Configuring Auto-Approval Rules for Returns and Cancellations

Manual review keeps you in full control, but it also means every request waits on someone to check it. Auto-approval rules let you keep control where it matters and remove the wait everywhere else.

Manual vs. auto-approval: the trade-off

Manual review catches edge cases and fraud attempts, but it’s slow and doesn’t scale. Auto-approval is instant and consistent, but it only works well when your conditions are set thoughtfully. Most stores land somewhere in between.

Setting conditions

From WooCommerce → Post-Purchase Hub → Automation, you can auto-approve requests based on:

• Order value (e.g., auto-approve under $50)
• Product category (e.g., always require review for custom orders)
• Customer history (e.g., auto-approve for customers with no prior disputes)

What the dashboard shows

Every request still appears in your store-owner dashboard, tagged either “Auto-approved” or “Needs review” — so you keep full visibility even for the requests that never needed your input.

A reasonable starting point

Start conservative: auto-approve only low-value cancellations, review everything else for a few weeks, then loosen the rules once you’ve seen how requests actually come in. It’s easier to open the gate wider later than to walk back a rule that let something slip through.