ReturnGO helps streamline your returns using return automation rules. Automating your returns workflow frees up your team to focus on other tasks and makes your return process more efficient. 

What Are Return Automation Rules?

Return automation rules automate actions within your return process based on criteria that you define. 

By automating your team’s processes and workflows, you eliminate the need to perform repetitive manual tasks. 

Return automation rules follow a Trigger > Condition > Action workflow.

Trigger: An event that triggers the activation of the automation rule.

Condition: Requirements that must be met in order for the automation rule action to 

happen.

Action: The part of the automation rule that completes a task.

Let’s take as an example an automatic refund approval process.

A return automation rule can be set up to automatically approve refunds when certain conditions are met. This automation rule might look like this:

Trigger: A customer requests to return an item and receive a refund.

Condition: The system detects that the date of purchase was less than 14 days ago.

Action: The refund request gets automatically approved and the customer receives the 

refund without your team needing to manually approve the refund request.

Return automation rules enable you to replace time-consuming manual tasks with smart, automated return processes, saving time and improving efficiency.

Why are Return Automation Rules Important?

Return automation rules are an important part of improving your returns management workflow. With return automation rules, many key steps in your return process can be automated, increasing efficiency and saving time.

Return automation helps you:

• Boosts profits
• Improves customers’ return experience
• Streamlines the returns process

Set up return automation rules such as auto-refund and auto-exchange to eliminate the need for manual data entry and make the return process more reliable, accurate, and efficient.

By automating key steps in your return process, you can free up your team to focus on other tasks.

Setting Up Return Automation Rules

ReturnGO provides great flexibility when it comes to setting up return automation rules to fit your needs. 

In order to set up your return automation rules, let’s break down how your return policy translates into conditions for the automation rules.

Your return policy has conditions such as return timeframe, location, item returned, and more. These conditions are used to activate the return automation rules you define.

For example, if your return policy defines a return timeframe of 30 days, you can have a return automation rule in which, when a customer tries to return an item within 30 days, the return request will be automatically approved. In this case, the 30-day return timeframe is the condition that enables the automation rule to be activated.

Set up your return automation rules according to the conditions you define in your return policy, and choose the timing of the automation rule in relation to the condition.

One of ReturnGO’s top features is the flexibility that you get in defining your return policy, automation rules, and other settings, enabling you to configure your returns process to your exact requirements.   

What Return Automation Rules Can You Set Up?

Here are some of the return automation rules you can set up to help streamline your returns workflow:

Auto-Refund 

The auto-refund automation rule enables you to automatically send a refund under certain conditions – for example, if an item is returned because it was damaged or defective.

Automating refunds in cases where you know they will be eligible saves you time in your workflow.

Auto-refund can be set to be initiated based on triggers: item validation, RMA approval, shipment in transit, or shipment receipt. You can configure the timing so that auto-refund is activated immediately or within a set amount of time after the trigger.

Auto-Exchange

The auto-exchange automation rule enables you to automatically release an exchange when a certain condition is met. 

For example, you can set up auto-exchange so that when an item is returned and is in transit back to your store/warehouse, the exchange is released and a new draft order is generated in your Shopify account, which you can then fulfill and dispatch to the customer.

Like with auto-refunds, auto-exchange can be initiated based on various triggers, such as once the returned items have been validated, once the RMA has been approved, or once the shipment has been received.

Configure the timing so that auto-exchange is activated immediately or within a given amount of time after the action has occurred.

Auto-Approve

The auto-approve automation rule enables you to automatically approve return requests based on criteria you define. 

For example, you can define that if a customer requests a refund in the form of store credit and this is the first time that this customer has returned this item, the request will be automatically approved. The customer will immediately receive a confirmation email with a return shipping label or instructions on how to return the item.

Auto-approve will automatically be enabled for auto-refund resolutions.

By setting up auto-approval automation rules for certain conditions, you can automate the RMA approval process, saving you the time of manually going into the RMA card and approving each return request. 

Auto-Mark as Done

The auto-mark as done automation rule enables you to automatically mark the RMA (return merchandise authorization) status as Done once all required actions are completed for each item.

Auto-mark as done applies to the entire RMA, so only once all policy rules are completed for all the items will the RMA be marked as done.

In other words, once all the steps of the return have been completed, the RMA status will automatically be marked as done.

Use Return Automation Rules to Save Time

If you’re looking to streamline your returns process, return automation rules can be a big help. By automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks, you can make your returns workflow much more efficient.

Use ReturnGO’s return automation rules to automate key parts of the returns process. Save time, minimize errors and reduce your costs.