Managing product returns is often one of the most significant expenses of running an online store. Data from Invesp shows that 30% of all products purchased online are returned, compared to just 8.89% of products purchased from brick-and-mortar retailers.

There are several reasons why returns are so common in ecommerce — the most prominent listed in the image below. But regardless of the reason, the bottom line is that your store's bottom line depends on an optimized returns process. 

We’ve already discussed how you can optimize your returns process, but most growing stores need additional help. Thankfully, there are plenty of returns management software tools on the market today that are designed to reduce the expense of returned products without harming customer satisfaction.

In this article, we'll explore what to look for in great returns management software before highlighting the nine best returns management tools available today.

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What is returns management?

Returns management is the process of helping customers who need to return an item, whether online to an ecommerce shop or in person at a brick and mortar store. Typically, customers submit a return request, send or bring an item back, and the business restocks the item and credits back the customer.

What makes returns management software great?

There are several key reasons why returns management software is a valuable tool for any ecommerce business. From helping you automate your returns process to helping you reduce your return rate through insightful data, here are just a few top reasons why the right returns management solution can be highly beneficial: 

Helps automate your product returns process

Managing returns is often a time-consuming process — and an expensive one. According to Axios, returning a $50 item costs retailers an average of $33. And slow, clunky processes are a big part of the issue.

By automating much of your product returns management process, returns management software can make handling online returns much less of a hassle: 

• Automatically generating return labels
• Providing customers with a self-service return portal
• Automatically sending out shipping updates for returned products

📚Related reading: Our guide to automating customer service processes to save time and improve support quality.

Integrates with other ecommerce tools

One of the most important things to look for in returns management software is its existing integrations. For example, returns software that integrates with your email marketing platform makes sending out customized shipping updates easy. 

Meanwhile, choosing returns software that integrates with your customer support platform makes it easy for support agents to process returns while assisting customers. Below, we’ll link whenever a returns tool integrates with Gorgias to save you the time of searching.

These are just a couple of examples of the value you gain when your returns management system integrates with the other tools your ecommerce store uses. 

Offers speedy service for returns

84% of shoppers say that they will not purchase from a retailer again after a bad returns experience. So, offering speedy service for returns is mission critical. By streamlining and automating your returns process, the right returns management software can make the process faster and more convenient for your customers. 

Provides easy to read data analytics and has a clean dashboard

According to data from Statista, reverse logistics — otherwise known as returns management — cost U.S. businesses a total of $102 billion in 2020 alone. If you want to reduce returns' impact on your store's bottom line as much as possible, it is essential to optimize both your returns process and the customer experience with your products. 

To this end, nothing is more important than the customer returns data that you collect. By providing returns data in a clean and organized dashboard, returns management software makes it much easier to draw the insights you need to process returns in a more cost-effective manner. It also offers your customers a better experience, which lends itself to a lower return rate. 

📚Recommended reading: Our VP of Success’ guide to evaluating customer service. 

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10 best tools for returns management

If you are looking for tools that will make managing returns much more efficient and convenient for you and your customers alike, there are several excellent options to consider adding to your tech stack. Here are our picks for the top nine returns management tools.

Next to each tool, we’ll list the G2 review score to help you understand current user satisfaction. 

By the way, if you already use Gorgias, check out our app store to find a list of returns and exchange apps that integrate with Gorgias.

1) ReturnLogic: 4.8 ⭐(10 reviews)

ReturnLogic is a comprehensive solution designed to automate the entire returns process, offering customizable workflows that can automate tasks such as: 

• Printing shipping labels
• Tracking return shipments
• Inventory management

ReturnLogic also offers warranty processing for accepting warranty claims from third-party purchases, powerful insights and analytics, and a customizable return portal designed to make returning products more convenient for your customers.

Another key benefit of ReturnLogic is that its return portal is designed to encourage customers to exchange items rather than request refunds, enabling you to further reduce the impact of returns on your store's profits.

Pros

• Long list of useful integrations
• Designed to encourage exchanges for returned items rather than refunds
• Wealth of insightful analytics regarding your products and returns process

Cons

• Expensive pricing
• Limited "return reasons" options in the self-service portal
• Sometimes clunky and difficult to navigate

Key Features

• Easy to create custom returns workflows
• Ready-to-use return center that automates the returns process, warranty process, and refund process

See more about ReturnLogic’s integration with Gorgias. 

2) Returnly: 3.5 ⭐(5 reviews)

With Returnly, ecommerce store owners can create customized return portals designed to optimize the customer experience and make returns less of a hassle for your customers and support team alike. Along with an attractive and easy-to-use return portal, Returnly also offers a range of automation rules that enable you to control how and when returns get processed.

Finally, Returnly provides detailed analytics and returns data that you can leverage to optimize your returns process further. The result is a well-rounded returns solution that offers everything online store owners need to reduce the expense and hassle of managing returns.

Pros

• Easy to offer store credit in exchange for returned items
• Plenty of customization options
• Instantly provides credits for returned items to improve customer retention

Cons

• Only capable of integrating with one shipping carrier at a time
• Doesn't provide the option to override automated emails
• Isn't as easy to set up and use as other returns management software

Key Features

• Tools for engaging customers at every point throughout the returns process
• Automatically sends out tracking updates for exchanged items

See more about Returnly’s integration with Gorgias. 

3) Loop Returns: 4.6 ⭐(57 reviews)

As one of the more popular returns management solutions today, there's a lot to like about Loop Returns. With Loop Returns, store owners can create a branded return portal complete with automations that streamline the returns process, and feedback forms to generate valuable insights on why customers return their products. 

The Loop Returns return portal also encourages exchanges, allowing your store to retain more revenue. Another key benefit of Loop Returns is that it enables customers to use a QR code to return their product rather than printing a shipping label (though Loop Returns does offer customers the option to print a shipping label as well).

📚Recommended reading: Learn how Kulani Kinis Saves $400k in Refunds Using Gorgias + Loop Integration

Pros

• “Reason for return” forms provide valuable insights that can be used to reduce your return rate
• Exchanges are instantly approved, and exchange credit is instantly applied to the customer's account
• Long list of useful integrations

Cons

• Somewhat pricey
• Customer support issues have been reported
• Many features are only available on upper tiers

Key Features

• Offers customers who choose a refund rather than exchange a bonus credit if they choose to exchange instead
• Allows customers to automatically apply the value of their return to any item in your store

See more about Loop’s integration with Gorgias. 

4) LateShipment.com (no reviews on G2)

LateShipment.com is a post-purchase experience platform designed to improve multiple aspects of a store's post-purchase process, including order tracking and returns management. 

One of the best features of LateShipment.com is that it provides a litany of order fulfillment data points, including real-time tracking updates that can be sent automatically to customers via email or SMS. Regarding returns management, meanwhile, LateShipment.com offers a customizable return portal complete with real-time tracking and a wide range of rules and automations that you can use to customize and automate your returns process. 

Finally, LateShipment.com promises to recover every dollar lost to carrier errors by automatically auditing shipping invoices and requesting refunds when an error occurs, helping your business save on shipping costs.

📚Recommended reading: Learn how to offer your customers free shipping without breaking the bank.

Pros

• Comprehensive post-purchase platform that isn't limited to returns management alone
• Flexible plans and pricing allows you to choose the features that best match your needs and budget
• Plenty of customization options

Cons

• Late packages are sometimes incorrectly labeled as "suspect lost"
• Daily metrics doesn’t support USPS
• Customer support issues have been reported

Key Features

• Automatic real-time tracking updates for both orders and returns
• Automates refund claims for 50+ carrier errors

See more about LateShipment.com’s integration with Gorgias. 

5) yayloh: 4.6 ⭐ (4 reviews)

yayloh is a return management platform that automates and optimises the returns process for fast-growing direct-to-consumer brands, particularly those in the fashion and lifestyle market.

With customisable workflows, yayloh reduces the workload for customer service teams and provides customers with a fully-digital and branded self-service returns experience.

The platform stands out for its focus on return data. yayloh collects and analyses customer feedback in top-tier data dashboards and datasets to help merchants make data-driven product adjustments to reduce returns rates.

With yayloh's all-inclusive solution, brands of all sizes can scale their businesses, boost customer loyalty and reduce returns, all while ensuring a smooth and efficient post-purchase experience for customers.

Pros

1. Top-tier returns data dashboards and datasets (allow CVS export)
2. Auto-refunds based on different triggers
3. Tailored to support fashion and lifestyle brands at any stage of growth
4. In-depth “returns reasons” with newly introduced returns keyword tags

Cons

1. More established in Europe. They're actively working towards expanding our presence in the US/Asia.

Key Features

1. Advanced data and analytics features
2. Open APIs for integration with all e-commerce platforms and Shopify App
3. Supports well for international expansion — paperless trade
4. Fully-digital and branded returns process

See more about yayloh's integration with Gorgias.

6) OrderHive: 3.7 ⭐(26 reviews)

Unlike many solutions on this list, OrderHive is not designed specifically for returns management. However, OrderHive's excellent inventory management and ecommerce automation features can be incredibly valuable for optimizing your returns process. 

For example, OrderHive's real-time tracking features make it easy to provide customers with tracking updates on product exchanges. At the same time, the platform's inventory management tools simplify the process of updating your inventory when returns are processed. 

But the real value of OrderHive comes from its wide range of ecommerce automation features. These features enable you to automate an incredibly long list of routine tasks, including tasks associated with returns management — such as processing returns and updating inventory levels.

Pros

• Affordable pricing with multiple plans to choose from
• Streamlines and automates every aspect of order fulfillment and returns management
• Enables you to set customized return policies

Cons

• Sometimes prone to frustrating bugs and errors
• Information from carriers often takes a while to update
• Analytics and reporting features are somewhat limited

Key Features

• Excellent inventory management solutions for handling returned products
• Real-time tracking and rate comparisons for 200+ shipping carriers

🧰 Tool: Want to update your returns policy? Use our free template generator to get started.

7) Return Rabbit 4.5 ⭐(6 reviews)

The features offered by Return Rabbit might not be anything all that new or revolutionary, but Return Rabbit is very good at what it does nonetheless. With Return Rabbit, ecommerce store owners can: 

• Create branded return portals
• Set up customized automation rules and return policies
• Provide customers the option to return products via a QR code

Similar to other tools on this list, Return Rabbit encourages exchanges via customized product recommendations presented to customers in the return portal. 

Pros

• Wide range of automation rules that go well beyond the generic rules offered by many platforms
• Designed to encourage customer feedback that can turn into valuable insights
• Robust reporting and analytics provide complete visibility into your returns process

Cons

• Only compatible with Shopify stores
• More expensive than many comparable options
• Customer support issues have been reported

Key Features

• Provides customers the option to return their product via a QR code rather than print a shipping label
• Instant exchanges and customizable product recommendations encourage exchanges over refunds

📚 Recommended reading: The best Shopify apps for growing your ecommerce business.

8) 12Return: 4 ⭐(1 review)

12Return is a returns management solution designed for both brick-and-mortar and ecommerce stores. For ecommerce stores, 12Return offers the ability to create both branded return portals and merchant dashboards designed to simplify the returns process for customer support agents. 

12Return also provides customizable automation rules for authorizing returns and automating a wide range of returns management tasks. 

Perhaps the most unique feature of 12Return is local returns processing, which enables customers to ship returned products to a local 12Returns hub for a faster and more efficient returns process.

Pros

• Local shipping can reduce return shipping costs
• Great customer support
• Powerful yet easy-to-use merchant dashboard makes the returns process much more efficient for customer support agents

Cons

• Somewhat tricky to set up and use
• Pricing is only available upon request
• Limited analytics and reporting

Key Features

• Automated tracking event updates for returned products
• Create on-demand digital labels
• Utilize 12Return's local shipping hubs for faster and more affordable returns

9) ReverseLogix: 4.4 ⭐(11 reviews)

ReverseLogix is a platform that offers everything you could want from a returns management solution, along with a few unique features you probably won't find anywhere else. 

ReverseLogix boasts standard returns management features such as:

• Creating branded return portals
• Generating on-demand shipping labels and QR codes for customers
• Rules for automating your returns process

However, they also offer features such as configuring returns workflows based on priorities such as sustainability and cost-effectiveness, and a Repairs Management module for managing part replacements and warranty-based repairs. 

Another nice feature of ReverseLogix is its detailed reporting, designed to provide insights into your returns process and the customer's experience with your products.

Pros

• Excellent analytics and reporting
• Lots of features in a single package
• Great customer support

Cons

• Somewhat prone to glitches and bugs
• Long and complex integration process
• Expensive compared to similar tools

Key Features

• Returns workflows can be configured based on a variety of business priorities
• Repairs Management module for managing part replacements and warranty-based repairs

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10) Ordoro: 4.7 ⭐(9 reviews)

Ordoro is a comprehensive order fulfillment platform that can manage orders and returns. With Ordoro, you can look forward to a long list of order fulfillment features, including: 

• Automation rules and shipping presets for automating your returns and order fulfillment processes
• Automated shipping label generation
• Detailed order fulfillment
• Returns management
• Inventory management reporting
• UPC barcode support
• Automatic PO generation based on inventory levels

If you are looking for an all-in-one solution to order fulfillment, inventory management, and returns management, then Ordoro is a great option to consider.

Pros

• Broad range of features and capabilities under a single platform
• Great customer support
• Free Starter plan that lets you try out the platform's basic features

Cons

• Somewhat difficult to navigate
• Updates are few and far between
• Occasional delays when syncing between shopping carts and Ordoro

Key Features

• Automation rules for order fulfillment, returns management, and inventory management
• UPC barcode support

Want more suggestions? Check out our list of 150+ top ecommerce tools or our list of the best shipping software for ecommerce.

Enhance your ecommerce store with Gorgias

Managing returns is one of the necessary evils of running an online store. With the right returns management software, you can greatly mitigate the expenses and hassles associated with returns management. 

Integrating these solutions with a powerful customer support platform such as Gorgias makes them even more beneficial. The ability to integrate with a wide range of returns management solutions is just one of the features that make Gorgias the premier customer support solution for ecommerce stores. 

With Gorgias, you can create automated customer support workflows to assist with returns management and other customer support tasks. Along with these powerful automation rules, Gorgias also offers live chat support, a centralized customer support dashboard, advanced customer support reporting and analytics, and so much more. 

To see for yourself how our industry-leading customer support software can enhance your returns process and your ecommerce business as a whole, sign up for Gorgias today!