/General Questions
Question
How do you handle refunds, returns and angry customers as a one-person dropshipping store?
Posted by •11/11/2025
This is the part of dropshipping that lowkey freaks me out more than ads.
I keep thinking:
- What if shipping is delayed and customers start spamming my email?
- What if they demand refunds all at once?
- What if someone charges back on PayPal/Stripe and my account gets limited?
Right now I have:
- A basic refund policy I copy-pasted from a template
- No real system for handling tickets (just my Gmail)
- No idea what's “normal” in terms of refund/complaint percentages
For the people doing this solo:
1. How do you structure your refund/return policy so it doesn't destroy your margins but still feels fair?
2. Do you refund before getting the product back or always after?
3. How do you mentally deal with angry customers without burning out?
I want to set this up properly from the start instead of panicking the first time something goes wrong.
I keep thinking:
- What if shipping is delayed and customers start spamming my email?
- What if they demand refunds all at once?
- What if someone charges back on PayPal/Stripe and my account gets limited?
Right now I have:
- A basic refund policy I copy-pasted from a template
- No real system for handling tickets (just my Gmail)
- No idea what's “normal” in terms of refund/complaint percentages
For the people doing this solo:
1. How do you structure your refund/return policy so it doesn't destroy your margins but still feels fair?
2. Do you refund before getting the product back or always after?
3. How do you mentally deal with angry customers without burning out?
I want to set this up properly from the start instead of panicking the first time something goes wrong.
2 Replies
•11/11/2025
Small tip that saved my sanity:
Add this sentence to your order confirmation email:
"Most orders arrive in X–Y business days. If it's been more than Y days, reply to this email and we’ll take care of you."
People chill out a lot just from knowing *when* they're supposed to worry. Otherwise they start emailing you on day 4 like it's a scam.
Add this sentence to your order confirmation email:
"Most orders arrive in X–Y business days. If it's been more than Y days, reply to this email and we’ll take care of you."
People chill out a lot just from knowing *when* they're supposed to worry. Otherwise they start emailing you on day 4 like it's a scam.
•11/11/2025
Good that you’re thinking about this *before* it blows up. Here’s what works for me (solo, 200–400 orders/month):
**1. Have a clear, simple policy (30-day, no essay)**
- 30-day money-back guarantee for defects/damage
- For “I don’t like it” reasons, I either:
- Offer partial refund / store credit, OR
- Ask them to return it to a local address (if I have one)
Key is: don't overcomplicate. Customers hate walls of legal text. Make it:
- Short
- Human
- Easy to understand
**2. Choose your battles**
For cheap items ($20–$30 range), if there’s a legit issue and the customer is clearly frustrated, it's often cheaper to:
- Apologise
- Refund
- Tell them to keep the product
You avoid:
- Return shipping costs
- Arguments
- Time wasted
**3. Use canned responses**
I keep 5–6 pre-written replies for:
- “Where is my order?”
- “I want a refund”
- “Item arrived damaged”
- “I changed my address”
- “I didn’t order this / fraud”
I personalise the first 1–2 lines, then paste the template. Saves hours and keeps emotions out.
**4. Set expectations up front**
On your site + confirmation email:
- Explain shipping time clearly
- Provide tracking link
- Tell them when to worry (“If it's been more than X days, contact us”)
If you set proper expectations early, you get fewer angry emails later.
**5. Mental part**
Angry emails feel personal at first. They're not. They’re just:
- People stressed about their money
- People used to Amazon-speed expectations
Don't match their emotion. Be:
- Short
- Calm
- Solution-focused
Refunds and angry customers are just part of your “ad spend” of doing business.
**1. Have a clear, simple policy (30-day, no essay)**
- 30-day money-back guarantee for defects/damage
- For “I don’t like it” reasons, I either:
- Offer partial refund / store credit, OR
- Ask them to return it to a local address (if I have one)
Key is: don't overcomplicate. Customers hate walls of legal text. Make it:
- Short
- Human
- Easy to understand
**2. Choose your battles**
For cheap items ($20–$30 range), if there’s a legit issue and the customer is clearly frustrated, it's often cheaper to:
- Apologise
- Refund
- Tell them to keep the product
You avoid:
- Return shipping costs
- Arguments
- Time wasted
**3. Use canned responses**
I keep 5–6 pre-written replies for:
- “Where is my order?”
- “I want a refund”
- “Item arrived damaged”
- “I changed my address”
- “I didn’t order this / fraud”
I personalise the first 1–2 lines, then paste the template. Saves hours and keeps emotions out.
**4. Set expectations up front**
On your site + confirmation email:
- Explain shipping time clearly
- Provide tracking link
- Tell them when to worry (“If it's been more than X days, contact us”)
If you set proper expectations early, you get fewer angry emails later.
**5. Mental part**
Angry emails feel personal at first. They're not. They’re just:
- People stressed about their money
- People used to Amazon-speed expectations
Don't match their emotion. Be:
- Short
- Calm
- Solution-focused
Refunds and angry customers are just part of your “ad spend” of doing business.