Return questions that show why items come back
Ask shoppers why they sent an item back, how the return went and how long the refund took. Each question below comes with when to ask it and what the answer tells you.
What returns survey questions tell you
Returns survey questions ask shoppers why an item came back, how easy it was to send and how they feel about your store afterward. A return costs you twice, in shipping and in a lost sale, and the reason behind it often points at a fix on the product page, such as a better size guide or clearer photos.
Ask the reason when the return starts, on your returns page or in the first return email, and the questions about the refund once the money is back. Three to five questions at each point is enough. Keep the photo upload for damaged or wrong items, shown with logic after those reasons.
Each written answer gets a category, a theme, a type such as complaint or idea, and a sentiment, and each response an urgency. Selecting a reason in Results filters the whole page to the shoppers who gave it, so you can read only the answers about damaged items, for example.
- Questions
- 14
- Best asked
- When the return starts, then after the refund
- Industry
- E-commerce
- Where to find them
- From library in the Usertick survey editor, on every plan
The 14 returns and refunds questions, with when to ask each
Grouped by what they tell you. Use them as they are or change the wording.
Why the item came back
Ask the reason first and what would have prevented it, so each return points at a product page, a parcel or a size guide.
- 01Multiple choice
Why did you return the item?
Ask it as the return starts, on the returns page or form. Results shows the share of each reason, and a rising share for an item described wrongly points at the product page rather than the product.
- 07Multiple choice
What would have avoided the return?
Shoppers can pick several fixes, from a better size guide to a video. Bars show each share, so the product team sees which page change would avoid the most returns. The Nothing option keeps shoppers from inventing a reason.
- 14Date
When did the item arrive?
The day the item arrived, picked on a calendar. Compare it with the return date to see how quickly shoppers decide, and with your own delivery data for late arrivals.
- 13File upload
Upload a photo of the item you are returning
A photo of the item being returned, attached to the answer. Use logic to show it only for damaged or wrong items. File upload is on every plan, 1 per survey on Free, and location data is removed from the photo.
How easy the return was
These questions follow the return from the instructions to the drop-off, so you can see which step made it hard.
- 02Customer effort
How easy was the return?
A customer effort score for the whole return, asked once the item has been sent. Results shows the average and the share who found it easy, a number to follow after you change carrier or label.
- 06Stars
How clear were the return instructions?
Rates the instructions on their own. Read the low ratings beside the effort answers to see whether the label, the packing steps or the drop-off was unclear.
- 08Dropdown
How did you send it back?
Which way the item went back. Results shows the share for each route, and the share still to send tells you how many shoppers started a return and stopped.
- 05Emoji
How did the return process feel?
A row of faces for how the return felt, quick to tap inside the return email itself. It catches frustration that an effort score misses, such as a curt reply from support.
- 10Text
What would have made the return easier?
An open question for the step that annoyed the shopper. Each answer arrives with a theme and a sentiment, so complaints about labels, drop-off points or refunds are easy to filter.
The refund and what shoppers prefer
Ask about the money once it is back, and which options shoppers would choose before you change your return policy.
- 03Ruler
How many days did the refund take?
The days from sending the item to seeing the money, on a ruler. Results shows the median and the middle half. Ask it once the refund is due, or the slow cases won't have an answer yet.
- 04Yes / No
Was the return free?
A yes or no about return shipping costs. Filter by No to see whether shoppers who paid for the return rate the rest of it lower.
- 11This or that
For a return you would rather
Two pairs: a refund or store credit, and a printed label or a QR code. The split bar per pair shows what shoppers prefer before you change the default.
Trust after the return
Two questions on whether the shopper will come back, read best beside how easy the return was.
- 09Yes / No
Would you shop with us again after this return?
The question that matters most after a return. Select No in Results to read everything those shoppers said, and give their responses an owner in the inbox.
- 12Big scale
How much did the return affect your trust in us?
How much one return shifted trust, on a scale of 1 to 10. Ask it after the refund arrives. A column per step in Results shows whether most returns leave trust where it was.
Tips for asking about returns and refunds
Small choices that get honest, useful answers.
- 01
Ask the reason at the start
Put the reason question on the returns page or form, when the shopper knows exactly why. Asked weeks later, the answer turns vague.
- 02
Ask about the refund after it lands
Send the refund and trust questions once the money is back. Before that, the honest answer is still waiting.
- 03
Feed reasons back to product pages
Send each month's return reasons to whoever writes the product pages, sorted by item, so the size guide or photos change first where returns are highest.
- 04
Keep the return survey short
Three to five questions per message is enough. A shopper who is already annoyed won't fill in a long form.
Add these questions to a survey
From the library to the first answers.
- 1
Open the library
In the Usertick survey editor, choose From library, filter by industry and topic, and add several questions at once.
- 2
Or paste your own list
Paste questions reads up to 10 questions from any text on Free, 100 on Starter and 200 on Pro and above, keeps your wording and picks an answer type for each.
- 3
Choose where it runs
Show the survey on your website, send it by email, share its link and QR code, or switch it to a conversation.
- 4
Read the answers
Results counts every score and choice, and Usertick reads each written answer and files it by topic, on every plan.
Templates and more questions about returns and refunds
Full surveys that ask about the same things, and neighboring topics in the library.
Templates
Browse all templatesFrequently asked questions
Ask the reason when the return starts and the refund questions once the money is back. Usertick sends to a contact list now or on a date up to 30 days ahead, with no automatic send when a return is logged, so send in daily or weekly batches.
Yes, for several types. NPS, Stars, CES, Emoji, Yes / No, Multiple choice and Dropdown questions can be answered inside the email itself.
Start with the reason, the effort score and the open question about what would have made it easier. Add the refund questions once the first answers come in.
Yes, on every plan. Add the file upload question (1 per survey on Free), and the photo arrives with the answer, with its location data removed.
Yes. The question library comes with every plan, the free plan included, and the free plan covers 150 responses a month across your surveys.
Yes. Once a question is in your survey, reword it, change its options or its answer type, and add logic to skip it for some answers.
Yes. The library is translated into Usertick's built-in languages, and in any other language it shows in English for you to translate.
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