RMA

How the RMA process works

The customer asks to return an item. The seller checks the request against its policy and issues an RMA number with the expected items and the reason. The customer ships the goods with that number on the package.

At the warehouse, the RMA number is scanned on arrival, so the receiver sees what should be inside. Each unit is inspected, graded and given a disposition. The result goes back to customer service, which issues the refund, replacement or credit.

• Request and approval: reason, items, return method.
• Receipt: match the package to the RMA.
• Inspection and grading: new, opened, damaged, defective.
• Disposition: restock, refurbish, return to supplier, or dispose.
• Resolution: refund, exchange or credit.

A worked example

A customer returns 3 phone cases from one order under RMA RMA-1042. Two are unopened and go back to available stock in their pick face. One is scratched and is graded as damaged. Because the defect looks like a manufacturing fault, it goes to a supplier return, and the credit is tracked against that supplier.

Why RMAs matter and common mistakes

Without RMAs, returns arrive as unexplained parcels. Someone has to work out which order they belong to, stock gets restocked without inspection, and refunds are issued for items that never came back.

Common mistakes: restocking returns without grading, so damaged goods are sold again; putting returns straight into available stock when they should wait in quarantine; and not recording the return reason, which hides patterns such as a size chart that runs small. The returns management process guide covers setting up grading and dispositions.

How NextStock handles returns

NextStock handles customer returns as RMAs with unit-level grading and dispositions, so each returned unit can be restocked, quarantined, sent for repair or scrapped. Supplier returns are tracked with their credits. Returned stock carries its status, lot and serial like any other stock. See returns management.