How should an e-commerce business document their reverse logistics and returns process?

Document reverse logistics by creating separate SOPs for each stage: return authorization (issuing RMAs), item receiving and inspection, disposition decisions (restock, refurbish, or dispose), refund processing, and inventory adjustment. Record the software steps in your order management system using a capture tool, and combine with physical warehouse procedures for a complete returns playbook.

What SOPs make up a returns playbook?

SOP	Content	Who Uses It
Return authorization	How to issue an RMA, generate return label, communicate with customer	Customer service
Item receiving	How to log returned items, verify RMA, check package condition	Warehouse team
Inspection & grading	Criteria for Grade A/B/C/defective classification	Warehouse team
Disposition	What happens to each grade — restock, refurbish, liquidate, dispose	Operations manager
Refund processing	How to process the refund based on inspection result	Customer service
Inventory adjustment	How to update stock levels after restocking or write-off	Operations/warehouse

What should the inspection criteria look like?

Condition	Grade	Disposition	Refund Type
Sealed, original packaging	A	Restock as new	Full refund
Opened, undamaged	B	Restock as open-box	Full refund
Minor cosmetic damage	C	Sell as refurbished	Full or partial refund
Defective / not functional	Defective	Return to vendor or dispose	Full refund
Missing parts	Incomplete	Partial restock or dispose	Partial refund
Not the returned item	Fraud	Hold for investigation	No refund until resolved

How do you document these workflows?

Record the software steps — issuing an RMA, processing a refund, updating inventory — using Glyde. For physical inspection and grading, create a photo-based reference guide with examples of each condition grade. Combine both into a "Returns Playbook" in your operations wiki.

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This answer is part of our guide to SOPs by role and use case.