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Returns management | Freight-Academy™

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GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 22, 2026

Returns management

Returns management covers all operational, logistical, and commercial measures a company uses to handle customer returns – from the initial return request through transport, receipt, inspection, refurbishment or disposal, and financial settlement.

Quick Answer

Returns management covers all operational, logistical, and commercial measures a company uses to handle customer returns – from the initial return request through transport, receipt, inspection,…

It goes beyond the physical process: returns management also includes return policy design, root-cause analysis, and measures to reduce return rates over time.

In retail and e-commerce, it has become a competitive differentiator: customers expect fast refunds, frictionless procedures, and real-time status updates.

Last updated: 22 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reverse_logistics

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Definition & Explanation

Returns management covers all operational, logistical, and commercial measures a company uses to handle customer returns – from the initial return request through transport, receipt, inspection, refurbishment or disposal, and financial settlement. It goes beyond the physical process: returns management also includes return policy design, root-cause analysis, and measures to reduce return rates over time. In retail and e-commerce, it has become a competitive differentiator: customers expect fast refunds, frictionless procedures, and real-time status updates. The cost burden is real – shipping, labor, and product depreciation accumulate quickly, making process efficiency a business necessity. Companies that mine returns data systematically can identify recurring quality defects, sizing inaccuracies, or product description gaps and act to address them.

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Recommended format: Source: Freight Academy – Returns management (https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/returns-management), accessed 2026-09-12
APA style: Freight Academy Editorial Team. (2025). Returns management. Freight Academy. https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/returns-management
BibTeX: @misc{returnsmanagement2025, title = {Returns management}, author = {{Freight Academy Editorial Team}}, year = {2025}, url = {https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/returns-management}, note = {Freight Academy, accessed 2026-09-12} }

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