Map the customer journey first
A return is a communication process before it is a warehouse process. Customers need visible states like request received, parcel in transit, parcel received, condition checked, and refund or exchange completed. Clear states reduce inbox friction fast.
Use one intake rule for condition
Returned items should move through a short and consistent condition lane such as resaleable, damaged, incomplete, or pending review. When every parcel is judged differently, stock and finance drift apart almost immediately.
Protect the handoff into inventory
The riskiest moment is after the parcel arrives and before the system reflects reality. A short daily returns close-out prevents received goods from sitting in limbo while the catalogue tells a different story than the shelf.
Review reasons, not only volume
A return count is useful, but reason codes are more useful. Sizing confusion, wrong item shipped, damaged packaging, or expectation gaps each lead to very different fixes upstream.