Narvar Shopify Collective Integration – Narvar

Overview

Shopify Collective enables collaboration between Shopify stores, allowing them to sell each other's products seamlessly through Shopify. Narvar's Return Method Rules and Locations allow for flexible return processing by supporting the return of different items from the same order to various locations. This feature makes it possible to route returned items directly to the supplier rather than your warehouse when necessary.

Contact your Narvar CSM to activate Shopify Collective. Once activated, complete the setup steps below.

How it works

Customers use your existing customer return portal to return supplier items.
- Customers will see Vendor/Collective name on each item within the order
When a customer initiates a return on your portal for a supplier item, Shopify automatically creates a return in the supplier's admin, eliminating the need for manual work and one-off communications. This lets suppliers know they can expect a return in their warehouse. Both orders to show as a return in progress.
Once the supplier completes the return in Shopify, the return will be marked as Approved in Narvar.
If your refund policy is set to refund upon "Approved," the refund to the customer will then be processed. If you have other refund rules set, the orders will be processed accordingly.

Setup

To facilitate Shopify Collective returns via Narvar, you must configure the following:

Return Locations for your Collective supplier warehouse.
Configure the desired Carrier return label to be used for Collective returns.
Return eligibility rules and return method rules.

Setup Steps

While Collective returns can utilize any valid carrier credential capable of label generation, Retailers are strongly encouraged to utilize their own accounts. The Retailer is responsible for the carriage costs and label generation infrastructure.

Routing Logic: You may designate a specific carrier or service level exclusively for Collective returns (e.g., routing all vendor returns through a specific FedEx account) or allow them to default to your standard return carrier.

Carrier-Specific Constraints

FedEx Certification: For standard onboarding, FedEx production credentials require a formal certification process. Labels will fail to generate until this process is finalized.
USPS Address Management: USPS return addresses are hardcoded within the USPS system. Any updates to return locations must be managed directly via USPS. In contrast, FedEx and UPS return locations sync automatically with the application.

Return Locations

Narvar looks at the locations configured in your Shopify Settings to determine the appropriate return address when generating labels for the customer. Follow the steps below to set up your Narvar settings for Shopify Collective returns:

Add your supplier warehouses as locations in your Shopify store locations.
Navigate to Settings > Advanced > Shopify Collective Fulfillments.
Click Sync Locations to sync locations from Shopify Locations.

Scroll down to Service Name/Return Location.
The Service Names should match your Shopify Collective vendor names.
Use the dropdown under Return Location to match a return address to the service name.
Toggle enabled.

Return rules

Return Restriction Rule - Prevent exchanges for Collective items

This rule hides the exchange option from customers when a Collective item is selected, instead they will be presented with return reasons for the refund. To create this rule:

Navigate to the Narvar Return & Exchange app.
Click Settings > Return Policy > Eligibility Rules.
Click Create Return Restriction and complete the following 2 conditions:
- Order - Has Shopify Collective Items - True
- Line Item - Is an exchange - True

Return Method Rule - Return labels for Collective items are generated with the Collective vendor address

This rule will provide a return label for each collective vendor return, a return label and packing slip will be generated on submission with the return address configured in the previous steps. Configure a return method rule that indicates if an order has Shopify Collective items, then the items should be returned by mail to the specified supplier warehouse. To create this rule:

Navigate to the Narvar Return & Exchange app.
Click Settings > Return Policy > Return Method Rules.
Click Create Return Method Rule and complete the following:
- Order - Has Shopify Collective Items - True
- Check By Mail - Shopify Vendor Collection location - select the carrier/service method configured in previous steps

This rule can co-exist with other return method rules so that if a return has Collective and Non-Collective items, multiple labels will be generated for the configured return location. Once this rule is set, you do not need to create additional return method rules related to routing returns for future Collective vendors.

FAQ

How do refunds and fees work for Collective returns?

Refund methods and fees operate the same as standard returns, following the rules that have been configured in settings. Specific fees or refund methods for Collective returns can be configured but this is not required for a customer that placed a Collective return to send back their item.

Example: If a return has Collective items, charge a higher shipping label fee
Example: If a return has Collective items, only allow refunds to a gift card