Return merchandise authorization form template for shops

A return begins with a parcel on the doorstep and an email that says "this is wrong". Your warehouse needs to know what comes back, in what state and why, before it arrives. I would rather have those answers in a list.

Use this when

Customers return goods you must inspect first: clothing, electronics, gifts and anything with a condition rule. You want to approve before they ship.

Skip it when

You accept every return with no questions. A contact form is enough for that.

What it asks and why

Order number and arrival date: to check the return window yourself.
Items and reason: a pick-list you can count to see why things come back.
Condition and packaging: what your warehouse will meet at the door.
Refund, exchange or credit: decides which team handles it.
How it will be sent back: post, pickup or drop-off, so you plan the label.

The form makes no authorization number. You reply with your own.

What a customer's AI would ask

"What is your order number?" Then "Why are you returning it?" Then "What condition is it in?" It shows all answers and sends only after a yes. See agent-fillable forms.

Faulty goods under warranty belong in a warranty claim form. Exchanges for sold-out sizes can go on a waitlist. More ideas are in forms for Ecommerce and Shopify stores.

Questions

Does the form create an RMA number?

No. It gathers the request. You review it, then reply with your own authorization number and return address.

How do I handle exchanges?

The form asks what the customer wants instead. Filter the CSV by that answer, send exchanges to your stock list and send refunds to your payment tool.

Can I require the original packaging?

Say so in the form description. The form has a packaging tick, but it cannot block a return, so check each row yourself.

Or paste the JSON

Give this to your AI. It needs the AI Form API MCP server or an API key. It makes the form and sends you the link.

text

Create this form with the AI Form API create_form tool (or POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms with my API key). Then reply with the public_url.

{
  "title": "Start a return",
  "description": "Tell us what you would like to send back. We will review your request and reply with the next steps.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "returner_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "returner_email",
      "label": "Email used for the order",
      "type": "email",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "original_order",
      "label": "Order number",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "arrived_on",
      "label": "When did the order arrive?",
      "type": "date"
    },
    {
      "id": "items_returning",
      "label": "Which items are you returning, and how many?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "return_cause",
      "label": "Why are you returning them?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "Wrong size or fit",
        "Not as described",
        "Damaged on arrival",
        "Faulty",
        "I ordered by mistake",
        "It arrived too late"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "item_state",
      "label": "What condition are the items in?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "Unopened, in original packaging",
        "Opened but unused",
        "Used",
        "Damaged"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "wanted_outcome",
      "label": "What would you like instead?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "A refund",
        "An exchange for another size or colour",
        "An exchange for a different product",
        "Store credit"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "exchange_for",
      "label": "What would you like in exchange?",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "send_back_method",
      "label": "How will you send it back?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "I will post it myself",
        "I would like a pickup",
        "I will drop it at a store"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "original_packaging",
      "label": "I still have the original packaging",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "condition_photo",
      "label": "A link to a photo of the items",
      "type": "url",
      "help": "Store the photo online and paste the link."
    }
  ]
}

Or call the API

bash

curl -X POST https://aiformapi.com/v1/forms \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AIFORMAPI_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"title":"Start a return","description":"Tell us what you would like to send back. We will review your request and reply with the next steps.","fields":[{"id":"returner_name","label":"Your name","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":150},{"id":"returner_email","label":"Email used for the order","type":"email","required":true},{"id":"original_order","label":"Order number","type":"short_text","required":true,"max_length":100},{"id":"arrived_on","label":"When did the order arrive?","type":"date"},{"id":"items_returning","label":"Which items are you returning, and how many?","type":"long_text","required":true,"max_length":1000},{"id":"return_cause","label":"Why are you returning them?","type":"single_choice","required":true,"options":["Wrong size or fit","Not as described","Damaged on arrival","Faulty","I ordered by mistake","It arrived too late"]},{"id":"item_state","label":"What condition are the items in?","type":"single_choice","required":true,"options":["Unopened, in original packaging","Opened but unused","Used","Damaged"]},{"id":"wanted_outcome","label":"What would you like instead?","type":"single_choice","required":true,"options":["A refund","An exchange for another size or colour","An exchange for a different product","Store credit"]},{"id":"exchange_for","label":"What would you like in exchange?","type":"short_text","max_length":200},{"id":"send_back_method","label":"How will you send it back?","type":"single_choice","options":["I will post it myself","I would like a pickup","I will drop it at a store"]},{"id":"original_packaging","label":"I still have the original packaging","type":"checkbox"},{"id":"condition_photo","label":"A link to a photo of the items","type":"url","help":"Store the photo online and paste the link."}]}'

JSON definition

json

{
  "title": "Start a return",
  "description": "Tell us what you would like to send back. We will review your request and reply with the next steps.",
  "fields": [
    {
      "id": "returner_name",
      "label": "Your name",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 150
    },
    {
      "id": "returner_email",
      "label": "Email used for the order",
      "type": "email",
      "required": true
    },
    {
      "id": "original_order",
      "label": "Order number",
      "type": "short_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 100
    },
    {
      "id": "arrived_on",
      "label": "When did the order arrive?",
      "type": "date"
    },
    {
      "id": "items_returning",
      "label": "Which items are you returning, and how many?",
      "type": "long_text",
      "required": true,
      "max_length": 1000
    },
    {
      "id": "return_cause",
      "label": "Why are you returning them?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "Wrong size or fit",
        "Not as described",
        "Damaged on arrival",
        "Faulty",
        "I ordered by mistake",
        "It arrived too late"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "item_state",
      "label": "What condition are the items in?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "Unopened, in original packaging",
        "Opened but unused",
        "Used",
        "Damaged"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "wanted_outcome",
      "label": "What would you like instead?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "required": true,
      "options": [
        "A refund",
        "An exchange for another size or colour",
        "An exchange for a different product",
        "Store credit"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "exchange_for",
      "label": "What would you like in exchange?",
      "type": "short_text",
      "max_length": 200
    },
    {
      "id": "send_back_method",
      "label": "How will you send it back?",
      "type": "single_choice",
      "options": [
        "I will post it myself",
        "I would like a pickup",
        "I will drop it at a store"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "original_packaging",
      "label": "I still have the original packaging",
      "type": "checkbox"
    },
    {
      "id": "condition_photo",
      "label": "A link to a photo of the items",
      "type": "url",
      "help": "Store the photo online and paste the link."
    }
  ]
}

Return merchandise authorization form template for returns