Software for Returns Management
Processing returns optimally: Efficient returns management is the prerequisite for high customer satisfaction and long-term customer loyalty. A software solution for returns management enables companies to easily manage returns in an automated and professional manner. REMIRA provides you with such a returns management software.
Efficient Returns Management for Retailers
Fueled by the Corona pandemic, online retailing has experienced an upswing in recent years. However, this has also led to a huge increase in the activities required to handle this high volume of returned items from various sources with different requirements such as customers, retailers and wholesalers. The increased number of returns primarily means additional costs for retailers and are also bad for the environment.
Returns of items are inevitable, especially in sales channels such as e-commerce and online marketplaces. It is therefore necessary to give customers certain deadlines in order to retain them. Possibilities for this would be new promotions and discounts on the purchase of additional products, as well as cashback measures. The aim of reverse logistics is therefore to process returns as quickly as possible and to reintroduce them into the merchandise cycle and other sales channels.
Returns are part of the business model of an online retailer. Return rates are particularly high for clothing and shoes. Here, customers prefer to order packages from the online store so that they can try out various items at home before making a final purchase decision. Few people know the logistics behind returns. Retailers, however, know that returns entail far more than just postage and transport costs. Without powerful software, the demands of managing returns are almost impossible to manage.
The topic of returns is comprehensive. It ranges from commercial needs to customer service and concerns sales channels (e-commerce, retail, wholesale, and marketplaces) with specific needs and peculiarities. The item-related return rate in online retail in the DACH region in 2021 was between 5-25% for 39% of companies. Every retailer wants to avoid returns, but this is not always possible. The reasons for returns are manifold:
- Selection shipments
- Damaged goods
- Wrong products
- Poor quality
- Not fulfilled expectations
What Is Returns Management Software?
Returns management software is a solution that retailers, online sellers, and manufacturers use to manage the returns process. It helps them save money and processing time, retain customers in the long run, and provide them with the best possible service for their returns.
For this purpose, various processes are automated, for example, the processing of data, the creation of documents, refunds or the checking of conditions. Optimal workflows bring time savings and efficiency and increase the competitiveness of the company. Returns management software thus supports what is known as reactive returns management. This deals with the effective and efficient return of ordered goods. The goal here is to process the returns as quickly as possible and reintroduce them into the goods cycle.
Returns Management as a Success Factor in E-Commerce
Managing customer returns is a delicate process that affects various areas of the company and impacts customer relationships. It is therefore essential to optimize this process. This is achieved by making it as fluid and efficient as possible - including for customers. This includes not only the reversal of the order, but also payment or, if necessary, offsetting against new orders. Equally important is consistent and transparent communication with customers throughout the process.
Our software is a departmental system specialized in returns management, which allows the customer or customer service to create or import a list of items that require returns approval. It gives the user the ability to verify the actual compliance of returned goods by checking, if necessary, the quantity delivered between customers and the expected quantity according to the actual commercial agreement, solving much of the critical urgency at the source.
What Are the Benefits of a Returns Management Software?
Companies benefit from better processes and optimized handling of returns with a returns management system. This results in numerous advantages:
- Documentation of returns requests
- Complete workflow configuration enables definition of operational procedures that meet various requirements
- Management of different types of returns (merchandise returns, quality returns, agreed returns from wholesalers and retailers to manufacturers at the end of the season)
- Creation of personalized statistics
- Reconciliation of products with the return slip before returning them to the warehouse
- Easy management of all documents required for the shipment of goods
- Time monitoring at each stage of the process
- Creation of automatic and/or rule-based manual approval criteria
- Automatic advancement of some steps based on events in other systems
- Exchange of information with all IT systems involved
Important Functionalities of Software for Returns Management
Basically, e-commerce companies want to avoid returns, but the high number of packages shipped automatically leads to a significant rate of returns. Appropriate systems for returns management then offer the possibility to effectively and economically design the logistical process with automations. Returned items should be returned to inventory as quickly as possible after passing through the inspection processes. At the same time, the processing effort for customers and companies should be kept low.
Some important core functions for a corresponding software solution are, for example:
- Flexibility in handling different types of returns
- SLA settings for customers: fixed times
- Control of the timing of the various process steps
- Creation of documents
- Refunding
- Checking of conditions
- Interfaces to logistics service providers
- Automatic sending of e-mails
- Scalability
Procedure for Incoming Returns
When returns arrive at the warehouse, employees must....
- understand the reason for the return (is it a technical, quality or commercial return?),
- verify that the goods are acceptable (are they from the same season? Is their origin known? Are the quantities correct?),
- check the condition of the items (can they still be sold on other channels? Are repairs necessary?).
Taking into account the condition and characteristics of the items, the system can issue orders to place the products in specific storage locations (first choice, second choice, e-commerce inventory, etc.) and send them for repair/reprocessing or destruction if necessary.
Are you looking for a solution for successful returns management?
Our intelligent software for returns management supports you in the optimal handling of all your returns - whether in stationary retail or in the online store.