Return & exchange policy

How it works

1. 1 Start from the kind of shop you are, then make it yours: how many days people have, what they get back with a receipt, a gift receipt or none, the shape things need to be in, what's final sale, and longer for holiday gifts.
2. 2 Try any return in the counter checker: changed their mind, a January gift, no receipt, opened, or broken. It says what your policy answers and draws the purchase on a line, so you see the gaps before a customer finds them.
3. 3 Print the counter sign, copy the receipt footer sized to your till roll and the page for your website, and print stickers, gift slips and a sheet for staff. Change anything and every piece follows, in English, French or both.

Free, with no account. Everything happens on this page: nothing you pick or type is sent anywhere, and the policy is kept on this device only if you tick Remember. What you type into the counter checker is never kept.

Good to know

Do I have to take returns at all?

In Ontario, generally no. There's no general right to return something just because someone changed their mind, so the policy is yours to set (verify). What matters is that people can see it before they pay: on a sign at the till, on the receipt and on your website. Ontario's guide to returns, exchanges and warranties.

Can a final sale sign refuse a faulty item?

No. Ontario's consumer law treats things you sell as having to be of reasonable quality and fit for their purpose, and that can't be signed away (verify). A “final sale” or “no refunds” sign covers changing your mind, not a broken or misdescribed item. That's why every piece here says faulty things are made right, even on final sale.

Why does a gift receipt get credit, not cash?

So the money goes back to the person who paid it, and the gift stays a surprise. The person returning it still gets full value at the price paid, without seeing the price. Gift slips work the same way for shops that don't print gift receipts.

Can store credit expire?

Ontario doesn't let most gift cards expire, and the safest, simplest promise is that store credit never does either (verify). Everything here says so. Ontario's gift card rules.

How do I stop no-receipt returns being abused?

Give store credit at the lowest price the item sold for recently, and keep a simple returns log with the person's name. You can look at ID if you need to, but don't write the number down: it's more personal information than a return needs. If you paid by card, a till can often find the sale without a receipt.

Why longer for holiday gifts?

Gifts bought in November and December get opened on the day, and come back after it. A plain 30 days from purchase would have closed before many of them were unwrapped. The counter checker's “Holiday gift in January” case shows the difference.

I sell online too. Anything different?

Online sales come with their own disclosure rules, including showing your refund and return policy before someone pays (verify). Use the Website piece as its own page, and link it from checkout and your site's footer.

What about Quebec?

Quebec has its own consumer protection rules, and documents for customers are expected in French (verify). Choose Both and every piece carries French. If returns matter a lot to your business, have the wording checked.

Is anything sent or stored?

No. The policy and every piece of wording stay in this tab, and printing goes straight from your browser to your printer. Remember keeps the policy only, in this browser, and you can untick it to forget it.

Is this legal advice?

No. It's plain wording for common return policies, with checks for common gaps, and links to the official pages. If you're not sure about something, ask a lawyer or call Consumer Protection Ontario.

Guidance, not legal advice.