Why Shopify doesn't do it on its own
Orders in Shopify are built around a sale. When an item arrives broken, an item is missing in the package, or the wrong one was sent, there's no built-in way to say "send this again for free". So shops make a new order that looks like a sale, but with nothing to pay.
The free way
- Go to Orders › Drafts and click Create order.
- Add the same products, the customer and the shipping address.
- In the Payment section, click Add discount, tick Add custom order discount and set it as a percentage: 100. The reason you type here is visible to the customer, so keep it short, like "Replacement".
- Add a tag such as
replacementso you can filter these orders later. - In Payment, click Collect payment › Mark as paid, then Create order.
- Open the original order and add a note with the new order number. Add the original number to the new order's note too.
- Fulfil the new order like any other, then email the customer that it's on its way.
Where the free way falls short
- The two orders are only linked by the notes you type. Miss one and the trail is gone.
- There's no reason field, so you can't easily see why replacements happen: damage, lost in transit, wrong item.
- What replacements cost you lives in a spreadsheet, if anyone keeps one.
- It's seven or so steps per replacement, and a busy team skips the tag or the note.
The easier way: RNS Replacement Orders
- Open the order that went wrong and choose More actions › Create replacement.
- Tick the items and how many, pick a reason, add a note, and choose where to ship: the original address or a new one. You can also ask for the damaged item back.
- Click Create. The app makes a $0 order with no payment, so it adds nothing to sales. It's tagged
replacement, linked to the original both ways, stock is taken, and the customer gets a "Replacement on its way" email in your wording.
Home shows how many replacements you sent, what they cost by reason and product, and which products get replaced most.
The Free plan covers 10 replacements a month. Pro is $12 a month with a 14-day free trial: unlimited replacements, plus a monthly cost report by reason and product, and a cost CSV.
What it can't do: the replacement is still a real order in Shopify, just at $0. Check how your ad tools treat $0 orders before you rely on their numbers.
Questions
Does a free replacement count as a sale?
With the app, it's a $0 order with no payment, tagged replacement, so it adds nothing to your sales.
Can I ask the customer to send the damaged item back?
Yes. Tick "Customer sends the damaged item back" when you create it. The order gets a return-expected tag, and you can make this the default for a reason.
How do I undo a replacement I made by mistake?
Cancel the replacement order in Shopify. The app then shows it as Cancelled.
Sources
- Adding discounts to draft orders (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Getting paid for draft orders (checked 6 Oct 2026)