On the bench and at the counter
Returns
Returns in Fixmo is one place for refunds, exchanges and warranty claims. A five-step New return flow finds the purchase, records what comes back and why, and gives money back, store credit, a swap or a warranty claim, with manager approval by PIN at the counter.
Store credit and warranty claims need Pro or Business. Refunds and swaps work on every plan.
What it does
A customer is back at the counter with something they bought. It might be a refund, a swap or a warranty claim, and staff used to pick a different button for each, each window asking its questions in its own order.
New return asks them once, in the same order every time: find the purchase, tick what comes back, say why, choose what the customer gets, confirm. Search by receipt, invoice or repair number, by a serial number, or by the customer's phone or name. On a sale's page, Return fills the sale in.
The four choices for each returned item keep their names, Restock, Damaged, Defective and No Restock, with a line under each saying what it does to your stock. When an item is faulty and still under warranty, Warranty claim is marked Suggested and chosen first. Staff can still pick money back or a swap.
A cashier's refund or swap waits for an admin or manager. They type their PIN on the cashier's screen, or approve from their own account, and the cashier's screen moves on by itself. Paying a refund out stays with the owner unless they give that permission to someone else.
A sale made to a walk-in customer can still end in store credit or a swap. New return asks for a name and a phone number, finds that customer or adds them, and the old sale earns them no loyalty points.
The Returns page lists every refund, exchange and claim, newest first. Above the list, Needs action shows what waits for your approval, what waits for payout, the claims in hand and your own requests.
How a return runs
- 01
Find the purchase
By receipt, invoice or repair number, serial number, or the customer's phone or name.
- 02
What comes back
Full, By Item or By Amount, with the serial numbers ticked.
- 03
Why
The reason, and Restock, Damaged, Defective or No Restock for each item.
- 04
What the customer gets
Money back, store credit, a swap or a warranty claim.
- 05
Check and confirm
Then approval, payout, or the claim it opened, on the same screen.
Every capability
| In one list | Refunds, exchanges and warranty claims, newest first |
|---|---|
| Start from | Returns, New return, or the Return button on a sale |
| Find the purchase by | Receipt, invoice or repair number, serial number, customer phone or name |
| What comes back | Full, By Item or By Amount |
| Item condition | Restock, Damaged, Defective or No Restock, each with a line on what it does |
| Ways back | Money back, store credit, a swap, or a warranty claim |
| Suggested | Warranty claim, when the item is faulty and still under warranty |
| Swap difference | Paid by the customer, paid back, or put on their store credit |
| Walk-in sales | Name and phone asked when a customer record is needed. No loyalty points after the fact |
| Approval | Admin or manager, from their own account or by PIN on the cashier's screen |
| Payout | The owner by default, or anyone given Pay out a refund |
| Needs action | Waiting for approval, Waiting for payout, Claims in hand, Your requests |
| Repairs and part-paid invoices | A warranty claim only, because there is no sale to refund or swap against |
Who it is for
Cashier
Starts any return. Refunds, swaps and claim decisions wait for a manager.
Manager
Approves refunds, swaps and claim decisions, from their account or with their PIN.
Admin
Everything a manager does, pays refunds out, and decides who else may.
Technician
Does not handle returns by default.
Questions
Do staff still choose Full, By Item or By Amount?
Yes. They are the second step. By Amount gives money back with no item coming back, so a swap and a warranty claim are not offered after it.
Can a cashier give money back on their own?
No. A cashier's refund waits for an admin or manager. A manager beside them can type their PIN on the cashier's screen, and the refund is approved in the manager's name.
Who pays a refund out?
The shop owner, by default. A refund approved by a manager waits under Waiting for payout, and the people who can pay it out get a notification. The owner can give Pay out a refund to any role or to one person.
Can a part fitted in a repair be refunded?
No. A part from a repair, or an item on an invoice that is not paid in full, can only go on a warranty claim. There is no sale to refund or swap against.
What if the item is faulty but the warranty has ended?
Fixmo does not suggest a claim, but staff can still choose one. The claim shows the date the warranty ended, because the supplier's own cover may last longer.
Is everything on the Free plan?
Refunds and swaps are. Store credit, putting a swap's difference on store credit, and warranty claims need Pro or Business. On Free, the menu shows Warranty Claims with a PRO label.