What a refund request form should ask for
Every question on the form should help you answer one of three things: did this person really buy from you, what went wrong, and what do they want now. That means the email used at checkout, the order number, the purchase date, the item or service, the reason, and the amount. Add a field for the outcome they prefer, such as 'Refund to original payment method', 'Store credit' or 'Replacement', because many customers would happily take a swap if you ask. A photo upload is worth including for physical goods. OneSol file questions accept files up to 5 MB each, which is plenty for a phone photo of a cracked box or the wrong item.
Make the form match your refund policy
A refund form only works if it reflects a written refund policy that customers can read before they buy. The policy should state the time window, for example 'Request a refund within 30 days of delivery', which items are excluded, such as personalised goods or opened downloads, who pays return shipping, what condition items must be in, and how long the refund takes once approved. Then mirror those rules in the form. If your window is 30 days, make purchase date a required question. If digital products are final sale, say so in the form description. Link the policy from the form, your checkout page and your order confirmation email, so the terms are never a surprise.
How to set it up online, step by step
Start from this template on OneSol, or describe your store and refund rules to the AI and let it draft the questions. Edit the reasons list so it matches what actually goes wrong with your products, add a preferred outcome question, and mark the order number as required. Publish the form and put the link where customers look for help: the footer of your site, your returns or FAQ page, and the order confirmation email. Customers fill it in without creating an account. Each request then lands in your OneSol dashboard and inbox, so support has one queue to work through instead of requests scattered across email, chat and social messages.
What to do with each request
Set a simple routine and stick to it. First, check the order number and email against your store records. Second, compare the request with your policy: inside the window, eligible item, reason covered. Third, reply to the customer with a decision and the next step, whether that is a return label, a refund confirmation or a request for a clearer photo. Issue the refund through the same payment provider the customer used. Export responses to CSV each month and count the reasons. If 'Not as Described' keeps appearing for one product, the fix is the product page, not faster refunds. That count is the most useful thing the form gives you.
Legal timelines you may be held to
Some rules apply whatever your policy says. In the US, the FTC's Mail, Internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule requires sellers who cannot ship on time to give the buyer the option to cancel and get a prompt refund, generally within seven working days for most payment methods. That rule is about late or unshipped orders, not change-of-mind returns. US customers can also dispute card charges for goods not delivered as agreed, and the FTC says the dispute letter should reach the card issuer within 60 days of the first bill showing the error. In the UK, GOV.UK says online buyers can cancel within 14 days of receiving an item, and refunds are due within 14 days of getting it back.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is a form that asks for too little, so every request needs a follow-up email before anyone can act on it. The opposite mistake is a form so long that customers give up and go straight to their bank or card issuer with a dispute instead. Other problems: no order number field, a reasons list that does not include the real reason, no place to say whether a replacement would be fine, and no confirmation message telling the customer when to expect a reply. Write a short confirmation such as 'We have your request and will reply within 2 business days', and then keep that promise.
Honest legal caveats
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Consumer protection rules on refunds, returns and cancellations differ between countries, and in the US between states, and they can depend on whether you sell physical goods, digital products or services. Your refund policy cannot take away rights the law gives customers where they live. For official guidance, start with the FTC's business guidance pages if you sell in the US, GOV.UK if you sell in the UK, or your own national consumer protection agency elsewhere. If you sell across borders or have an unusual product, ask a lawyer to review your refund policy before you publish it.