Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA)

The Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) feature in Bagisto allows customers and admins to manage post-purchase requests such as returns/refunds and item cancellations within a defined return period. It provides a structured workflow with status tracking, two-way messaging, file attachments, and built-in refund processing.

Admin Configuration

Before using RMA, the admin must configure the feature from the Admin panel.

Configure RMA Settings

Step 1: Navigate to Configure > Sales > RMA in the Admin panel.

Step 2: Configure the following settings:

• Default allowed days — The number of days within which a customer can request an RMA after placing an order. This acts as the fallback return window when no rule applies.
• Return Policy — The return policy shown to customers on the storefront before they submit a return request. This field is locale-based.
• Allowed File Extension — The file types that customers and admins may attach to a return request (for example, product photos or supporting documents). The available options are JPG / JPEG, PNG, and WEBP.
• Allow Reopening Cancelled Returns — When enabled, a customer can resubmit a return that was cancelled; it moves back to Pending Review for a fresh look. When disabled, a cancelled return is final and cannot be reopened.
• Allow Reopening Declined Returns — When enabled, a customer can resubmit a return that the admin declined; it moves back to Pending Review for a fresh look. When disabled, a declined return is final and cannot be reopened.
• Allow Product Type For RMA — Only the selected product types (Simple, Configurable, Bundle, Grouped) are eligible for RMA. The return window is locked in when the order is placed, so changes here apply to future orders only.

RMA Reasons

Reasons are predefined options that customers select when submitting an RMA request. Each reason can be linked to one or more resolution types. Bagisto ships with a set of default reasons such as Manufacturer Defect, Damaged During Shipping, Wrong Description Online, Dead On Arrival, and Product Not Received Yet.

Step 1: Go to Sales > RMA > Reasons.

Step 2: Click Create RMA Reason. The reason form opens in a popup.

Step 3: Fill in the following fields:

• Reason — The display name for the reason (e.g., "Defective Product", "Wrong Item Shipped").
• Status — Enable or disable the reason using the toggle. Only active reasons are shown to customers.
• Position — The display order of the reason in the dropdown.
• Resolution Type — Select one or more resolution types that this reason supports:
  • Return/Refund — Customer wants to return the item for a refund.
  • Cancel Items — Customer wants to cancel specific items from the order (only for non-invoiced items).

Step 4: Click Save Reason.

RMA Rules

Rules let admins define the return period applied to eligible products. Bagisto ships with a default Basic rule with a 10-day return period.

Step 1: Go to Sales > RMA > Rules.

Step 2: Click Create RMA Rules. The rule form opens in a popup.

Step 3: Configure the following:

• Rules Title — The rule name.
• Status — Enable or disable the rule using the toggle.
• Rules Description — A short description of the rule (up to 70 characters).
• Return Period (Days) — The number of days allowed for the return resolution type.

Step 4: Click Save RMA Rules.

RMA Statuses

Statuses represent the stages an RMA request passes through. Bagisto ships with nine default statuses:

Status	Meaning
Pending Review	A newly submitted request awaiting the admin's review.
Approved	The admin has approved the request.
Awaiting Return	The request is approved and the store is waiting for the customer to send the item back.
Return In Transit	The returned package is on its way back to the store.
Refunded	The refund has been processed and the RMA is closed. This is applied automatically by the Refund Item action.
Solved	The customer has marked the request as resolved.
Request Declined	The admin has rejected the request.
Item Canceled	The item has been cancelled and its inventory restored. This is applied automatically by the Cancel Item action.
Request Canceled	The request was cancelled (for example, by the customer from the storefront).

Step 1: Go to Sales > RMA > Statuses.

Step 2: Click Create RMA Status. The status form opens in a popup.

Step 3: Configure the following:

• Title — The status name.
• Status — Enable or disable the status using the toggle.
• Color — A color used to identify the status visually in the RMA grids and on the request detail page.

Step 4: Click Save RMA Status.

Note: The nine default statuses cannot be renamed or disabled — their title and enabled state are locked so the built-in workflow keeps working. You can still change a default status Color. Any custom status you create yourself can be fully edited or deleted.

RMA Custom Fields

Custom fields allow admins to collect additional information from customers during RMA submission (e.g., "Bank Account Details for Refund", "Preferred Replacement Size").

Step 1: Go to Sales > RMA > Custom Fields.

Step 2: Click Add New Field.

Step 3: Configure the following:

• Status — Enable or disable the field using the toggle.
• Label — The display label shown to customers.
• Code — A unique system identifier for the field.
• Position — Sort order for display.
• Type — The input type: Text, Textarea, Date, Select, Multiselect, Checkbox, or Radio. For the Select, Multiselect, Checkbox, and Radio types, you can add one or more Options (each with an option label and value).
• Input Validation — For the Text type, an optional validation rule (Numeric, Email, Decimal, or URL).
• Is Required — Whether this field must be filled before submission.

Step 4: Click Save.

Admin — Managing RMA Requests

Viewing All RMA Requests

Navigate to Sales > RMA > Requests. The DataGrid displays:

• RMA ID
• Order Ref (linked to the order)
• Customer Name (with a guest indicator for guest checkouts)
• Request Status (color-coded)
• Created At

RMA Request Detail Page

Click View on any request to see its full details. The detail page shows information such as:

• Request Details — The request date, the package condition (if the customer provided one), any custom field values, the additional information, and any attached images.
• Item Requested for RMA — The item in the request with its image, price, quantity, resolution type, and reason.
• Order Actions — Context-sensitive buttons to refund or cancel the item (see Processing Order Actions below).
• Conversations — A message history between the admin and the customer, with file attachments.
• Status — The current RMA status shown as a color badge.
• Order Information — Order ID, Order Total, Order Date, and Payment Method.
• Customer Details — Customer name (linked to the customer profile, or marked as a guest) and email.

Updating RMA Status

The admin moves the RMA through its lifecycle from the Change Request Status panel on the right of the detail page. The list of available next statuses depends on the current state and resolution type:

1. Open the Change Request Status panel.
2. Select the next status from the available options.
3. Click Save.

The system enforces a logical flow:

• Pending Review → Approved or Request Declined.
• After a request is Approved, the available neutral statuses depend on the resolution type:
  • Return/Refund requests can move to Awaiting Return, Return In Transit, or Request Canceled.
  • Cancel Items requests can move to Awaiting Return or Request Canceled.

Once an RMA reaches a terminal state (Refunded, Solved, Request Declined, Item Canceled, or Request Canceled), the Change Request Status panel is hidden and no further status changes are possible.

Note: The order-affecting outcomes — Refunded and Item Canceled — are not selectable from the status dropdown. They are triggered by the dedicated Order Actions buttons described below, so the refund or cancellation is processed against the order safely.

Processing Order Actions (Refund / Cancel)

While an RMA is in the Approved, Awaiting Return, or Return In Transit state, an Order Actions section appears on the requested item. The available action depends on the resolution type. These actions affect the order and cannot be undone.

• For a Return/Refund item, click Refund Item. A popup asks for the Refund Shipping amount. After you confirm, the system processes the refund. See the Refund Processing section for details.
• For a Cancel Items item, click Cancel Item. After you confirm, the system cancels the non-invoiced item, restores its inventory, and sets the RMA status to Item Canceled.

Communicating with the Customer

The admin and customer can exchange messages within the RMA request:

Step 1: On the RMA detail page, scroll to the Conversations section.

Step 2: Type your message and optionally use + Add Attachments to attach a file.

Step 3: Click Send Message.

Creating an RMA on Behalf of a Customer

Admins can create an RMA request for any eligible order:

Step 1: On the RMA Requests page, click Create.

Step 2: Select an order from the order DataGrid. The grid only shows eligible orders.

Step 3: Select an item, specify the quantity, and choose a resolution type and reason. For a Return/Refund item, you can also set the Package Condition (Open or Packed).

Step 4: Add any additional information, upload images if needed, and fill in custom fields.

Step 5: Click Save. The customer receives an RMA confirmation email.

Re-opening a Cancelled or Declined RMA

If the configuration allows reopening cancelled/declined requests, the admin can re-open a previously closed RMA:

Step 1: On the RMA detail page, open the Reopen Request panel and select the checkbox.

Step 2: Click Save. The RMA status resets to Pending Review and the customer is notified.

Customer — Managing RMA Requests

Viewing RMA Requests

Step 1: Log in to the customer account.

Step 2: Navigate to Profile > RMA.

Step 3: The RMA list shows all requests with their RMA ID, Order Reference, Request Status, Quantity, and Created At. Each row provides View and Cancel actions.

Step 4: Click View on any request to see its full details.

Creating an RMA Request

Step 1: From the RMA page, click Create.

Step 2: Select an Order from the list of eligible orders. Only orders within the return window and with applicable product types are shown.

Step 3: In the popup, select the item to return. Each RMA request covers a single item, so only one item can be selected at a time. For the selected item, specify:

• Resolution Type — Choose Return/Refund (for a refund) or Cancel Items (to cancel non-invoiced items).
• Reason — Select from the predefined reasons for the chosen resolution type.
• RMA Qty — The number of units to return or cancel.
• Package Condition — For a Return/Refund request, optionally indicate whether the package is Open or Packed.

Step 4: Fill in any Custom Fields configured by the admin.

Step 5: Add Additional Information in the text field.

Step 6: Upload Images as supporting evidence.

Step 7: Agree to the return policy by checking the agreement checkbox.

Step 8: Click Submit request. The RMA is created with Pending Review status, and the admin is notified via email.

Communicating with the Admin

Customers can send messages regarding their RMA request:

Step 1: On the RMA detail page, scroll to the Conversations area.

Step 2: Type a message and optionally use + Add Attachments to attach a file.

Step 3: Click Send Message.

Cancelling an RMA Request

If the request is no longer needed, the customer can cancel it from the RMA list:

Step 1: On the RMA page, click the Cancel action on the request.

Step 2: The status changes to Request Canceled.

Closing an RMA Request

Once the customer is satisfied with the resolution, they can close the request:

Step 1: On the RMA detail page, select Please agree to mark it as solved.

Step 2: Click Save. The status changes to Solved.

Re-opening a Cancelled or Declined RMA

If the admin has enabled Allow Reopening Cancelled Returns or Allow Reopening Declined Returns in the configuration, customers can re-open a cancelled or declined RMA:

Step 1: On the RMA detail page, select the Reopen Request checkbox.

Step 2: Click Save. The status resets to Pending Review.

Refund Processing

A refund is triggered from the Refund Item action on the RMA detail page for an item with the Return/Refund resolution type. After the admin enters the return shipping amount and confirms, the system:

1. Prepares the refund data from the RMA item.
2. Creates a refund entry in the sales refund system.
3. Returns the items to their respective order item records.
4. Sets the RMA status to Refunded.
5. Sends a notification email to the customer.

Email Notifications

The RMA system sends email notifications for the following events:

Event	Recipient	Content
New RMA Request Created	Customer	Confirmation of submission
Admin sends a message	Customer	The message content
Customer sends a message	Admin	The message content
Status Update	Customer	New status and any relevant notes
RMA Re-opened	Customer	Notification that the request was reopened