Automation Examples & Recipes Cookbook

Overview

Automation rules in Corso give brands complete control over how claims are processed, fees are applied, and customers are handled. This guide walks through a collection of practical automation recipes - each one a real-world scenario with step-by-step setup instructions you can follow directly in your Corso admin.

Navigate to Settings -> Automations to build and manage all rules referenced below.

Recipe 1: Auto-Finalize Low-Risk Claims

Scenario: Skip the manual review process for claims that are low value, low risk, and have already been dropped off at a carrier - reducing rep workload on straightforward claims.

Rule Type: Auto-Finalize Claim

Setup

1. Go to Automations -> Auto-Finalize Claim and create a new rule.
2. Title it (e.g., “Low Risk Auto-Finalize”).
3. Add the following conditions:
   • Shipment Return Status = In Transit
   • Claim Total Value is less than $50
   • Claim Risk Level = Low
4. Optionally add a Requested Resolution Method condition (e.g., Gift Card or Exchange) if you want to exclude refunds.
5. Save and enable the rule.

Result

Claims that meet all three criteria are automatically finalized once the return label is scanned at the carrier - no rep action required.

Recipe 2: Auto-Finalize Low-Value Warranty Claims

Scenario: For low-cost warranty claims that do not require a physical return, automatically issue a gift card resolution without any manual touchpoints.

Rule Type: Auto-Finalize Claim + Tag Claim

Setup

Step 1 - Set the default resolution method

1. Go to Settings -> Warranties.
2. Change the default requested resolution method to Gift Card.

Step 2 - Build the auto-finalization rule

1. Go to Automations -> Auto-Finalize Claim and create a new rule.
2. Set the trigger to On Claim Creation.
3. Add the following conditions:
   • Claim Type = Warranty
   • Claim Total Value is less than $50 (or your preferred threshold)
4. Save and enable the rule.

Step 3 - Tag the claim (optional but recommended)

1. Create a separate Tag Claim rule using the same conditions.
2. Apply a tag such as “Auto-Finalize Warranty” for reporting and filtering.
3. Save and enable the rule.

Result

Qualifying warranty claims are automatically finalized with a gift card resolution at the moment of submission. Tagged claims can be filtered and reported on in your admin.

Recipe 3: Extend Return and Warranty Windows for VIP Customers

Scenario: Give customers tagged as VIP in Shopify a longer return window and lifetime warranty coverage as a loyalty benefit.

Rule Type: Return or Warranty Eligibility + Tag Claim

Setup

Step 1 - Build the eligibility rule

1. Go to Automations -> Return or Warranty Eligibility and create a new rule.
2. Add the condition:
   • Customer Tag = VIP
3. Set extended windows:
   • Gift Card Window: 90 days
   • Refund Window: 90 days
   • Exchange Window: 90 days
   • Warranty: Lifetime
4. Optionally add an eligibility footnote for non-qualifying customers.
5. Save and enable the rule.

Step 2 - Tag VIP claims (optional)

1. Create a Tag Claim rule with the same conditions.
2. Apply a tag such as “VIP” for visibility in your claim views.
3. Save and enable the rule.

Result

Customers tagged VIP receive significantly extended return and warranty windows. All other customers follow your default policy.

Recipe 4: Free Return Labels for VIP Customers and Protected Orders

Scenario: Waive the return label fee for customers who are VIP or who opted into shipping protection, while charging all others.

Rule Type: Charge for Return Label

Setup

1. Go to Automations -> Charge for Return Label and create a new rule.
2. Add the following conditions (using AND/OR logic as needed):
   • Customer Tag does not equal VIP
   • Order Protected by Corso = False
3. With AND logic: charges only customers who are neither VIP nor protected.
4. With OR logic: charges customers who fail either condition.
5. Save and enable the rule.

Result

VIP customers and customers with shipping protection are not charged for their return label. All other customers are charged the label cost automatically.

Recipe 5: Extend Return Windows for Promotional Order Dates

Scenario: Orders placed during a specific promotional window (e.g., a holiday sale) receive an extended 90-day return window instead of the standard 30 days.

Rule Type: Return or Warranty Eligibility

Setup

1. Go to Automations -> Return or Warranty Eligibility and create a new rule.
2. Add the following conditions:
   • Order Created Date is after 01/01/2026
   • Order Created Date is before 01/30/2026
3. Set the return/exchange windows to 90 days.
4. Leave warranty fields blank to fall back to your default warranty policy.
5. Save and enable the rule.

Result

Customers who purchased within the promotional window receive 90 days to return or exchange their items. All other customers follow the default policy.

Recipe 6: Charge Return Label Cost with Markup on Refunds

Scenario: Charge customers for the cost of their return label plus a 10% markup when their resolution method is a refund - helping recover return processing costs.

Rule Type: Charge for Return Label

Setup

1. Go to Automations -> Charge for Return Label and create a new rule.
2. Title it (e.g., “Charge Label + Markup on Refunds”).
3. Add the following conditions:
   • Requested Resolution Method = Refund
   • Requested Resolution Method is not Gift Card
   • Requested Resolution Method is not Exchange
4. Set the markup to 10% (or a fixed dollar amount of your choice).
5. Save and enable the rule.

Result

Customers requesting refunds are charged the actual label cost plus a 10% markup. Exchange and gift card resolutions are not affected.

Recipe 7: Restocking Fee for Opened Items

Scenario: Charge a restocking fee when a customer indicates they have opened the product during the return flow.

Rule Type: Collect Additional Information + Apply or Waive a Fee

Setup

Step 1 - Create a custom field question

1. Go to Settings -> Custom Fields.
2. Create a Yes/No question: “Has the product been opened?”

Step 2 - Set up the information collection rule

1. Go to Automations -> Collect Additional Information and create a new rule.
2. Select the “Has the product been opened?” custom field question.
3. Leave conditions blank to ask on all claims, or add conditions to target specific reasons.
4. Save and enable the rule.

Step 3 - Build the fee rule

1. Go to Automations -> Apply or Waive a Fee and create a new rule.
2. Add the condition:
   • Custom Field Response: “Has the product been opened?” = Yes
3. Set the fee to a flat amount (e.g., $10) and name it “Restocking Fee” (this is what customers will see).
4. Save and enable the rule.

Result

If a customer answers “Yes” to the product opened question, a restocking fee is automatically applied to their return. The fee name is visible to the customer in their return portal.

Recipe 8: Charge Exchange Shipping by Product Type with Markup

Scenario: Charge customers for outbound exchange shipping, with different markup percentages based on product type - lower for lightweight items, higher for bulky or expensive-to-ship items.

Rule Type: Charge for Exchange Order Shipping (multiple rules)

Setup

Rule 1 - Standard items (e.g., t-shirts)

1. Go to Automations -> Charge for Exchange Order Shipping and create a new rule.
2. Add the condition:
   • Product Type = T-Shirts (or your lightweight product category)
3. Set markup to 5%.
4. Save and enable the rule.

Rule 2 - Bulky or high-cost items

1. Create a second rule of the same type.
2. Add the condition:
   • Product Type = [Your heavier product category] (or use a Product Group)
3. Set markup to 20%.
4. Save and enable the rule.

Optional - Exclude VIP customers

1. Add an additional condition to each rule:
   • Customer Tag does not equal VIP

Result

Exchange shipping is charged at a rate proportional to the product being returned. VIP customers (if excluded) are not charged for exchange shipping.

Recipe 9: Gift Card Incentive for Store Credit

Scenario: Encourage customers to choose store credit over a cash refund by offering a bonus amount or percentage on gift card resolutions.

Configuration Location: Return Settings (not Automations)

Setup

1. Go to Settings -> Returns -> Gift Card Settings.
2. Enable the gift card incentive.
3. Set the incentive as either:
   • A fixed dollar amount (e.g., +$10 bonus)
   • A percentage (e.g., +10% of refund value)
4. Optionally configure the same incentive within any ShopNow rules to surface it prominently in the customer flow.

Result

Customers who choose store credit receive a bonus on top of their refund value, increasing the appeal of keeping revenue within the brand.

Recipe 10: Handle Out-of-Stock Exchange Scenarios

Scenario: Define what happens when a customer requests an exchange but the desired item is out of stock at the time of finalization.

Rule Type: Configure Out of Stock

Setup

1. Go to Settings -> Returns -> Exchange Settings.
2. Set the Minimum Inventory Available threshold (e.g., 5 or 10 units) to prevent customers from selecting items that are nearly out of stock.
3. Go to Automations -> Configure Out of Stock and create a new rule.
4. Enable the setting to fail the order if stock is unavailable at finalization.
5. Configure notification emails to alert the rep when an out-of-stock failure occurs.
6. Set your preferred inventory decrement behavior:
   • Do not adjust inventory
   • Decrement but ignore Shopify fulfillment policies
   • Follow Shopify’s fulfillment policies
7. Save and enable the rule.

Result

When an exchange cannot be fulfilled due to zero inventory, the claim surfaces in your admin with an error flag. Reps are notified and can manually update the resolution (e.g., switch to a gift card).

Recipe 11: Allow Customers to Cancel Unfulfilled Orders

Scenario: Give customers the ability to self-serve cancel an order that has not shipped yet, reducing support volume.

Rule Type: Order Editing

Setup

1. Go to Automations -> Order Editing and create a new rule.
2. The following pre-populated conditions will apply automatically:
   • Order is not yet fulfilled
   • Order is not already canceled
   • Order has been paid
3. Add any additional conditions if needed (e.g., product type, customer tag).
4. Under allowed actions, enable Cancel Order.
5. Customize all customer-facing text:
   • Description
   • Confirmation message
   • Success message
6. Configure notification preferences:
   • Notify brand
   • Notify customer
   • Restock inventory on cancellation
7. Save and enable the rule.

Result

Customers with eligible unfulfilled orders can cancel directly through the return portal without contacting support.

Recipe 12: Require Photos for Damaged Item Returns

Scenario: When a customer selects “Item Arrived Damaged” as their return reason, require them to upload photos before the claim can be submitted.

Rule Type: Collect Additional Information

Setup

1. Go to Automations -> Collect Additional Information and create a new rule.
2. Add the condition:
   • Claim Reason = Item Arrived Damaged (or your equivalent damage reason)
3. Enable Media Upload and provide upload instructions (e.g., “Please upload a photo of the front and back of the damaged item.”).
4. Set the required number of images (e.g., 1-2 minimum).
5. Optionally add follow-up questions (e.g., “How was the item damaged?”).
6. Optionally require an additional comment from the customer.
7. Save and enable the rule.

Result

Any customer who selects a damage-related return reason is required to upload photos before completing their claim submission. This ensures your team has the documentation needed to process the claim.

Recipe 13: Manually Review High-Value or High-Risk Claims

Scenario: Flag high-value or high-risk claims for manual rep review before a return label or resolution is issued.

Rule Type: Manual Review + Tag Claim

Setup

Step 1 - Build the manual review rule

1. Go to Automations -> Manual Review and create a new rule.
2. Add conditions using OR logic:
   • Claim Total Value is greater than $200
   • Claim Risk Level = High
3. Save and enable the rule.

Step 2 - Tag the claims (recommended)

1. Create a Tag Claim rule using the same conditions.
2. Apply a tag such as “Manual Review”.
3. Save and enable the rule.
4. Create a saved view in your admin filtered by the “Manual Review” tag for easy access.

Result

Claims above your value threshold or flagged as high risk will not receive an automatic label or resolution. They surface in your admin for rep review, tagged for easy filtering and prioritization.

Recipe 14: Set Up Instant Exchanges

Scenario: Allow customers to receive their exchange item immediately by placing a credit card hold, rather than waiting for the return to be processed first.

Rule Type: Instant Exchange

Setup

1. Go to Automations -> Instant Exchange and create a new rule.
2. Title the rule (e.g., “Instant Exchange - All Customers”).
3. Add conditions if you want to limit eligibility (e.g., Customer Tag = VIP, Order Country = United States), or leave blank to offer instant exchanges to all customers.
4. The hold period (number of days the customer has to drop off their return) is set at the Stripe level - contact Corso support if adjustments are needed.
5. Optionally enable Require Instant Exchange to force customers into the instant exchange flow - useful for brands with inventory accuracy concerns.
6. Customize the detail text that displays beneath the instant exchange option in the customer portal to clearly explain how the hold works.
7. Save and enable the rule.

Result

Customers selecting an exchange can opt into instant fulfillment by pre-authorizing their card. Their exchange order is processed immediately. If they do not return the original item within the hold window, they are charged for the new item.

Recipe 15: Make Items Final Sale

Scenario: Prevent specific products from being eligible for returns, exchanges, or gift cards by tagging them as final sale at the time of purchase.

Rule Type: Return or Warranty Eligibility

Setup

1. Go to Automations -> Return or Warranty Eligibility and create a new rule.
2. Add the condition:
   • Product Tag at Purchase includes CORSOFINALC (default) - or configure your own tag(s) as needed. Multiple tags can be added.
3. Set all return windows to 0:
   • Refund Window: 0
   • Gift Card Window: 0
   • Exchange Window: 0
4. Optionally add an eligibility message explaining the final sale policy to customers.
5. Title the rule clearly (e.g., “Final Sale Items”).
6. Save and enable the rule.

Result

Any product tagged as final sale at the time of purchase is ineligible for return, gift card, or exchange. Customers attempting to submit a claim for these items will see your configured ineligibility message.

Recipe 16: Allow Customers to Select Between Return or Warranty

Scenario: When a customer falls within both a return and warranty window, give them the ability to choose which claim type applies - ensuring accurate reporting and the right claim experience.

Rule Type: Select Return or Warranty

Setup

1. Go to Automations -> Select Return or Warranty and create a new rule.
2. Add conditions based on the scenarios where you want this choice to appear (e.g., product type, product group, order details). Note: this rule evaluates at order lookup and cannot be based on claim reasons or details.
3. Customize the instruction text shown to the customer explaining when to select a return versus a warranty.
4. Save and enable the rule.

Result

When a customer looks up their order and both return and warranty windows are active, they are presented with a choice. Selecting warranty routes the claim through the warranty flow - with its associated questions, image requirements, and reporting - rather than defaulting to a return claim. This keeps your claim-type reporting accurate for manufacturer reporting and internal analytics.

Recipe 17: Collect Custom Information Based on Product and Claim Type

Scenario: Ask product-specific questions during the claim flow - for example, collecting condition details and photos for warranty claims on a specific product category.

Rule Type: Collect Additional Information

Setup

Step 1 - Create your custom field questions

1. Go to Settings -> Custom Fields.
2. Add questions relevant to the product or scenario (e.g., “Has the item been used?”, “Is the item in good condition?”, serial number fields, or open-text inputs).
3. Configure each field as the appropriate input type: Yes/No, multi-select, or text input.

Step 2 - Build the information collection rule

1. Go to Automations -> Collect Additional Information and create a new rule.
2. Add the following conditions (adjust to your use case):
   • Claim Type = Warranty
   • Product Group = [Your target product group, e.g., T-Shirts]
3. Select the custom field questions you want to ask under these conditions.
4. Enable Media Upload and set the minimum number of required images (e.g., 1).
5. Save and enable the rule.

Result

When a customer submits a warranty claim for a product in the specified group, they are prompted to answer your custom questions and upload at least one image before completing the claim. Different rules can be created for different product types or claim scenarios, each with their own tailored question sets.

Recipe 18: Set Up Advanced (Product) Exchanges with Product Groups

Scenario: Allow customers to exchange for a different product - not just a variant - while controlling which products are available for exchange and how price differences are handled.

Rule Type: Product Exchange

Setup

Step 1 - Create your product groups

1. Go to Settings -> Product Groups.
2. Create groups by combining product tags, product types, and/or collections (e.g., “Essentials”, “Apparel”).

Step 2 - Build the product exchange rule

1. Go to Automations -> Product Exchange (or navigate via Settings -> Returns -> Product Exchange) and create a new rule.
2. Add a condition to define which returned products are eligible:
   • Product Group = Essentials (or whichever group is being returned)
3. Under exchange options, select which product groups customers can exchange into (e.g., Essentials + Apparel).
4. Set your price adjustment preference:
   • Upsell Only: Collect payment if the new item costs more; no refund if it costs less.
   • Upsell and Downsell: Collect payment if more expensive, issue refund if less expensive.
   • No Price Adjustments: No money changes hands regardless of price difference.
5. Configure additional options:
   • Minimum inventory available to customers
   • Whether variant exchanges charge price differences
   • Product sort order (alphabetical or newest first)
   • Enable search and filter in the exchange selection UI
6. Save and enable the rule. Duplicate and adjust for additional product group combinations as needed.

Result

Customers returning an eligible product are presented with a curated selection of products they can exchange into, scoped to the groups you defined. Price differences are handled automatically per your configured preference.

Recipe 19: Curate the Shop Now Experience by Product Group

Scenario: Direct customers to a specific collection or product page during the ShopNow flow based on what they are returning - creating a more relevant and targeted shopping experience.

Rule Type: ShopNow (multiple rules with priority ordering)

Setup

Rule 1 - Targeted ShopNow for a specific product group

1. Go to Automations -> ShopNow and create a new rule.
2. Add the condition:
   • Product Group = Essentials (or your target group)
3. Set the destination URL to the specific collection or product page you want these customers to land on.
4. Configure your value proposition text and any incentive shown to the customer.
5. Save and enable the rule. Set this as the highest priority ShopNow rule.

Rule 2 - Fallback ShopNow for all other customers

1. Create a second ShopNow rule with no conditions (or broader conditions).
2. Set the destination URL to your homepage or a general collection page.
3. Save and enable the rule. Set this as lower priority than Rule 1.

Result

Customers returning products from the Essentials group are directed to a curated landing page. All other customers fall through to the generic ShopNow destination. Priority ordering ensures the most specific rule applies first.

Recipe 20: Route Returns to Different Locations Based on Item Condition

Scenario: Send returns to different warehouse locations depending on the condition of the item being returned - for example, routing used or damaged items to a separate processing or repair location.

Rule Type: Return Shipping Policy (multiple rules)

Setup

Step 1 - Configure your return locations

1. Go to Settings -> Return Shipping and add all relevant return locations (e.g., Main Returns, Damaged Returns, Repair Center).

Step 2 - Set up a default policy

1. Create a Return Shipping Policy rule with no conditions.
2. Set the destination to your main return location and configure label/packing slip preferences.
3. Set this as the lowest priority rule.

Step 3 - Set up a conditional rule for used or damaged items

1. Create a second Return Shipping Policy rule.
2. Add a condition based on custom field response (configured via a Collect Additional Information rule):
   • Custom Field Response: “Has the product been used?” = Yes (or equivalent damage/condition question)
3. Set the destination to your damaged returns or repair location.
4. Set this as a higher priority than the default rule.
5. Save and enable both rules.

Result

Customers who indicate their item has been used or is damaged are automatically routed to the appropriate return location. All other returns go to your standard location. This keeps your fulfillment and repair workflows clean without requiring manual rerouting by reps.