Cancellations and Refunds

Sometimes orders need to be cancelled or refunded. This guide explains how to cancel orders, issue refunds, capture cancellation reasons, and ensure customers are properly informed and reimbursed.

When to Cancel or Refund

Cancel before fulfilment when:

The customer requests cancellation
You're out of stock on key items
You can't fulfil the order within the promised time
There's an error with the order or payment
The customer provided an invalid address or contact details

Refund after fulfilment when:

The customer received the wrong order
Food quality wasn't acceptable
The order arrived significantly late
Items were missing
Customer complaints or service recovery

Cancelling Orders

Cancel orders that haven't been fulfilled yet.

How to Cancel an Order

Go to Orders and find the order
Open the order details
Click Cancel Order
Select or enter a cancellation reason
Confirm the cancellation

What happens next:

Order status changes to "Cancelled"
A full refund is processed automatically via Stripe
The customer receives a cancellation email

How it affects customers: Customers are notified by email that their order has been cancelled and their payment will be refunded within 5–10 business days (depending on their bank).

💡 Tip: Cancel as soon as you know there's a problem. The faster you act, the better the customer experience.

Cancellation Reasons

When cancelling an order, you'll be prompted to select or enter a reason.

Common cancellation reasons:

Customer request
Out of stock
Unable to deliver (e.g., address issue, weather)
Operational issue (e.g., kitchen equipment failure, short-staffed)
Duplicate order
Payment issue

Why capture reasons:

Helps you track recurring issues
Provides context if a customer contacts you later
Useful for internal reviews and process improvements

ℹ️ Note: Cancellation reasons are recorded with the order for your reference.

Automatic Refunds

When you cancel an order, Ordery automatically issues a full refund through Stripe Connect.

How Automatic Refunds Work

You cancel the order in the admin panel
Ordery triggers a refund via Stripe
The full order amount is returned to the customer's original payment method
Refund appears in your Stripe dashboard

Refund timeline:

Stripe processes refunds immediately
Customers see the refund in 5–10 business days (depending on their bank)

How it affects your account: The refunded amount is deducted from your next payout. If your balance is too low, Stripe may debit your connected bank account.

⚠️ Warning: Refunds are final and cannot be reversed. Only cancel and refund when you're certain.

Cancellation Emails

Customers receive an automatic email when their order is cancelled.

What the email includes:

Order number and cancellation confirmation
Reason for cancellation (if provided)
Refund amount and timeline
Your store contact details in case they have questions

How it helps: Customers are informed immediately and don't need to chase you for updates.

💡 Tip: If a customer contacts you about a cancellation, refer them to the email and confirm the refund is processing.

Manual Refunds

Issue partial or full refunds after an order has been completed.

When to Use Manual Refunds

Partial refunds:

A few items were missing
Food quality was below standard
Delivery was significantly delayed

Full refunds:

The entire order was wrong or unsatisfactory
Severe service failure

How to Issue a Manual Refund

Go to Orders and find the completed order
Open the order details
Click Refund Order
Enter the refund amount (can be partial or full)
Add a reason or note
Confirm the refund

What happens next:

The refund is processed via Stripe
The order status updates to show it's been refunded
A refund badge appears on the order
Customers receive the refund in 5–10 business days

How it affects customers: Customers see the refund on their card statement. Depending on your setup, they may or may not receive an automatic email. Consider calling or texting them to confirm the refund.

Partial Refunds

Refund a portion of the order total for minor issues.

How to Calculate Partial Refunds

Examples:

Missing item worth £5 from a £30 order → Refund £5
Late delivery on a £25 order → Goodwill refund £5–£10
One poor-quality item from a multi-item order → Refund the item's price

Best practices:

Be generous — customer goodwill is worth more than a few pounds
Err on the side of the customer
Use partial refunds to retain customers rather than lose them over minor issues

💡 Tip: Offer a partial refund proactively if you know there's a problem, rather than waiting for the customer to complain.

Refund Guardrails and Audit History

Ordery validates refund requests to prevent errors.

Refund Validation

Checks include:

Refund amount doesn't exceed original order total
You have permission to issue refunds (role-based)
The order belongs to your tenant/store

What this prevents:

Accidental over-refunds
Unauthorised refunds
Refunds on other stores' orders

Audit History

All refunds are recorded with:

Date and time
Refund amount
Reason or note
Staff member who issued the refund

Why this matters:

Transparency and accountability
Helps resolve customer disputes
Useful for financial reconciliation and reviews

Refund Status Badges

Refunded orders display a badge or indicator in your order queue.

What you see:

"Refunded" badge
Refund amount noted
Original order total and refunded total displayed separately

How it helps: Quickly identify which orders have been refunded when reviewing order history.

Best Practices

Cancel Early

If you can't fulfil an order, cancel it immediately
Don't wait until the promised time — customers appreciate early notice

Communicate Proactively

Call or text the customer when cancelling
Explain the reason and apologise
Offer a discount code for their next order (optional)

Be Generous with Partial Refunds

A small refund can turn a disappointed customer into a loyal one
It's cheaper than losing a customer permanently

Document Cancellations

Use clear, honest cancellation reasons
Note the issue in your internal systems
Track patterns (e.g., frequent stock-outs) and address them

Review Refunds Regularly

Check refund history weekly or monthly
Identify recurring issues (e.g., delivery delays, quality problems)
Adjust processes to reduce future refunds

Train Your Team

Ensure staff know how to cancel and refund orders
Set guidelines on when refunds are appropriate
Empower team members to make quick decisions during service

Common Questions

Q: How long do refunds take to appear in the customer's account? 5–10 business days, depending on their bank. Stripe processes refunds immediately, but banks take time to post them.

Q: Can I cancel an order after it's been marked "Completed"? You can't cancel it, but you can issue a full refund.

Q: What if the customer paid by cash or another method? Ordery handles card payments via Stripe. For cash or other payment methods, handle refunds manually and update your records accordingly.

Q: Can I reverse a refund once issued? No, refunds are final. If the customer wants to reorder, they'll need to place a new order.

Q: What if a refund fails? This is rare but can happen if the customer's card is no longer valid. Contact Stripe support for assistance.

Q: Will I be charged Stripe fees on refunded orders? Stripe refunds the processing fee for full refunds. For partial refunds, fees are prorated. Check your Stripe dashboard for details.

Q: Can customers request refunds directly through the platform? No, customers must contact you directly. You process refunds through the admin panel.

Q: How do I track total refunds over time? Review your order history and filter by refunded orders, or check your Stripe dashboard for refund summaries.

What's Next?

With cancellations and refunds understood, explore:

Managing Orders — Handle your order queue
Payments Setup — Understand Stripe and payouts
Best Practices — Reduce cancellations with better workflows

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