How return inventory is handled for already-shipped Shopify orders
When a Shopify return (including returns created through Redo or other Shopify return apps) syncs into Luminous, it creates a Return Order under the original sales order. Once the return is Received, Luminous automatically adds the returned units back to on-hand stock.
Which orders can be returned
Returns can only be recorded against orders that are Shipped or Partially Shipped, and only up to the quantity that actually shipped (minus anything already returned). Units that never shipped aren't handled as returns. To release them, cancel the line instead.
What you should see after a return
- On Hand goes up by the returned quantity.
- Pending reservations for other open orders aren't touched.
- Available goes up and flows to your sales channels on the next stock push.
If the same return syncs again, or a line comes through with zero quantity, Luminous skips it. You won't get duplicate adjustments.
The two cases
| Return scenario | What Luminous does |
|---|---|
| Line was already shipped (quantity shipped > 0) | Adds the returned units back to on-hand stock via an inventory adjustment. The pending slot for this line was already released when the order shipped, so nothing is deducted from pending. |
| Line was not yet shipped (quantity shipped = 0) | Releases the pending reservation, just like cancelling an unshipped order line. |
| Return covers part shipped, part unshipped | Splits the quantity: the shipped portion is restocked to on-hand; the unshipped portion releases pending. |
Why this matters
Before this correction, returns for already-shipped lines incorrectly decremented pending stock — which is the pool reserved by other open orders. This caused:
- Phantom stock shortages on unrelated open orders.
- Lower-than-actual available quantities pushed to Shopify and other sales channels.
- Returned physical units never appearing back in on-hand inventory.
All three issues are now resolved automatically.
Where the returned stock goes
- If Settings → Inventory → Default Warehouse Group for Return Orders is set, returned units go to that group's default receiving location.
- If it isn't set, Luminous restocks to the warehouse the order originally shipped from.
Checking a return
- Go to Operations → Return/Refund Orders to see the return, its type (Return/Refund), status, and Re-stock details. Expand a row to see the SKUs and quantities.
- Go to Inventory → SKUs and open the returned product.
- Open the Qty Logs tab and set Transaction to ADJUSTMENT ENTRY - RETURN to see the restock entry.
- Check QTY OnHand and QTY Available at the top of the SKU page.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| On-hand did not increase after a return | The order line was not yet marked shipped at the time the return synced | On the sales order, check the Quantity (O/S/S/C) column (Ordered / Submitted / Shipped / Canceled) and the return's status in Return/Refund Orders |
| Stock went to the wrong warehouse | No default return warehouse group is set | Settings → Inventory → Default Warehouse Group for Return Orders |
| Channel quantity didn't update yet | Stock pushes run on a schedule | Wait for the next push, or go to Manage → Channels → [channel] → Product Mapping → Actions → Push All Product Stocks |