Return, shipping, privacy and terms pages: what every store needs
Shoppers look for returns, shipping, privacy and terms pages before buying. See what to include on each, where to link them and how the audit checks it.
2 min read
Area
Trust & policies
Severity
Medium
Fix effort
Small
Stores failing
14%
Of 180 stores we scanned where this check applies, 14% fail it and 50% pass. See all benchmarks.
Policy pages are the pages shoppers read before they trust a store with money: returns, shipping, privacy and terms. This check looks for links to all four from the pages a shopper actually visits, usually the footer.
Why it matters
Hesitation at the last step is often a question the store has not answered. Questions like what happens if it does not fit, and when it will arrive, are policy questions. Stores that answer them clearly remove a reason to abandon the cart.
The policies also protect you. A clear returns policy limits disputes, and a privacy policy is required in many regions when you collect any personal data.
What the audit looks at
The audit looks for links to the four policy pages in the home page markup, especially the footer, and checks that each target exists.
What usually causes it
- Policies written in the admin but never linked from the footer or menu
- Pages that exist but return an error after a rename
- One combined policy page that makes each topic hard to find
- A store that sells in several regions but links only one language version
How to fix it
Publish returns, shipping, privacy and terms pages, and link them in the footer. The effort is small, usually a setting or a paste and under 30 minutes.
- The returns policy is the one visitors look for before a first purchase. Make it findable from the product page, not only the footer.
- Write what you actually do rather than pasting a generic template; a policy that contradicts your practice is worse than none.
On Shopify
- Settings > Policies generates templates for each. Edit them, then add them to the footer menu under Content > Menus.
On WooCommerce
- Create each as a page, then set the privacy policy under Settings > Privacy and add the rest to your footer menu.
How to check it yourself
- Open your home page on a phone and scroll to the footer. Can you reach all four pages in one tap each?
- Click each link to confirm it opens a real page.
- Read each page as a first-time buyer and check that the answer to the obvious question is in the first paragraph.
Frequently asked questions
What should a returns policy include?
The return window, who pays for return shipping, the condition items must be in, how refunds are issued and how long they take.
Do I need all four pages?
Returns, shipping and privacy are needed by almost every store. Terms of service protect you in disputes, and most stores should have them.
Related checks
Check your own store
See whether your store passes this check
Paste your store URL. The audit loads your pages in a real browser and shows the result for this check with the evidence behind it.