Returns, cancellations, and shipping promises should appear before checkout

Transaction boundaries should be recommendation-visible, not checkout-only.

Useful for: Cross-border commerce, DTC brands, subscription teams

Google Search Central mark for return policy structured data and post-purchase trust
Image source: Google Search Central.

Where checkout changed

AI shopping flows often ask what happens if the order goes wrong before they trust a recommendation.

Putting returns, cancellations, and shipping promises closer to product and pricing pages helps trust survive the click.

Do not trust one conversion number

The useful question is no longer whether a purchase happened; it is which step created the hesitation, missing fact, or measurement gap.

Check the event model

  • Make product pages, pricing pages, and FAQs all expose the same returns and shipping facts
  • Keep the test narrow: one priority product or checkout flow before expanding recommendation, authorization, payment, and support work

What still needs proof

Checkout-only policy detail weakens both user trust and AI citation confidence. Keep the original source open so the announcement, the evidence, and this site's interpretation stay separate.

Return PolicyShippingTrust