Is your organization struggling with an uncontrolled flow of product or order returns on your B2B ecommerce site? Do you get random requests on your contact form with incomplete or confusing information about returns? Return requests can be extremely costly for manufacturers or ecommerce store administrative staff. A good approach to control and channel returns is to implement a Return Materials Authorization (RMA) process. An RMA process helps by:
- Relieving the load from customer support staff
- Reducing the number and length of customer support phone calls regarding returns
- Better client communication
- More immediate and efficient workflow
- A controlled, consistent process
- Customer can view the status and communicate about the RMA
- Ability to define the conditions, resolutions and reasons for returns
The specific features of RMA functionality depend upon your platform, but in general here is what you can expect:
Front-End Features
- Allow user to submit an RMA Request
- The user can select applicable order and product
- They can specify a reason, what sort of resolution (replace or credit), and a condition in which the goods were received
- Once submit, the RMA will appear in their customer area
Admin Features
- Control which types of questions (attributes) and answers the user must complete for the return
- See a list of RMA requests in the admin area
- Take appropriate actions on the request, including store credit or refund the original payment method
- Ability to control email templates and customer messaging
- Configure the time period during which RMAs will be allowed
- Control email generation; direct the RMA submissions to a different address
- If there are multiple storefronts, these settings can be configured differently for different storefronts (wholesale vs. retail, for example, or brand-specific messaging)
These features help control and channel the requests that will help your business be more responsive as well as protect you from out-of-warranty orders. It also helps track and control replacement orders, store credits and refunds. It’s a win for both customers and administrators.
If you are interested in implementing an RMA workflow for your B2B ecommerce site, please Contact Us!
