A returns and refund policy written so an AI agent quotes it correctly every time: the six lines it needs, the words to avoid, and a template to adapt
Most returns policies were written to protect the business from lawyers, not to be read by customers or quoted by software. The result is an agent that hedges and a customer who argues. A policy that can be quoted is short, concrete and answers the six questions customers actually ask.
Quick answer
Write the policy as six plain lines: the return window and when it starts; the condition required; who pays return shipping and how it is arranged; how and when the refund is paid; what is excluded; and how to start a return. Avoid "at our discretion", asterisks, and anything that needs a human judgement to interpret. Put the same text on your website, in your order confirmation and in the agent's knowledge base, so there is one version of the truth. The template below adapts to shops, services and digital products. An AI agent quotes it exactly and hands over the exceptions.
The six lines
- Window. "Returns accepted within 14 days of delivery" (not "of purchase", which starts arguments about shipping time).
- Condition. "Unused, in original packaging with tags" or "worn once indoors is fine". Pick and say it.
- Shipping. "You pay return shipping unless the item is faulty or we sent the wrong one, in which case we send a prepaid label."
- Refund. "Refunded to the original payment method within 5 working days of receiving the return." Store credit if that is your policy, stated as such.
- Exclusions. A short list: personalised items, sale items if you exclude them, hygiene products, digital downloads once accessed.
- How to start. "Message us here with your order number and reason; we reply with the return address or label."
Words that break quoting
- "At our discretion." The agent cannot exercise discretion, so it hedges. Replace with the rule you actually apply.
- Asterisks and footnotes. They separate the condition from the line it modifies; the agent may quote one without the other, as explained in how agents read documents.
- "Reasonable", "promptly", "may". Replace with numbers and "will".
- Legal boilerplate about statutory rights. Keep it on the website's legal page; the agent's version is the plain one, with a line that statutory rights are unaffected.
The template
Returns and refunds.
You can return any item within {14} days of delivery.
Items must be {unused and in original packaging with tags attached}.
Return shipping is paid by you, except when the item is faulty or we sent the wrong item; then we send a prepaid label.
Refunds go to your original payment method within {5} working days of our receiving the return. {Or: Refunds are issued as store credit.}
We cannot accept returns of {personalised items, hygiene products, sale items, digital products once downloaded}.
To start a return, message us here with your order number and the reason; we will reply with the return address or label within one business day.
Your statutory rights are not affected.
For services: replace the window with the cancellation notice period and the refund with your deposit rule; see the deposit and cancellation templates. For digital products: state the refund window and the condition (not yet downloaded or accessed).
What the agent does with it
Quotes the relevant line when asked, collects the order number, reason and photos to start a return, and hands over anything outside the policy or disputed. The decision on borderline cases stays human; the process is in handling refund and return requests. Check the three places the policy lives (website, confirmation, knowledge base) match word for word whenever you change it.
Frequently asked questions
What must a returns policy include for an AI agent to quote it?
The window and when it starts, the condition, who pays shipping, the refund method and timing, exclusions, and how to start a return, each as one plain line.
Why does "at our discretion" cause problems?
The agent cannot exercise discretion, so it hedges and the customer argues. State the rule you actually apply.
Where should the policy live?
On the website, in the order confirmation and in the agent's knowledge base, identical in all three.
Can the agent decide a return?
It quotes the policy and collects the details. Borderline and disputed cases are handed to a person.
Does this work for services?
Yes. Replace the window with a cancellation notice period and the refund with your deposit rule.
One policy, quoted the same way every time
Put it in the knowledge base and the agent handles returns intake. 7-day free trial, no card.
Sources and further reading
- Harvard Business Review, The Short Life of Online Sales Leads (Oldroyd, McElheran, Elkington, 2011) · firms that responded within an hour were about seven times more likely to qualify the lead
- WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy · opt-in, opt-out and prohibited-use rules every business must follow
ReplyKit is an independent product and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta or WhatsApp. This article is general guidance for running a small business, not legal, financial or regulatory advice.