Install on Shopify

The Shopify install is the simplest way to get on Pinch. Three steps: install the app, connect your returns platform, send us your disposition data. Pinch handles the rest — workflows, variables, decisions, and tuning are configured by our team during onboarding.

Install the app

Install Pinch on Shopify →

Click the button. You'll land on the Pinch listing in the Shopify App Store, approve the requested permissions, and the app installs into your store.

After install, you're redirected into the Pinch dashboard. Shopify is automatically connected — there's no separate step to wire your orders, returns, or customer data. Pinch starts syncing your historical order data in the background (this typically takes 1–24 hours depending on volume; you'll get an email when it completes).

Onboarding: three steps inside the dashboard

The Pinch dashboard walks you through a guided onboarding the first time you log in. There are three things to do, and the whole flow takes about 20 minutes.

1. 1
   Shopify is already connected

   Because you installed from Shopify, the platform connection is live the moment the app installs. No action needed — you'll see a green checkmark next to Shopify in Integrations.

2. 2
   Connect your returns platform (RMS)

   Pinch reads return events from your RMS and writes decisions back to your Shopify orders as tags. Go to Integrations → Returns System and pick your platform: Aftership, Loop, or Narvar. Paste an API key from your RMS settings.

3. 3
   Upload disposition data

   Disposition data is the condition each returned item was in when your warehouse received it — NEW, LIGHTLY_USED, EMPTY_BOX, COUNTERFEIT_ITEM, etc. This is the single most valuable signal Pinch uses for accurate abuse detection. Pinch auto-syncs disposition data from your RMS.

That's the entire setup on your end.

What happens next: white-glove from the Pinch team

Once you've completed the three onboarding steps, the Pinch team takes over. Within a few business days we'll:

📊Analyze your data

We look at your historical orders, returns, and (if available) disposition data to understand your return rate, abuse rate, and customer mix.

✅Configure your workflows

We build your Orders and Returns workflows — the visual rules that decide Allow / Deny / Review for each return — tuned to your actual data, not a generic default.

🎚️Calibrate decisions

Our team sets thresholds for VIP, Suspect, and Egregious customer segments based on your traffic. You don't need to author rules.

👤Walk you through it

Your customer success manager schedules a 30-minute review with you to walk through what's been set up, answer questions, and turn on enforcement together.

Most merchants are running in shadow mode (Pinch scoring everything but not yet enforcing) within 48 hours of finishing the three onboarding steps, and have enforcement live within a week.

What you do day-to-day after launch

Once you're live, the dashboard surface you'll use most is small:

👤Review queue

Returns flagged as Review land here. Each row has an AI Analysis explaining why. Approve or deny inline.

👥Customers

Every customer's Pinch Assessment score (0–100), risk indicators, and order history.

📈Analytics

Abuse impact saved, return rate trends, customer segmentation shifts.

⬆️Disposition uploads

Weekly CSV upload (or automated sync) so Pinch keeps learning from your warehouse outcomes.

You don't need to touch workflows or variables — they're maintained by your Pinch team. If you ever want to tune them yourself, see Customization.

Troubleshooting

The Shopify app didn't install / I don't see the dashboard

Check Shopify Admin → Apps to confirm the Pinch app is installed. If it shows as installed but you can't reach the dashboard, log out and log back in. If it persists, email support@pinch.ai with your store domain.

Orders aren't showing up in Pinch yet

Initial sync takes 1–24 hours depending on store volume. You'll get an email when it's done. If it's been 48+ hours, contact support.

My RMS isn't in the supported list

We're adding new platforms regularly. Email support@pinch.ai with the name of your RMS — many integrations are available as a one-off setup.

I want to customize the workflows myself

You can. See Workflows and Decisions for the editor and rule authoring. We recommend running with the Pinch-built defaults for the first 30 days before making changes — the model is tuning to your data during that window.

Questions

Email support@pinch.ai anytime. Your customer success manager is also reachable directly once onboarding kicks off.