Overview
Contrary to what you might think, "Refunds" and "Returns" are actually two different things! In this article, we'll talk about how the two differ, specifically when using Lightspeed.
Refunds and Returns
There are two main differences between refunds and returns; one is based on how they function, and the other is based on how we treat them in the system.
The main difference between refunds and returns functionally is that for a refund, the item is not restocked to your inventory. Returns, meanwhile, involve the actual return of the item, meaning it gets added back to your inventory. If the customer isn't actually returning the item, then it counts as a refund, not a return.
The Modern Retail integrator doesn't actually send refunds down to the POS system. Returns, meanwhile, do get sent to the POS system.
Additionally, there are circumstances where an item may be returned, but cannot be added back to your inventory. Shopify has a flag you can set for this scenario, but other platforms do not.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to submit a support request.