Articles on: Order editing

Replace or swap: which one to use

Both let customers change an item after they buy, and they do different jobs. Swap changes an option on the same product — a different size or colour. Replace changes it to a different product entirely. Turn either on under Features → Item edits and refunds.

The difference in one line

What changes — Swap: The option — size, colour, style — Replace: The product
Same product? — Swap: Yes — Replace: No
Typical use — Swap: "I ordered a medium, I need a large" — Replace: "I've changed my mind, I want the blue lamp instead"
Setting — Swap: Swap items — Replace: Replace items

Swap keeps the customer in the product they chose. Replace lets them leave it.

Which should you turn on?

Turn on swap first. Wrong size is the most common post-purchase problem, and it's the one that becomes a return if you don't fix it early. A swap before dispatch costs you nothing. A return costs you the shipping both ways.

Add replace if your catalogue supports it. It's useful when products are interchangeable — a different scent, a different colour of the same lamp. It's riskier for stores with wide price ranges, since customers can move between very different items.

Turn on both if you're comfortable with either. They appear as separate options, so customers pick whichever fits.

Turn them on

Go to Features → Item edits and refunds.
Under Order items, tick Swap items, Replace items, or both.
Select Save.

Control what customers can pick

Both have their own limits, so a swap or replace can't turn into something you'd rather it didn't.

Swap limits

Blocked variant options — Customers can't change these options. For example, block Color so they can only change size.
Blocked variants — Customers can't swap to variants with these names
Limit to a specific collection — Only items in that collection can be swapped

Blocked variant options is the useful one. Blocking Color means a customer can fix their size without turning a black jumper into a red one.

Split a swap

Turn on Let customers split a swap across multiple variants and one line can go several ways at once.

A customer who ordered five of one size can take one in size B, one in size C, and leave three as they were. Useful for clothing and anything bought in multiples.

Replace limits

Limit to a specific collection — Customers can only choose replacements from that collection

Set this if your catalogue has a wide price range. Without it, customers can replace an item with anything you sell.

What your customers see

On their order, each item carries the options you allowed. A swap shows the same product's other options — sizes, colours — with anything you blocked left out. A replace opens a product picker limited to your collection.

Either way, a price difference is settled straight away. More expensive means paying the difference. Cheaper means a refund, following your refund settings.

Good to know

Swap is cheaper than a return, every time. A customer who swaps before dispatch costs you nothing. The same customer after delivery costs you outbound shipping, return shipping, and a restock. Make swapping easy and the returns queue shrinks.

Stock isn't held for a swap. The customer picks a variant that's in stock at that moment. It's an order edit, so it goes through immediately.

Replace can move money either way. Unlike a swap, a replacement can cost much more or much less. Use a collection limit if that matters to you.

Neither works after fulfillment. Once the order ships, both stop. That becomes a return — see Set up returns and exchanges.

Troubleshooting

No swap option on an item — Why: Swap items is off, or the item's in a blocked collection — Fix: Check Features → Item edits and refunds
Customers can change colour when they shouldn't — Why: No blocked variant option set — Fix: Add Color to Blocked variant options
A variant isn't offered — Why: It's out of stock, or in Blocked variants — Fix: Restock it, or remove it from the blocked list
Customers replace items with anything — Why: No collection limit on replace — Fix: Set Limit to a specific collection
Swap works but split doesn't — Why: Split swap is a separate setting — Fix: Turn on Let customers split a swap across multiple variants

FAQ

What's the difference between swap and replace?

Swap changes an option on the same product — size, colour, style. Replace changes it to a different product altogether. Swap is the safer one to start with.

Can customers swap into something more expensive?

Yes, and they pay the difference before the change goes through. Use blocked variants or a collection limit if you want to prevent it.

Is this the same as an exchange?

No. Swap and replace happen before the order ships, so nothing moves and nothing comes back. An exchange happens after delivery and is part of returns.

What if the size they want is out of stock?

It isn't offered. Only variants in stock at that moment appear.

Should I allow both?

Start with swap. It solves the wrong-size problem, which is the expensive one. Add replace later if your products are genuinely interchangeable.

Updated on: 21/08/2026

Was this article helpful?

Thank you!