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Scenario: Damaged Item Logic

One of the most common support tasks is handling items that arrive broken. This scenario shows how to combine Form Settings, Validation Rules, and Automations to handle these efficiently.

1. The Form Setup

Create a "Damaged Goods" reason in your form:

  • Reason Label: "Arrived Damaged/Broken"
  • Require Photos: Set to "Yes" (at least 2 photos).
  • Custom Attribute: Add a Line Item Attribute called "Serial Number" (Required) to verify the item isn't from another store.

2. Validation Rules

Set a strict window to prevent late reports:

  • Time Window: Limit submissions to 48 hours after fulfillment.
  • Why?: Legitimate shipping damage is usually discovered immediately. This prevents customers from using an item for 20 days and then claiming it "arrived broken."

3. Automation Flow

Use Flows or standard Automations to route these claims:

The "Small Value" Logic

  • Condition: Reason = "Arrived Damaged" AND Order Total < $15.
  • Action: APPROVE + REFUND (Auto-Process).
  • Result: For small items, it's cheaper to just refund immediately than to pay an agent to review the photo.

The "High Value" Logic

  • Condition: Reason = "Arrived Damaged" AND Order Total > $100.
  • Action: Move to CUSTOM Status: TECH_REVIEW.
  • Result: High-value damages are sent to a specialist team to check if parts can be sent instead of a full replacement.

Benefits

  • Zero-Touch Support for low-value damages.
  • Reduced Fraud by requiring serial numbers.
  • Policy Enforcement through the 48-hour submission window.