This article explains how Swap handles returns for pre-order items — purchases that a customer has made but that have not yet been dispatched.
How pre-order items are identified
Swap identifies pre-order items using the pre-order tag applied in Shopify. When a customer initiates a return, the system checks each item for this tag and applies pre-order handling accordingly.
Items that are unfulfilled but do not carry the pre-order tag are treated as regular unfulfilled items and are not eligible for pre-order return handling.
What customers experience
Because pre-order items have not been dispatched, customers do not need to send anything back. The return portal reflects this:
No return label is generated for pre-order items
No carrier is shown on the return summary screen
The item is marked as a pre-order in the portal throughout the return flow
The customer receives a refund for the item without needing to arrange a physical return.
Mixed returns
When an order contains both pre-order and regular (fulfilled) items, both can be included in the same return request.
Pre-order items: no shipping required — no return label or carrier applies to these items
Regular items: the standard return process applies — a return label is generated and the customer selects a carrier
The carrier selection and return label on the summary screen apply only to the regular items in the return.
Restocking
Pre-order items are automatically unchecked for restocking by default, as the item was never dispatched. Merchants can manually select to restock a pre-order item if needed.
For mixed returns, restocking settings apply to regular items as normal. Pre-order items remain unchecked by default regardless of store restock settings.
RMA and email notifications
The pre-order tag is visible on the RMA for each returned pre-order item.
For returns that contain only pre-order items, no return confirmation email is sent — there are no shipping instructions to communicate to the customer.
For mixed returns, the confirmation email covers the regular items. Return label and carrier information in the email applies only to the regular items in the return.
Exchanges
Exchanges for pre-order items are not blocked by default in the portal. Merchants who want to prevent exchanges on pre-order items can do so using an Advanced Rule.
If your store uses billing on dispatch for pre-order items, we recommend using an Advanced Rule to block exchanges on pre-order items. This prevents a scenario where an exchange order is fulfilled and billed at £0 because the original item was not yet charged.