Ecommerce retailers know the challenges of managing ecommerce returns. Ecommerce has made it easier than ever to launch and grow your brand online, and at a global level. However, fast sales growth also leads to customers returning more products. Despite the overall flexibility and agility that ecommerce has over regular brick and mortar stores, the entire return process is often time-consuming, expensive, and can hurt bottom line profits.
It is not just retailers who struggle with returns. The problem also vexes your customers. 75% of users state that returns are the most difficult aspect of ecommerce. 87% report that a negative returns process will deter them from shopping at that retailer again.
Even though it causes friction for both you and your customer, returns are almost inevitable and they happen often. A Shopify report reveals that in 2023, consumers returned $743 billion worth of online purchases. This amount represents about 14.5% of all retail sales. The National Retail Federation estimates that these returns resulted in $400 billion in lost sales for U.S. retailers.
Returns have become a necessary part of doing business online and are a standard customer expectation. To maintain a positive customer experience, brands need to have an effective returns management solution in place. The good news is there are companies that can help make product returns smoother for your business and customers. Solutions can range from return portals that automate return requests, to software specific to post-purchase experiences or 3PL warehouse management.
Here are some companies to consider as you evaluate return management software options and post purchase platforms.
Return Automation / RMA Portals
Frate Returns
Frate is a full-suite returns solution that decreases returns sent to your warehouse. Their return portal automates the returns experience for customers. Their portal includes full-catalog exchanges, AI-powered image and condition assessment, and intelligently routes where to ship items. This helps brands increase revenue and decrease fraudulent return behaviour.
Frate also offers peer-to-peer returns called “ecodrop returns”. This allows customers to directly ship returns to new customers, reducing shipping costs and returns to your warehouse.
If you are looking for a full-featured return portal with sustainability at its core, Frate might be a fit for you.
Loop
Loop Returns is a return management platform with a huge portfolio of brands on Shopify. They're a veteran in the return software space, and offer one of the leading return portals for RMA initiation and automation.
Loop also offers a comprehensive and easy-to-use feature set for automating return requests. These include full-catalogue exchanges based on related product descriptions, instant exchanges, and custom workflows. For brands looking for a point of sale (POS) system, Loop has their own return-focused POS. Brands can use it to prompt shoppers who start a return online to drop-off in-store.
If you’re looking for a leading return portal that will help retain revenue and also connect with your physical stores, then Loop and its return POS app might be for you.
ReturnGO
ReturnGO is another seasoned vendor in the return portal space. ReturnGO’s platform provides tools to help brands maximize their revenue and profit while minimizing waste.
ReturnGO’s portal enables return automation, exchanges, status tracking and notifications. The return portal lets customers initiate returns with self-serve return requests, meeting customer expectations for easy returns. Brands can create automations to determine how each return should be handled. ReturnGo also supports Buy X Get Y promotions, bundles, Buy Online Return In Store (BORIS), store credit, and more along with standard policy resolutions. Brands can use ReturnGO to offer alternatives to refunds that reduce return costs and retain revenue.
If you’re looking primarily for return portal software with customizable automations, then ReturnGO might be right for your brand.
Return Assurance
Seel
Seel gives marketplaces a simple way to offer worry-free shopping experiences on their stores.
Seel’s worry-free shopping program™ enables stores to offer shoppers Free Returns, Guaranteed ETA, and other benefits that have been seen to increase conversion rates by an average of 18%. Customers can send items with fit or quality issues to Seel for a full refund, can be compensated if an order does not arrive by the guaranteed delivery date, and can be offered a guaranteed buyback price for your merchandise. In that case, Seel buys back your customers' purchases when they're ready to move onto something new.
If you’re exploring ways to increase checkout conversion, order value, and retention, then Seel might be worth considering.
Return Management Software for Warehouses/3PLS
Two Boxes
Two Boxes’ mission is to build the world's best returns processing solutions in order to maximize the value of ecommerce returns and minimize the negative effects returns impose on our planet, consumers, and businesses.
Two Boxes’ software is tailor-made to improve returns processing for 3PLs or brands that operate their own warehouse facilities. Since launching in 2022, they partnered with over a dozen 3PL customers, empowering them to process tens of millions of dollars worth of returned inventory for leading brands across the US and Canada. Their comprehensive suite of returns processing hardware and software for 3PLs save warehouse operators time and money, but also prevent returns from ending up in landfills.
If you are a 3PL or you operate your own warehouse, then Two Boxes might be what you’re looking for to improve how you receive and process returns.
Post-Purchase Experiences
parcelLab
parcelLab is the only truly global enterprise post-purchase software provider, enabling brands to increase top-line revenue, decrease operational costs and complexity, and optimize customer experience in unprecedented ways.
Their award-winning post-purchase platform empowers brands to transform mundane operational touchpoints into differentiated and personalized experiences. With real time data tracking, parcelLab helps create unique moments of personalization and engagement for customers. parcelLab is trusted by over 800 brands including IKEA, Chico’s, H&M, and Yeti. They actively manage the post-purchase experience across 175 countries while tracking shipping data from more than 350 carriers worldwide.
If you are looking for an enterprise-ready post-purchase experience that can delight your customers globally, parcelLab might be right for you.
Order Protection
Order Protection optimizes the post-purchase experience for eCommerce brands, reducing customer service tickets and boosting profits through shipping protection. Your customers can easily add order protection to their cart or during checkout. Their 24/7 customer support team resolves issues in under an hour, with approved claims receiving a refund or reshipment.
From theft and damage to lost or missing packages and much more, Order Protection has you covered. Get tailored return fraud prevention measures designed specifically for your business and SOPs. Brands can also resolve claims with store credit instead of refunds, making it easier to retain revenue and re-engage your customers.
Looking to augment your post-purchase experience with shipping protection? Order Protection has all the functionality you need, and more.
End-To-End Returns & Reverse Logistics
ReturnBear
We take an end-to-end approach to ecommerce returns and reverse logistics at ReturnBear. We aim to optimize product returns management and the return experience for brands and their customers.
We provide technology and services to help you manage customer returns. This process starts with the return request through our portal. Customers can use our global mail-in return labels, or if in Canada, drop off the item at one of our package-free label-free return points. We then handle receiving, verifying, consolidating, and finalizing all returned items. We also process returns and can manage their consolidated cross-border shipping back to any location of your choice.
We offer local return services in global markets, including the USA, Canada, the UK, and Australia. Our local facilities can quickly process your returns and prevent fraud by checking them before issuing refunds. Customers love the faster service and return processing which gets them their refunds quickly. This can also help reduce the number of customer support requests made when handling returns.
Brands trust ReturnBear for effective returns management that reduces costs and can help build trust with their customers. If your brand is expanding globally and needs an updated end-to-end returns solution, ReturnBear could be the right fit.
Returns are an inevitable byproduct of your brand’s growth online. While they are to be expected and often necessary, they don’t have to be evil.
An optimized workflow for returns management processes can create delightful customer experiences, protect your brand’s margins, and help operate a more sustainable reverse logistics process.
Proactive brands turn returns from liabilities into opportunities by adopting processes that acknowledge the entire return journey. From automating your customers’ return requests with return portal software, to consolidating and dispositioning returned products to the most cost effective destinations, there are a myriad of ways to improve the return experience for your customers and your brand if you plan your returns end-to-end.
If you’re able to plan your returns process from the moment a customer makes a purchase, to the time that returned product reaches its very final destination, you’ll find that there are many ways to win with returns. And as you can see from this list of amazing companies, there are many terrific partners that help your business every step of the way.
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