Returns Management

What is returns management?

With an increase in online retail and e-commerce sales, you will likely see an increase in returns, too, just by nature of online shopping. However, the cost of returns management and reverse logistics is on the rise, which means optimising your returns management process should be high on the priority list.

Returns management in retail and e-commerce is the movement of unwanted or faulty goods from the customer back to the seller so a refund or store credit can be issued. The returns management flow includes:

• Customer support to assist with beginning the returns process
• Providing logistics to retrieve the goods and move them back to the warehouse
• Operatives to process the goods, carrying out garment processing or similar to either return the goods to market in pristine condition, repackage and re-label, recycle, or destroy

Efficient returns management is vital in reducing the impact on profit margins. At Advanced Supply Chain, we have the tried-and-tested bespoke solution you need.

Introducing Vector Bounce: The intelligent returns management solution

In today’s competitive landscape, sustainability and speed are key, so returning pristine goods to market in the shortest time possible is paramount to success. To do this efficiently and effectively, ASCG offers our standalone intelligent returns management software solution, Vector Bounce.

Vector Bounce uses smart algorithms to reduce time spent on decision-making, eliminate unnecessary touch points, and improve overall efficiency while driving unnecessary costs from the entire operation.

Our comprehensive reverse logistics service and our ReStore process for refurbishment enable our customers to recover the maximum commercial value from returns.

We offer a full returns management solution for individual consumer returns and bulk or end-of-season recalls, all tracked through our returns and salvage module. Our bespoke solution enables our operators to receipt, grade, repack, and refurbish products, manage the flow back to prime stock, and ensure that the product is fit for resale on alternate marketplaces.

Our approach has added value to returns and salvage, a process previously viewed by retailers as high cost and little return. With a data-rich system that provides business intelligence and data analysis, you can make informed commercial decisions and maximise the residual value from returns. We use smart algorithms to manage the actions required, with work only carried out if it is cost-effective for the chosen route to market. This ensures the best value recovery at the lowest cost, every time.

Read our report as to how streamlining returns can drive speedy customer refunds to encourage re-spending and brand loyalty here.

Why do you need a good returns management solution?

According to a report from fashion-sector experts, 76% of consumers are likely to re-spend with the same retailer if they receive a speedy refund. Furthermore, 60% of consumers wait until they have received their money back from returns before spending again. These statistics tell us that it is of great importance to ensure returns are processed quickly in order to keep customers.

The rise in returns being inevitable with growth doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It can be an excellent opportunity to collect customer feedback, optimise internal processes and provide more customer value by being known for your good returns processes. If that process is overall positive, customers will come back to shop online with you. 

At ASCG, we offer a range of returns services to help optimise salvage and rectification to maximise margins. Currently, we salvage 70% of B-grade stock back to grade A. The goal is to help improve sustainability, speed, and quality of returns and future-proof the global returns operations. 

But it’s more than margins. A good returns management process helps build customer trust and, in turn, loyalty by giving them a customer-friendly return policy that’s accurate, efficient, and dependable. Make your returns management process one that improves customer loyalty to your company.

To find out more contact our Omnichannel Solutions team at +44 (0)1274 470500 or click here to submit an inquiry.