How to Issue a Partial Refund

If you need to refund only part of a customer's payment (rather than the full amount), you'll need to process this directly through Stripe. This article explains how to issue partial refunds.

Why Partial Refunds Are Processed in Stripe

Zipper's built-in refund feature processes full refunds only. For partial refunds, you'll need to use Stripe's dashboard, which provides more flexibility for specifying custom refund amounts.

Before You Begin

• You need access to your Stripe dashboard at https://dashboard.stripe.com
• You'll need the customer's name, email, or the transaction date to find the payment
• Ensure you have the necessary permissions in Stripe to issue refunds

Steps to Issue a Partial Refund

Step 1: Log in to Stripe

1. Go to https://dashboard.stripe.com
2. Log in with your Stripe account credentials
3. Make sure you're viewing the correct account if you have multiple Stripe accounts

Step 2: Find the Payment

1. Click Payments in the left sidebar
2. Use the search bar or filters to find the specific transaction:
   • Search by customer email or name
   • Filter by date range
   • Filter by amount
3. Click on the payment you want to partially refund

Step 3: Issue the Partial Refund

1. On the payment details page, click the Refund button (usually in the top right)
2. In the refund dialog:
   • Change the refund amount from the full amount to your desired partial refund amount
   • Optionally add a reason for the refund
3. Click Refund to process

Step 4: Verify the Refund

1. The payment status will update to show "Partially refunded"
2. The customer will receive the partial refund to their original payment method
3. Refunds typically appear in the customer's account within 5-10 business days

Tips

• Keep a record of why you issued the partial refund for your own bookkeeping
• Inform the customer about the partial refund and expected processing time
• You can issue multiple partial refunds on the same payment if needed (up to the original payment amount)

Troubleshooting

Problem: I can't find the payment in Stripe
Solution: Check that you're viewing the correct time period. Use the date filter to expand your search range. Also verify you're logged into the correct Stripe account.

Problem: The Refund button is grayed out or missing
Solution: Your Stripe account permissions may not include refund access. Contact your account administrator to request refund permissions.

Problem: The refund failed
Solution: Some payments (like those made with certain payment methods or after a long time) may have restrictions. Check Stripe's error message for specific details, or contact Stripe support.

Note About Zipper Records

When you issue a refund through Stripe, Zipper will automatically receive a notification and update the transaction record to reflect the refund. You don't need to make any manual updates in Zipper.