Articles on: Returns Management

Managing Returns in AfterShip Returns

Plans: All plans Platforms: All platforms

Overview



AfterShip Returns’ Returns dashboard lets you easily create, find, and manage RMAs with many features and functionalities. This article will take you through each and every one of them in detail.


What you’ll learn



In this article, we will show you:

Understanding returns dashbaord
Return details on dashboard
Finding returns
Returns dashboard tabs
Additional filters to sort data

Viewing returns details
Return details - administrative actions
Data included in the return timeline

Understanding returns dashboard



Once a customer submits a return request through the branded return page, the RMA request is automatically synced to the Returns dashboard in AfterShip Returns admin.

You can create a return request manually by clicking on the Create a return button at the upper right-hand corner
You can export returns based on the filters you’ve selected or all the returns created in the past 365 days
- You can select the recipient to whom the CSV file will be sent with the returns data



Return details on dashboard


The following return details/information are available on the returns dashboard for you to access at a glance. You can click on a specific return request to view more information about that request.



Return item image
eCommerce platform (e.g,. Shopify) order number
RMA number #, also known as AfterShip Returns ID, which is unique to each single return., even if there are multiple returns on the same order
Return/ exchange/ refund requested date
Current return status
Requested return resolution
Current shipping status
Customer name

Finding returns


There are a few ways to find the specific request(s) to make returns management easier.



The search bar can be used to find orders based on specific keywords

RMA # /order/exchange order no
Customer name
Customer email
Return item SKU

2. Key filters


The following filters alongside the search bar can be used to refine return requests based on certain criteria

a. Return resolution

The return resolution opted for the request:

Refund to original payment method
Refund to store credit
Replace with the same item
Exchange for other items

b. Refund status

The refund status of the request

Refunded: The return item is received by the seller and the refund is processed by the merchant
Refund failed: The refund failed to process due to unforeseen reasons or incorrect bank/customer details
Not refunded: The return process is till in progress and the refund is yet to be initiated

c. Shipping status

The current shipping status of the request




STATUSDESCRIPTIONUser experience
No prepaid labelThis status indicates that the RMA is approved but the return label has not been generated yet.
Pre-shipmentThis status indicates that the return label has been created or the shopper has uploaded the tracking number but the carrier still needs to scan the label on the return package.
ShippedThis status indicates that the status of a return shipment has been updated to in transit.
DeliveredThis status indicates that the status of return shipments has been updated to delivered.
ReceivedThis status indicates that the returned item has been marked as received.
Partially receivedWhen some of the items in the request request (but not all of the items) are received by the seller
Label voidThe return label is canceled and cannot be used to ship items back


There are two additional statuses exclusively for customers using Drop off at Happy Returns® locations return shipping method

STATUSDESCRIPTION
Partially dropped offWhen some of the items in the request request (but not all of the items) are dropped off at Happy Returns® Bar
Dropped offWhen the return items are dropped off at Happy Returns® Bar


Additional filters to sort data


The More filters button allows you to access more conditions on a side panel that you can apply to extract specific requests, including



d. Request creation date: You can set the date range or input the exact date (starting and ending date) to filter requests created between/on those specified dates
e. Exception: You can filter exception RMAs based on specific exception types



Exchange failed: Failed to create an exchange order
Label generation failed: Failed to generate a return label
Restock failed: Failed to restock the returned items
Refund failed: Failed to refund the return request
Charge failed: Failed to charge customer in exchange for other items
Request flagged for review: RMA manually flagged by the merchant for further inspection

f. Return method selected by customer

Ship with a returns label
Return to a retail store
Ship with the carrier customers choose
Green returns

g. The origin country/region of the return request
h. Item tags: You can create up to 50 tags in AfterShip Returns and assign the tags to individual items in the same RMA.

On the side panel



Click Manage tags on the side panel
To create new tags on the Manage items tag popup



- Type the tag name on the tag search bar and press enter
- Type the tag name on the search bar and click + Create

Tags can be renamed and deleted

On the RMA detail page



Tags can be added to return items on the RMA detail page by clicking the + Add tags or images option given below each returned item



Item tags can be created, edited, and directly applied to the items from the popup window
Only 3 tags can be applied to each returned item

Gift return
Requests with and/or without comments
Requests with and/or without images


i. Comments: You can filter return requests based on whether customers have left comments or not
j. Images: You can filter return requests based on the images uploaded as proof of return by customers
k. Item grade: You can filter return requests based on the grades given to the returned items



Returns dashboard tabs


The returns dashboard contains five tabs to help you find the returns you’re looking for.



All: All the return requests ever submitted will appear under this tab

Pending approval: The requests that are successfully submitted but are yet to be manually approved for the desired customer action

Approved: The return requests that are manually or automatically approved to be treated as desired by the customer but not yet resolved

Resolved: The return requests that are manually or automatically marked as resolved. A resolved return request typically means the customer has received the desired outcome.

Rejected: The requests that are successfully submitted but are manually rejected for any further course of action. Requests that are initially approved (manually or automatically) can still be rejected from the RMA detail page

Expired: When a return request expires because of no shipping updates 28 days after the return request approval

Exception: When a return request fails to proceed to the next stage or cannot be processed due reasons like failed exchange, failed label generation, failed refund and more.

Depending on your automation rules settings, AfterShip Returns will automatically approve, restock, process, and resolve your requests. If they are set up manually, you must visit each request’s detail page and process them yourself. Verify your automation rules in the Automation rules tabs.

Viewing return details





You can access a number of items on the RMA detail page view.

The item(s) being returned
Return resolution (outcome) desired by the customer
Return shipping method opted by the customer
A link to the original order and product details
A link to the exchange order and product details (applicable if the customer wants to exchange for another item)
Timeline of the return
Accompanying notes for the return request
Customer name, email address, and shipping country/region
Shipping information, including the tracking number, carrier name, SKU of the item(s) in the shipment, shipment creation date, shipment’s current status, return label, and QR code
Refund details, including return items tax, shipping, cost of returns, and the total amount refunded after absorbing the taxes and shipping charges


Return details - administrative actions


There are a number of administrative actions you can take from the return details page.

Approve, reject, and resolve the return request
Mark the request as received once the item reaches the merchant or warehouse
Edit the notes or leave a comment for the return request for future reference
Access the original order by clicking the original order number (e.g., #EFA341062) on the side panel
Create Shopify order for the exchange item
Access the details of the exchange order in Shopify by clicking the exchange order number on the side panel
Edit shipping information on the return label
Generate a return label with AfterShip Returns or manually upload a return label
Preview and send the return approval email along with the downloadable return label to the customer
Resend email notification to the customer for the current return status by clicking the Resend email button on the timeline or Resend notification button at the top right corner of the page
Track the return/exchange shipment by clicking the tracking number under the Shipments section
Add relevant images and tags to the item(s) being returned
Restock the item(s) being returned on Shopify
Edit and issue a full, partial, or no refund or a gift card to the customer based on the refund resolution selected

Data included in the return timeline




The return timeline on the RMA detail page is a timestamped list of:

When was the return request created and by whom
When was the request processed/updated and by whom
When was the request updated to which status and by whom
When were the notification emails sent to the customer
When and how much refund was processed

For more information, please contact our support team.

Updated on: 30/04/2024

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