The return handling fee is a fixed amount added to a return, deducted from the refund alongside any other fees, to help cover your processing costs. This article explains how to configure it, how it's calculated and displayed, and how to override it for specific orders or rules.
Setting up the handling fee
In the Swap Dashboard, go to Returns > Settings, then the Returns tab.
Under Handling fee, toggle on Enable handling fees.
Enter an amount in Set handling fee — this is the extra surcharge applied to all returns.
Optionally, enter text in Display handling fee as to set the name shown in the returns portal. If left blank, it defaults to "Return processing fees".
Where customers see it
The handling fee appears in the returns portal summary, using the text set in step 4 above.
Where merchants see it
On the RMA page, the handling fee is always shown as a separate line — even if the setting isn't enabled, in which case it displays as £0.00:
Sub-total before deductions
Handling fee to deduct
Refund to be issued
Editing the fee on an individual RMA
Before an RMA is processed, staff can edit the handling fee value in the dashboard. The editable range depends on the return type:
Standard returns and store credit: editable between £0 and the return balance (minus any shipping fee already deducted, plus any gift card bonus applied).
Exchanges with an additional payment, or equal-value exchanges: the handling fee is fixed and cannot be edited.
Changing the fee automatically recalculates the final balance. Once the RMA is processed, only the final balance is used — the fee itself can no longer be changed. If a non-zero handling fee is applied, the RMA history logs a note: "Handling fee deducted from refund (£X.XX)."
Overriding the fee
There are two ways to override the default handling fee for specific cases:
Per order — use How to override return settings for an order to force the handling fee to zero for a single order, regardless of your store's default setting.
Per rule — use the Set Return Handling Fee action in Understanding advanced rules to set a different fee (including zero) based on conditions you define, such as return type or order value. If more than one rule sets a handling fee for the same return, the highest value applies. If a rule sets the fee to zero, the handling fee line is removed from the summary entirely. If no default fee is configured in Settings, a rule-applied fee still uses the default portal text, "Return processing fee", unless you've customised it in Settings.
See How to waive the return handling fee on exchanges if you only want to waive it for exchanges.