What to Put in Your Store's Shipping and Returns Policies
By Savora Finance · Reviewed 2026-11-08
Clear policies reduce questions, disputes and abandoned carts. Here is what each page should cover, with example wording you can adapt.
Why policies matter more than they seem
Shoppers read your shipping and returns pages before they trust a store they have not bought from. Clear rules answer the question "what if something goes wrong?" before it is asked. They also protect you, because they set expectations for both sides and give you something to point to if a dispute comes up. The pages need not be long. They need to be specific.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Requirements differ by country and by product, so check them for where you sell or ask a qualified adviser.
The shipping policy
Cover these points:
- Where you ship. Which countries or regions, and any you do not serve.
- Handling time. How long it takes you to pack and send an order, for example "1 to 3 business days." Use a time you can reliably meet.
- Delivery time and cost. What each shipping option costs and its usual transit time. Say that carrier estimates are not guarantees.
- Tracking. Whether customers receive a tracking number and when.
- International orders. Who pays customs duties or import taxes, if you ship abroad.
- Problems. What to do if a parcel is late, lost or arrives damaged, and how long they have to tell you.
Example wording: "Orders ship within 2 business days. Standard delivery within the US usually takes 3 to 7 business days after dispatch. You will receive a tracking link by email. If your parcel has not arrived 14 days after dispatch, contact us and we will help."
The returns and refunds policy
- Return window. How many days after delivery a customer may return an item.
- Condition. Whether items must be unused, in original packaging, or with tags attached.
- Non-returnable items. Custom, personalised, perishable or hygiene-related products are often excluded. State this clearly on the product page as well.
- Return shipping. Who pays, for ordinary returns and for faulty or wrong items.
- How refunds work. Refund to the original payment method, how long it takes, and whether original shipping is refunded.
- How to start a return. An email address or form, and what information to include.
Example wording: "You may return unused items in original packaging within 30 days of delivery. Contact us at the address below to start a return. If the item is faulty or we sent the wrong one, we pay return shipping. Refunds go to your original payment method within 7 business days after we receive the item. Custom orders cannot be returned unless faulty."
Privacy and contact pages
You collect personal information as soon as someone checks out or joins an email list, so a privacy page is expected and, in many places, required. It should say what you collect, why, who it is shared with (your payment provider, shipping carrier and email tool, for example), and how people can ask for their data to be removed. A contact page with a working email address builds trust. Shopify provides policy templates in its settings that you can start from, but read and edit them for your own business.
Where to put them
- Link the policies in your store footer so they appear on every page.
- Mention shipping time and cost on each product page, so shoppers do not have to hunt for them.
- Show a short summary at checkout, such as expected delivery dates.
Using Claude to draft them
An AI assistant can write a clean first draft quickly. Give it your actual rules: "Draft a returns policy for a small online store selling handmade candles. Return window 30 days, unused items only, customer pays return shipping unless the item is faulty, refunds in 7 business days. Use plain language and short paragraphs." Then check every line against what you really intend to do. A policy you cannot follow is worse than none. Get legal review if your product is regulated or you sell in several countries.
Mistakes to avoid
- Copying another store's policy word for word. Their rules may not be yours.
- Promising delivery dates you do not control.
- Hiding the cost of return shipping.
- Leaving policies unchanged after your business changes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a returns policy if I sell custom items?
You still need one that explains what is and is not returnable. Rules for faulty goods may apply regardless. Check what applies where you sell.
Should I offer free shipping?
Only if the price covers it. Many sellers raise product prices slightly instead of charging for shipping, or offer free shipping above a set order value. Our pricing guide shows how to include shipping in your math.
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Ready to test your idea? Open a Shopify store, and use its Claude connector to help build it.
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