Return abuse

The return-abuse use case covers the classic patterns: wardrobing, empty-box claims, switch fraud, missing-item claims, and serial returners. Pinch scores every return as it comes in and writes a decision (ALLOW / DENY / REVIEW) that your RMS reads on the customer, so bad returns stop at the portal while good returns stay frictionless.

Setup

1. Returns workflow

In Workflows → Returns, add Decision blocks for the abuse branches you want to enforce:

Sub Decision label	Decision type	Example condition
Egregious	DENY	Return rate by value by Email greater than 0.7 AND Num returns per email in last 1 year greater than 10
Suspect Abuse	REVIEW	Suspected Abuse Type is one of Wardrobing, Empty Box, Switch Fraud
Repeat Empty Box	DENY	Num Empty Box claims per email in last 1 year greater than 1
Default Approve	ALLOW	Catch-all

Order branches top-down — DENY branches first, then REVIEW, then ALLOW. Preview & Save to dry-run before publishing.

2. Playbook to tag Shopify

In Playbooks → + New Playbook, create one playbook per Sub Decision you want enforced downstream:

Playbook	Segment (Sub Decision)	Action chain
Return Block	Egregious or Repeat Empty Box	Shopify Tag → Customer → Add pinch-deny
Return Review	Suspect Abuse	Shopify Tag → Customer → Add pinch-review + Notify on Slack #returns-escalations
Return Approve	Default Approve	Shopify Tag → Customer → Add pinch-allow

3. RMS reads the customer tag

Point your RMS at the pinch-* customer tags to actually block, review, or approve the return. Pattern maps straight across platforms — see the per-platform setup for the one you use:

• Loop Workflows
• Aftership Return Workflows
• Narvar Eligibility Rules
• Frate Workflows
• Redo Return Flow
• ParcelLab

4. (Optional) Email the customer

For Suspect Abuse and Egregious segments, add an Email action to the Playbook using an Email Template sent via your Dixa or Gorgias connection:

• Return Warning — soft nudge to customers heading toward abuse but not yet blocked.
• Return Policy Changed — hard notice when a customer is moved to the deny list.

What you'll see once it's live

• Returns from Egregious customers get blocked at the RMS portal with your custom message.
• Suspect Abuse returns land in the Review queue → Returns tab for human review.
• Customer profiles show the Pinch Assessment score and the Sub Decision Pinch chose.
• The Analytics Returns tab tracks abuse-rate drops week-over-week.