. You place an order as if you were a customer, return it through the portal, then approve it in the admin. Fifteen minutes, one order, no real money.
Why it matters
Your returns setup has a few moving parts: the policy, the portal, the carrier and the notifications. A test return is the only way to see them work together before a real customer does. It is much nicer to find a missing carrier credential on a Tuesday afternoon than in a support ticket on launch weekend.
What you get
- Confidence that the flow works end to end.
- A chance to read every email your customer will receive.
- A feel for the merchant side: what a request looks like when it lands.
How to run the test
Create a test order in Shopify
In Shopify admin, go to Orders → Create order, add a product, and use your own email as the customer email. Mark it as paid. If your store is not live yet, Shopify's test mode (the Bogus Gateway) works too.
Open the portal as a shopper
Go to your portal (the Open portal button in the Portal section is the quickest way) and choose Enter order number, then give the order number and the email you used. The Find by email path works too. It emails you a verification code, which expires after 15 minutes, then lists your returnable orders.
Pick items and a reason
Select the item, choose a return reason and add a short description. This is also your chance to sanity-check the wording your customers will read.
Choose an outcome and shipping
Pick refund, exchange or store credit, then a return shipping option. With a carrier connected you get a real label or collection booking. Carrier costs are passed through at cost, so a test label costs whatever your carrier charges for it.
Approve it in the admin
Back in Yoyo, the request appears under Returns. Open it, check the details and approve. Watch for the confirmation email arriving as your customer would receive it.
Notes
- If AI triage is enabled and your test return fits the auto-approve rules, it may approve itself. That is the feature working as intended.
- Testing an exchange with a price difference needs Stripe connected first. Without it, exchanges fall back to Shopify's own payment flow.
- Delete or cancel the test order afterwards to keep your reports clean.