Core Charges
Core charges & deposits for auto parts
A core charge is a refundable deposit a customer pays on a rebuildable part - an alternator, starter, or brake caliper - which they get back when they return the old unit. Shopify has no native concept of a refundable deposit, so most auto parts stores end up faking it with a separate line-item product and reconciling refunds by hand. Core Charges builds the whole cycle into your store: the deposit is applied automatically at checkout, the outstanding balance is tracked against the order, and the refund is issued when the core comes back.
Core Charges
Core charges & deposits for auto parts
- Automatic deposit tracking
- Refund management
- Core return workflow
- Detailed reporting
Built to grow your store.
Deposits applied automatically
Tag a product as core-eligible and the deposit is added at checkout - no phantom line-item products, no manual price maths.
Refunds tied to the return
When the old unit comes back, the refund is issued against the original order so your books stay reconciled.
Reporting that matches your ledger
See outstanding deposits, returned cores, and refunded totals in one place instead of reconstructing them from order notes.
Feature checklist
Core Charges questions, answered
What is a core charge?
A refundable deposit charged on a rebuildable part. The customer pays it up front and gets it back when they return the old core unit, which the manufacturer remanufactures and resells.
Why not just add the core charge as a separate product?
That is the common workaround, but it breaks reporting: the deposit shows up as revenue, refunds have to be matched by hand, and returns are tracked in order notes. Treating a deposit as a liability rather than a sale is what this app exists to fix.
Does it work with partial returns?
Yes - deposits are tracked per line item, so a customer returning one of three cores is refunded for that one unit.
When will Core Charges be available?
It is currently in development. Get in touch if you run an auto parts store and want to be told when it is ready.
Be first to get Core Charges.
It's in active development. Tell us about your store and we'll get you early access.