# Post-purchase returns, refunds and order adjustments

*B2C Solution Architect Study Guide · Functional Capabilities and Business Value · Last updated November 13, 2026 · https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/b2c-solution-architect/functional-capabilities-and-business-value/post-purchase-returns-refunds-and-order-adjustments*

How Order Management handles B2C Commerce orders after purchase: simple returns versus return merchandise authorizations, partial receipts, credit memos and fee invoices, refund requests, price adjustments and cumulative excess funds.

- Certification: Salesforce B2C Solution Architect
- Exam section: Functional Capabilities and Business Value
- Study guide: https://www.certifyforce.com/study-guide/b2c-solution-architect

**Official exam objective:**

> Given a set of customer requirements for post-purchase activities in a multi-product solution, demonstrate how the customer experience can be achieved by leveraging Salesforce B2C products.

## What the exam expects

- Choose between a simple return and a return merchandise authorization (RMA) from how the customer returns goods and what must be checked first.
- Design the financial follow-up for returns and fees: change orders, credit memos, fee invoices and refund requests, including partial and sequenced refunds.
- Design price adjustments for items before, during and after fulfillment, and route the resulting refunds.
- Read refund outcomes and cumulative output values correctly in an integration.

Key terms:
- **Change order:** an Order record that holds the financial effect of a cancel, return or adjustment on an order summary.
- **Credit memo:** the record that represents a refund amount for one or more change orders.
- **Excess funds:** captured money owed back that isn't tied to an invoice or credit memo.
- **Order payment summary:** the per-payment-method record whose balances fund invoices and receive refunds.
- **RMA:** a tracked return order whose items are verified before the refund.

## Key facts

| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Simple return eligibility | Only fulfilled items on an order summary | [Create a Simple Return with a Refund](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=commerce.om_return_order_items.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |
| ReturnOrder API limit | 2,000 requests per hour | [ReturnOrder Class](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_ConnectAPI_ReturnOrder_static_methods.htm) |
| Processed return line | Read-only; remaining expected quantity moves to a new line | [ReturnOrder Class](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_ConnectAPI_ReturnOrder_static_methods.htm) |
| submitReturn output | A change order, no ReturnOrder | [OrderSummary Class](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_ConnectAPI_OrderSummary_static_methods.htm) |
| Refund input minimum | creditMemoId or excessFundsAmount (or both) | [ConnectApi.EnsureRefundsAsyncInputRepresentation](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_connectapi_input_ensure_refunds_async.htm) |
| isAllowPartial default | false; ignored without a sequences list | [ConnectApi.EnsureRefundsAsyncInputRepresentation](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_connectapi_input_ensure_refunds_async.htm) |
| Refund outcome | Payment gateway log, not the background operation status | [OrderSummary Class](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_ConnectAPI_OrderSummary_static_methods.htm) |
| allocatedItemsChangeOrderType default | Disallowed | [ConnectApi.AdjustOrderItemSummaryInputRepresentation](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_connectapi_input_adjust_order_item_summary.htm) |
| Change order IDs on preview | Always null | [ConnectApi.AdjustOrderSummaryOutputRepresentation](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_connectapi_output_adjust_order_summary_output.htm) |
| totalExcessFundsAmount scope | All excess funds on the order summary | [Adjust Order Item Summaries Submit Action](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_ref_elements_om_actions_adjust_ois_submit.htm&type=5&language=en_US) |

## Check yourself

- When does an item's status change to Returned after a simple return?
- Why can't an unmanaged RMA return order be created for an item that hasn't shipped?
- When does a submitted price adjustment need no refund at all?
- Which records does `createReturnOrder` create?

## Sources

- [Choose a Return Type](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=commerce.om_return_order_types.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Create a Simple Return with a Refund](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=commerce.om_return_order_items.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [Using Return Merchandise Authorization](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=commerce.om_process_return_merchandise_authorization.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [ReturnOrder Class](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_ConnectAPI_ReturnOrder_static_methods.htm)
- [OrderSummary Class](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_ConnectAPI_OrderSummary_static_methods.htm)
- [ConnectApi.EnsureRefundsAsyncInputRepresentation](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_connectapi_input_ensure_refunds_async.htm)
- [ConnectApi.CreateMultipleInvoicesFromChangeOrdersInputRepresentation](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_connectapi_input_create_multiple_invoices_from_change_orders.htm)
- [Adjust Order Item Summaries Submit Action](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=platform.flow_ref_elements_om_actions_adjust_ois_submit.htm&type=5&language=en_US)
- [ConnectApi.AdjustOrderItemSummaryInputRepresentation](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_connectapi_input_adjust_order_item_summary.htm)
- [ConnectApi.AdjustOrderSummaryOutputRepresentation](https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.apexref.meta/apexref/apex_connectapi_output_adjust_order_summary_output.htm)

## About the full unit

The "Core concepts", "Exam traps" and "Worked scenario" sections of this unit, its 10 linked practice questions, and unlimited timed mock exams are included with the B2C Solution Architect pack (USD $19): https://www.certifyforce.com/practice-exams