How to use Gorgias chat to gather return reason and generate RMA automatically

Let's be honest, handling returns is a massive headache for any ecommerce brand. It costs time and money, but you have to nail it if you want to keep your customers happy and coming back. A lot of online stores use Gorgias to keep all their customer chats in one place, which is a smart move. But the real tough spot is trying to automate the tricky stuff that happens after a sale, like processing returns and issuing RMAs (Return Merchandise Authorizations).

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to use Gorgias chat to gather return reason and generate RMA automatically. We'll look at the standard way of doing things with Gorgias's own tools, bump into its limitations, and then explore how some clever AI can make the whole process completely hands-off for both you and your customers.

How to gather return reasons and generate RMAs in Gorgias chat

Before we get into the weeds, let's quickly clear up what we're talking about.

Return Reason: This is just the "why." Why is the customer sending something back? Wrong size? Damaged in transit? Not what they thought it would be? Getting this info is incredibly valuable because it points you straight to what you need to fix, whether it's your product descriptions, your sizing charts, or how you pack your boxes.

RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization): Think of this as the official green light for a return. It's a unique code that tells the customer, "Yep, you're cleared to send it back." For your warehouse crew, it's the tag that tells them what's in the box, who it's from, and why it's there. The process can be streamlined with an automated order processing system.

The dream scenario is pretty simple: a customer opens your chat, types in their order info and return reason, and gets an RMA and a shipping label right away. No waiting, no back-and-forth, and no one on your team has to do a thing. To get this working in Gorgias, you need a few things to play nicely together: the chat widget, some rules running in the background, and connections to your other tools, like a returns portal.

The standard way: Using Gorgias' native tools

Gorgias gives you a good starting point for handling returns, but out of the box, it’s more of a semi-automated setup. It helps your agents move faster, but it doesn't quite get them out of the loop entirely. Let's walk through the typical process.

Step 1: Initiating the return request

It usually kicks off when a customer opens the Gorgias chat widget on your site and types something like, "I need to return this." You can use Gorgias Rules to look for keywords like "return" or "exchange."

When these keywords are spotted, a rule can automatically tag the conversation as a "Return Request" and send out a pre-written response (a Macro). This first message typically asks for basics like the order number and email to get the process started.

A screenshot of the Gorgias interface showing how to set up rules to automatically tag return requests based on keywords, a key step to Gorgias chat to gather return reason and generate RMA automatically.

Step 2: Gathering the return reason

Once the customer replies with their order details, an agent usually has to step in. This is the first real slowdown in the standard workflow.

Your agent can use Gorgias’s handy integrations with platforms like Shopify or BigCommerce to see all the order info in the sidebar without changing tabs. They’ll then ask the customer why they want to return the item. While Macros can help ask the question the same way every time, an agent is almost always needed to actually read and understand the customer's response.

This image displays the Shopify integration within Gorgias, where an agent can view order details to help Gorgias chat to gather return reason and generate RMA automatically.

Step 3: Generating the RMA

Here's the key thing to remember: Gorgias doesn't create RMA numbers by itself. To get that important authorization number, your agent has to use a different app.

Most brands connect a returns management tool like Loop Returns, ReturnGO, or Happy Returns. These apps pop up right in the Gorgias sidebar, so your agent doesn't have to leave the helpdesk. But, they still have to manually click through the app's menus, find the order, select the items, and hit a button to generate the RMA. The app then creates the return label and sends it off to the customer.

Challenges and limitations of the standard workflow

Look, this workflow is way better than trying to manage returns from a chaotic email inbox. But for a growing brand, it's not the set-it-and-forget-it automated solution you really need. Here are the main sticking points.

It's not fully automatic

The biggest snag is that a human agent is almost always stuck in the middle. They're the ones who have to check the order, figure out the return reason, and then click through the returns app.

This manual step is a huge bottleneck. When things get busy (think Black Friday), your support team can get completely swamped with these simple, repetitive tasks. It kind of defeats the purpose of trying to generate RMA automatically and just leaves your team playing catch-up. True customer support automation removes these manual steps.

Reliance on multiple app integrations

The whole process depends on other paid apps to handle the actual returns. This isn't just an extra line item on your credit card bill; it adds another moving part to your tech stack.

Each returns app has its own interface and little quirks that agents have to learn. And if you've ever managed a tech stack, you know that getting data to sync perfectly between Shopify, Gorgias, and a third-party app can be a real pain. If one tool breaks, the whole workflow can grind to a halt.

Limited to business hours

Since a person is at the center of this process, your ability to process returns is tied to your team's work schedule. A customer who wants to start a return at 11 PM on a Friday is stuck waiting until Monday morning for someone to handle it. This limitation is a major drawback compared to solutions that offer 24/7 customer support with AI.

That wait time doesn't just create a crummy customer experience; it usually results in follow-up messages asking, "Hey, where's my return label?" This just adds more tickets to your team's pile, creating a frustrating cycle for everyone.

A better way: Using eesel AI

So, how do you actually get around these issues? You need a smart layer on top of your existing tools that can run the whole show. That's exactly what eesel AI is built for. It connects directly with your Gorgias helpdesk and other tools to act like an autonomous agent, turning your returns process into something that truly runs on its own.

Go live in minutes with one-click integration

One of the best things about eesel AI is how easy it is to get started. You can connect it to your Gorgias account in a few clicks, without having to book a demo or talk to a sales rep. It's a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of enterprise AI tools that can take weeks just to set up.

More importantly, eesel AI works with your existing setup. It makes the tools you already use, like Gorgias, smarter, without making you switch to a whole new helpdesk. It's all about improving what you've already got.

Use a fully customizable workflow engine for total control

This is where it gets really interesting. You can set up eesel AI's AI Agent to handle the entire chat conversation on its own. It learns from your past tickets and help docs to understand what customers need.

The AI Agent will ask for the order number, get the return reason, and confirm everything with the customer. But here's the real kicker: you can build Custom Actions. This lets the AI make a live API call to your returns platform (like Loop or ReturnLogic) or an internal system to generate the RMA and return label automatically. The human agent is completely out of the picture, and your customer gets their label in seconds, any time of day.

Test with confidence before going live

Letting an AI talk to your customers can feel a bit scary. What if it messes up? eesel AI has a clever solution for this: a powerful simulation mode.

Before you flip the switch, you can run the AI on thousands of your past return tickets in a safe test environment. You'll see exactly how it would have replied, what it would have done, and what its success rate would have been. This gives you the confidence to adjust its logic and roll it out slowly. For example, you could start by having it only handle returns for "wrong size" before letting it tackle more complicated reasons.

A quick look at Gorgias pricing

To get the full picture, it helps to know how Gorgias pricing works. Their plans are built around the number of "billable tickets" your team deals with each month.

One thing to keep in mind is that Gorgias's own AI features have an extra cost, usually around $0.90 to $1.00 for each automated chat. That can lead to some surprisingly high bills, especially during peak seasons when you're relying on automation the most.

This is different from eesel AI's pricing model, which is designed to be more predictable. You get a set number of AI interactions included in your plan, so you don't get hit with a surprise bill just because you had a great month for sales.

Stop managing returns and generate RMAs automatically

Gorgias is great for getting all your customer conversations organized. But when it comes to returns, its built-in tools only get you halfway to automation, leaving your team and a handful of other apps to do the heavy lifting.

If you want real automation, where a customer can use Gorgias chat to gather return reason and generate RMA automatically without any human help, you need something smarter. That's how you scale your support, lower your costs, and give customers the instant, 24/7 service they've come to expect.

eesel AI was designed to fill that exact gap. It lets you build a truly hands-off returns process that works with your existing Gorgias setup, and you can try it out without any risk.

Ready to stop managing returns and actually automate them? You can try eesel AI for free or book a quick demo to see how it works.