What happens if I return an item?

Category: Payments & Claims

If you return an item, the cashback is adjusted to reflect what you actually kept and paid for. Process the return with the retailer as normal — there's nothing extra you need to do with Kick — and the cashback amount will be updated automatically once the partner network sees the refund. Returning an order won't penalise you, won't lock your account, and won't affect cashback on any other purchase.

How returns affect cashback at each lifecycle stage

• Return processed while cashback is still Pending: the cashback amount reduces to match the kept-and-paid total. If you return everything, the cashback shows as $0 in Pending and never moves to Available to claim.
• Return processed after cashback became Available to claim but before you withdrew it: the Available balance is reduced. You can still claim whatever's left.
• Return processed after you've already withdrawn the cashback to your bank: the adjustment is deducted from your next payout (or, if there's no upcoming payout, you'll see a small negative balance that clears the next time you earn cashback).

Exchanges and partial returns

If you exchange an item for a different size or colour at the same price, the cashback typically stays the same — the retailer treats it as a normal exchange rather than a refund. If you return one item from a multi-item order and keep the rest, the cashback is recalculated on the value of what you kept.

Why returns affect cashback

Cashback is funded by the commission the retailer pays Kick when a sale completes. If the sale is later refunded, the retailer reverses the commission to the partner network, which means there's no commission for Kick to share with you. This is industry-standard across every cashback platform — it's not a Kick-specific rule.

What about returns inside cooling-off windows?

For categories like insurance, gym memberships, and some software subscriptions, the retailer applies the commission only after a cooling-off period (typically 14-30 days). If you cancel inside that window, no commission is ever paid and no cashback is earned. Read more about cashback on travel, insurance and subscriptions.

Will returning hurt my account?

No. Kick doesn't track return rates or penalise shoppers for returns. Australian Consumer Law gives shoppers strong return rights for faulty or misrepresented goods — exercising those rights won't affect your standing with Kick or your future cashback. The only caveat is that systematic abuse (ordering with no intent to keep, purely to grab cashback) would be picked up by the retailer and the partner network long before it ever reached Kick.

What if a return causes a negative cashback balance?

If you'd already withdrawn cashback that's later voided by a return, your account shows the negative amount. It clears as soon as you next earn cashback. We don't bill you, don't auto-debit your bank, and don't charge interest. More on how the cashback lifecycle works.

About Kick Cashback

Kick Cashback is Australia's smarter cashback platform with 1,000+ partner stores. Free for shoppers — no membership fees, no subscription costs. Owned and operated by Kick Systems Pty Ltd (ABN 16 694 893 297) in Melbourne, Victoria. For support, contact info@kickcashback.com.