# Process Returns with the Speed and Ease of Outbound Fulfillment

## Transform your operational processes to get returned merchandise to the next-best home, faster.

Returns are often viewed as a cost center for retailers. However, savvy brands now think creatively about how to accelerate returns processing while systematically ensuring that they can optimize financial recovery on returned merchandise. Optoro’s Returns Processing application within our RMS technology specifically solves the returns dilemma — **shifting returns into a revenue-retainer without sacrificing a great customer experience**.

### Optimize Your Operations

Protect margins and get returned inventory back to stock quickly with automated returns processing. Optoro’s prebuilt workflows accelerate receiving, test-and-grade, and dispositioning, eliminating backlogs, reducing processing errors, and improving inventory accuracy.

### Recover Value on Returns

Improve recovery on returned merchandise by leveraging our proprietary SmartDisposition® data engine to send returns to the most profitable next-best home.

### Infuse Circularity

Enhance sustainability efforts through prebuilt workflows and connectors to recommerce channels and vendors.

### Turn Insights into Actions

You cannot fix what you cannot measure, yet most companies lack data and reporting on the true cost and impact of returns on operations. Unlock visibility into warehouse, employee, and inventory performance to identify improvement opportunities across the entire reverse supply chain.

### Returns are (still) a challenge for retailers, brands, and 3PLs

## **20-39%**

Cost to process a return from the item’s original cost

## **47%**

of retail executives identify slow time to restock as a main pain point they experience with their current returns processes

## 2x

Labor required to process returns vs outbound fulfillment

### Increase Recovery on Returns

Getting returns from a customer to their next most profitable home is a complex process that requires a streamlined solution. Optoro’s RMS, powered by our SmartDisposition® decision engine, is uniquely equipped to do just that.

Optoro’s RMS

Offers **valuable insights** on returned inventory to make better merchandising decisions

**Speeds up restock timeframes** for available-to-sell (ATS) inventory, often the largest capital expense for retailers and brands

Dispositions returned inventory to the **highest recovery channel**, whether that be restock, resale, donation, or destruction

### Accelerate Receiving Velocity with Automation

Returns technology designed to transform the speed and efficiency of your warehouse operations is a must-have for retailers and 3PLs who want to keep up with the speed of ecommerce. While ensuring returns don’t create backlogs in the warehouse, a fast and accurate RMS has major impacts beyond the four walls.

Optoro’s Returns Processing can improve receiving speeds by 3x, which can

**Prevent delays** in issuing refunds or exchanges — essentials for customer satisfaction and loyalty

**Speed up restocking** of items, maximizing their resale potential

Maintain **optimal inventory levels** and ensure that products are available to meet customer demand — critical for driving repurchases

**Relist seasonal items** quickly, leading to more recovered value by avoiding markdowns

### Easily Train & Retain Warehouse Operators

On top of the fact that returns continue to increase year-over-year, 73% of warehouse operators say they struggle to find enough labor, and 48% struggle to retain it. Between the increase in returns and the decrease in labor availability, it’s critical to have user-friendly tools that can be learned quickly and make processing easier, faster, and more accurate.

With Optoro’s RMS, retailers and 3PLs can

**Onboard new employees in 1-2 days**, making it easier to accommodate fluctuations in labor availability and returns volume (especially during peak season)

**Reduce errors, avoid exceptions, and improve inventory accuracy** with easy-to-follow screen prompts that take the guesswork out of returns

### Mastering the Maze of Returns: The WMS vs. RMS Debate

Returns are an evergreen challenge for both retailers and 3PLs. Yet, many tools fall short when it comes to mitigating the impact of returns. In this article we’ll take a look at the key differences between using a WMS and an RMS for retail returns.

## Features and Functionality

### Receiving

Purpose-built receiving technology for unit-level and non-happy-path returns

### Test & Grade

Configurable grading functionality to reduce subjectivity, errors, and ditch paper processes

### Intelligent Dispositioning

Automate and optimize routing of returned inventory faster, improving inventory accuracy

### Directed Sorting

Streamline put-away to reduce inventory stock-outs and backlogs

### AEO and Optoro’s returns management solution: a perfect fit.

For American Eagle Outfitters, a return backlog is a thing of the past. Here’s how we’re speeding up processing to keep items in stock and returns running smoothly.