Returns and credits

Operate, then Returns. A return records goods coming back, what you did about it, and what happened to the stock.

Raising a return

Field	Options
Order	Which order it relates to
Customer	Filled from the order
Reason	Damaged in transit, wrong size, quality issue, change of mind, other
Resolution	Refund, replacement, or store credit
Refund amount	For a refund
Status	Open, approved, completed, rejected

Record the reason honestly. It is the only way to find out whether your returns are a courier problem, a sizing problem, or a print quality problem, and those have completely different fixes.

The three resolutions

Resolution	What it means
Refund	Money back, refunded against the invoice payment
Replacement	You remake it. Usually raise a new order linked to the same customer
Store credit	Held against their account for next time

Stock writeback

Returned goods that are resaleable get credited back into stock, writing to the movement ledger like any other movement. Goods that are not resaleable, a misprint or a damaged garment, should be written off with an adjustment and a reason instead. Restocking something you then cannot sell makes your stock lie.

The status flow

Open when raised. Approved once you have agreed to it. Completed when the money or the replacement has gone. Rejected where you have declined it, with the reason recorded.

Keep them moving. A return sitting open for a fortnight is a customer wondering whether you are going to sort it out.

Reading returns as data

Once you have a few months of returns, check them against reasons:

• Mostly wrong size points at your size guides or your storefront copy.
• Mostly quality points at a process, and usually at one decoration method.
• Mostly damaged in transit points at packing or a carrier.
• Mostly change of mind on retail orders is just the cost of retail.