Returns and Refunds: A Clean Posting Habit for Online Sellers

For online sellers, returns and refunds aren’t just part of business—they’re a key part of keeping your books accurate and your cash flow predictable. But because platforms handle reversals differently (Shopee, Lazada, Shopify, TikTok Shop, etc.), it’s easy for sellers to lose track of which refunds were processed, which are pending, and how they affect actual revenue.

Here’s how to build a clean posting habit for returns and refunds—so your financial records always reflect reality, not rough estimates.

1. Post Refunds as Soon as They’re Confirmed

Don’t wait for month-end reports.
Each time a refund is approved or a return is confirmed by the platform, record it immediately—whether as:

• A negative sales entry for the product’s revenue, or
• A refund expense if you’re tracking reversals separately.

With ccMonet, refunds from Shopee, Lazada, or Shopify are read automatically from your payout statements. The system matches them back to the original order, adjusting your books instantly without manual entry.

2. Match Refunds to Their Original Sales Orders

Clean posting means every refund is linked to its original sale.
This avoids “floating” refunds that distort your revenue trends.

ccMonet uses AI pattern recognition to:

• Match refund amounts and order IDs across marketplaces
• Recognise partial refunds vs. full cancellations
• Tag each reversal to its proper customer order

This keeps both your income statement and item-level tracking accurate, even when refunds cross payout cycles.

3. Separate Refunds From Platform Deductions

Marketplaces often combine multiple adjustments in one payout—fees, vouchers, commissions, and refunds.
If you lump them all under “deductions,” your financials lose clarity.

ccMonet automatically categorises these separately:

• Platform fees → under operating expense
• Refunds/returns → under sales adjustments
• Vouchers or promos → under marketing expense

You’ll see your true net sales and refund ratio every week—without needing a spreadsheet.

4. Use Refund Status Tags to Keep Track

Not every refund is final immediately—some are pending processing, especially for returned goods or dispute cases.

Build a simple 3-tag routine:

• Pending: refund requested or return initiated
• Processed: platform has confirmed refund
• Completed: refund amount reflected in payout

In ccMonet, these statuses update automatically as payouts are reconciled, so you always know which refunds have cleared and which are still waiting.

5. Reconcile Weekly, Not Monthly

Refund patterns change fast—especially during campaigns or flash sales.
A quick weekly review helps you:

• Confirm all processed refunds are matched to payouts
• Spot increasing refund trends early
• Ensure total refunded amount aligns with marketplace statements

ccMonet’s AI Bank Reconciliation handles this automatically—matching refunds from marketplace statements to actual bank deductions and flagging any that don’t align.

6. Review Refund Trends in Your Insights Dashboard

Refund data isn’t just about accuracy—it’s about insight.
ccMonet’s AI Insights lets you track:

• Refund rate by platform
• Top refunded items or categories
• Average refund value over time

This helps you improve product listings, manage quality control, and anticipate return patterns before they impact margins.

Build Refund Discipline Into Your Weekly Routine

Clean refund posting isn’t about more admin—it’s about better visibility.
By recording refunds as they happen, matching them precisely, and reviewing them weekly, you can keep your accounts balanced and your business decisions data-driven.

ccMonet helps online sellers automate refund tracking across Shopee, Lazada, Shopify, and more—turning messy reversal logs into clean, reconciled records.

Fewer surprises, fewer spreadsheets, full control—powered by ccMonet.

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