Returns and claims cover the messy part of commerce that happens after the checkout is over.

Openfront treats those as structured workflows, not just support notes in an inbox.

Returns

Returns are for the normal post-purchase case: the customer does not want the item anymore, sent the wrong size back, or needs a standard refund path.

That flow can include:

• return reasons
• inspection status
• restock decisions
• refund handling tied to payment providers

Claims

Claims are for cases where something actually went wrong:

• damaged products
• defective products
• incorrect items
• shipping-related issues

Claims can include:

• uploaded images
• resolution tracking
• refund or replacement actions
• lifecycle status from opening to resolution

Why the distinction matters

Not every return is a claim, and not every claim is just a refund.

Keeping those separate helps operations, reporting, and customer support stay clearer. It also makes it easier to automate the right next step instead of pushing everything through one generic after-purchase bucket.

In the dashboard

Store staff can review active returns and claims from the order-management side of the dashboard and work through the records that need attention.