Why hasn't my refund shown up yet?

Issuing the refund is only the first step. The card network and the bank then process it, and debit cards and pay-later plans tend to be slowest.

What is a refund reference number?

A tracking number for the refund, often called an ARN, that the store's payment provider can supply. The customer's bank uses it to find a refund that seems missing.

Does the refund go back to the original card?

Usually, yes. If that card has since been cancelled, the bank normally passes the money to the replacement card or account.

Can Aide check whether a refund was issued?

Yes, for a verified shopper. Aide reads the refunded amount on the Shopify order and says plainly when there is none.

Refund not received email template

The refund left. The bank is still catching up.

Confirm the amount and where it went, give the usual bank timing, and offer the reference number if it runs past that.Updated November 3, 2026 · By Ziyad Basheer

Use this template free See the template

Short answer

A refund that has been issued but not received is usually still moving through the card network, which takes 5 to 10 business days at most banks. Confirm the amount and payment method, and if it is later than that, send the refund reference so the customer can trace it with their bank.

The templates

Fills in from Shopify, with a fallbackYours to fill in

EmailRefund on its way

Subject: Your refund for order.name is on its way

Hi customer.first_name, Thanks for checking. We issued your refund of amount for order.name on date, back to the payment method you used. Your bank then needs 5 to 10 business days to show it. If you paid with a pay-later plan, the refund appears in that account rather than on a card. Still nothing by date? Reply here and we will send the refund reference number for your bank.

ChatShort reply

I can see a refund of amount on order.name, sent to the payment method you used. Banks usually take 5 to 10 business days to show it. If it is still missing after that, reply here and we will send you the refund reference.

Internal noteBefore you reply

Refund chase on order.name. Payment status: order.financial_status. Check the refund date and amount on the order. Past 10 business days: get the reference (ARN) from the payment provider and send it. No refund on the order: check whether a return is still in progress.

When to use

The customer says a refund that was issued has not reached their account yet. Not when they returned an item and the refund has not been issued.Aide picks a procedure from its When to use. Paste this into your procedure, then edit it for your store.

Only if

They ask where it isYour refund status topic is detected, such as “Where is my refund?”

The refund on recordWith order exists true, Aide can read the refunded amount on the order.

Past the bank windowOptional: hand off when it has been longer than the timing you quote.

Example conversation

Customer

You said I'd get a refund for #1063 but nothing has shown up on my card.

Aide

I can see a refund of $42.00 on #1063, issued to the card you paid with. Once a refund leaves us, banks usually take 5 to 10 business days to show it. If it is still missing after that, reply here and our team will send you the refund reference to give your bank.

Customer

Okay, it has only been 6 days, so I will wait a bit longer.

✓Refunded amount read from Shopify · Order #1063

Frequently asked questions

: Issuing the refund is only the first step. The card network and the bank then process it, and debit cards and pay-later plans tend to be slowest.
: A tracking number for the refund, often called an ARN, that the store's payment provider can supply. The customer's bank uses it to find a refund that seems missing.
: Usually, yes. If that card has since been cancelled, the bank normally passes the money to the replacement card or account.
: Yes, for a verified shopper. Aide reads the refunded amount on the Shopify order and says plainly when there is none.

Refund confirmationThe refund is approved and issued.Email · Chat · Internal note Partial refundLess than the order total came back, and why.Email · Chat · Internal note Return requestThe customer wants to send an item back.Email · Chat · Internal note Chargeback or payment disputeThe customer has opened, or threatens, a bank dispute.Chat · Email · Internal note

Send this with the order filled in

Aide fills in the Shopify order and tracking, then drafts or sends the reply, as you choose.

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