A self-serve claims portal lets customers report a lost, damaged or stolen order on your site instead of emailing back and forth. It collects everything you need in one go, gives the customer a clear next step, and gives your team a single queue to review. On Shopify, a protection app can add the portal to your theme without code.
For the term itself, see claims portal. For the wider model, see the order protection guide.
Why build a self-serve portal?
- Fewer emails: one form replaces several rounds of “what’s your order number?”.
- Faster decisions: photos and details arrive with the claim.
- Fewer chargebacks: customers with a clear route to a fix are less likely to go to their bank. See reducing chargebacks for lost and stolen orders.
- Better data: claims by reason, carrier and product show where losses come from.
What should the form ask for?
Keep it short and only collect what you need to decide:
| Field | Why |
|---|---|
| Order email | Matches the claim to the customer |
| Order number | Finds the order and tracking |
| Reason (lost, damaged, stolen, wrong item) | Routes the claim to the right check |
| Photos | Needed for damage claims |
| Short description | Context the reason does not capture |
Avoid asking for information you already have, such as the address or tracking number.
Where should customers find it?
- Order confirmation and shipping emails.
- The order status page.
- Your footer and contact page.
- Your protection policy.
If customers have to search for it, they will email you or open a dispute instead.
How should you review claims?
Use a simple, consistent process:
- Check the order: was protection added, and is the claim within your filing window?
- Check tracking: lost in transit, marked delivered, or returned?
- Check evidence: photos for damage, a description for missing items.
- Decide: refund, reship, store credit or decline, following your policy.
- Tell the customer the outcome and next step.
For delivered-but-missing cases, see delivered but not received claims.
How do you set it up on Shopify with Sam?
With Sam Shipping Protection:
- In the theme editor, add the Claim Page app block to an existing page, or create a page template, then a page, and add it to your navigation.
- Customers enter their order email, order number and reason, and can attach photos and a description.
- Review claims in Claims Management, with statuses from Pending to Approved.
- Use Fulfill Claim to refund (partly or fully), refund by store credit, or re-order some or all items; use Cancel to decline.
- In Claim Settings, you can choose automatic refunds to store credit; Claims Translations lets you translate the form and status messages.
What makes a portal feel trustworthy?
- It matches your store’s branding.
- It explains what happens next and how long it takes.
- It links your protection policy.
- It sends a confirmation as soon as the claim is submitted.
A portal is only as good as the policy behind it. Build yours with the free claim policy generator.
Frequently asked questions
What is a shipping claims portal?
A page on your store where customers report lost, damaged or stolen orders by entering their order details, a reason and evidence such as photos.
What information should a claims form collect?
The order email, order number, reason, photos for damage and a short description. Keep it to what you need to decide.
Where should I link my claims portal?
From order confirmation and shipping emails, the order status page, your footer and your protection policy.
Can I add a claims portal to Shopify without coding?
Yes. Apps such as Sam add a claim page block in the theme editor that you place on a page and link from navigation.
Sources
Part of our guide: Order protection →