Choosing How Exchanges Are Processed (Exchange Method)

This setting controls how Exchange It processes approved exchanges in Shopify — either by adding the exchange items to the customer's original order, or by generating a brand-new order for them. Use it to keep order history unified, or to keep exchanges as standalone orders.

Where to find it

Go to Settings > Exchange Requests > Exchange Method.

Set it up

1. Open the Select exchange method setting. This is a toggle between two processing modes, and it defaults to Original order fulfillments (on).
2. Choose one of the two options:
   • Original order fulfillments (default): exchange items are added back to the customer's original order as a new fulfillment. This is the Shopify-recommended approach and keeps a unified order history.
   • New order: a separate Shopify order is created for the exchange items instead.
3. Note the on-screen info banner: switching methods only affects new exchange requests. Exchanges that already exist are not changed.

How these settings work together

Selecting Original order fulfillments unlocks the exchange shipping-charge controls. Specifically, it enables the option to apply a default shipping charge to exchanges, and it enables the default shipping charge amount field itself. When the exchange method is set to New order, these shipping-charge options are not available.

What changes when you turn this on

Your choice is persisted to the shop's app settings as the exchange method flag. When set to Original order fulfillments, approved exchange items are attached to the original order as a new fulfillment rather than spawning a separate order; when set to New order, Exchange It creates a distinct Shopify order for the exchange. Because the change applies only to newly submitted exchange requests, any exchanges already in progress continue to be processed under the method that was active when they were created.