Return logistics at Monta: simple for the customer, efficient to process
How you handle return logistics shapes a large part of how customers experience your brand. A clunky returns process costs you trust and repeat purchases, while a smooth one builds loyalty. At the same time, every return needs to become sellable again quickly, otherwise it eats into your margin and your stock overview. With fulfilment and WMS software, Monta helps webshops keep return logistics simple for the customer and process it efficiently in the warehouse, whether you outsource it or manage it yourself.
Less returns hassle for your customer service, more insight to reduce returns.
Why does return logistics matter?
Returns are unavoidable in e-commerce, but without a well-organised returns process they cost unnecessary time and money. A customer service team handling return requests manually gets overloaded, items sit idle too long before they can be resold, and customers who don’t know where their return has got to are unlikely to come back soon.
Well-organised return logistics prevents these problems and delivers concrete benefits:
Less pressure on customer service
Customers who register their own return through a returns portal send fewer emails and calls to your customer service team. That saves your team time and gives customers immediate clarity about the process.
Back on sale faster
The faster a return is processed and booked back into stock, the less time an item sits idle unnecessarily. A streamlined returns process stops capital getting tied up in products that could already be sold again.
Higher customer satisfaction and repeat purchases
A smooth returns process, with a clear label and real-time status, gives customers confidence, even when a purchase doesn’t work out. That confidence often translates directly into repeat purchases.
Insight to reduce returns
Data on return reasons per product or SKU shows exactly where things go wrong, for example with sizing or product information. With those insights, you can adjust your returns policy and product information, and structurally reduce the number of returns.
How you organise your returns depends on how you’ve set up your logistics. If you take fulfilment with Monta, we handle returns for you. If you choose our WMS software, you manage your own returns process.
Return logistics with Monta Fulfilment
If you take fulfilment with Monta, you can choose to hand over the entire returns process as well. Returns then run through our own RMA system and are processed in one of our fulfilment centres. That means, among other things:
A returns portal where your customer registers their own return and receives a returns label.
Every item is unpacked and assessed on arrival, and booked back into your stock wherever possible.
Can’t an item be resold? Then we agree together on what happens to it, including through our sustainable re-commerce partnerships.
Personal communication with your customer about the status of their return, without you having to lift a finger.
If you use Monta’s WMS software, you manage your own returns process, with a returns portal that works entirely in your own branding. Customers register their return independently, and the rest runs automatically from your own system. That translates into:
A returns portal in your own branding, including matching email templates per sales channel.
Automatically generated returns labels as a QR or barcode, as soon as a customer registers a return.
Direct synchronisation with your stock, order administration and ERP system.
Data-driven insight into return reasons per product or SKU, to improve your returns policy.
From unpacking to a new destination, we take every step of your returns processing off your hands.
How Monta processes your returns
Processing returns through fulfilment is a choice. You can outsource this to us entirely, or manage it yourself. If you choose to leave it with us, it runs through our own RMA system, and every return follows the same careful route, from registration to a new destination. Below you can read what that looks like, step by step.
Registering a return
Your customer registers the return themselves through our RMA system, with the order number and the reason for the return. Does your customer want to exchange it? Then we automatically create a new order for the desired variant.
Receipt and registration
As soon as the parcel arrives at our fulfilment centre, we register the return immediately, so you always have insight into its status.
Unpacking and assessing
We carefully unpack every item and assess its condition, so we can determine whether it can be resold.
Back into stock or a new destination
Is the item sellable again? Then we book it straight back into your stock. If not, we agree with you on what happens to the product, for example through our sustainable re-commerce partnerships.
Processing and analysis
After assessment, we arrange the refund to your customer and make return data per product and period visible, so you can use it to improve your returns policy.
This keeps the handling of your returns careful and sustainable, from unpacking to a possible new destination.
Even though we take returns processing off your hands, you always keep full insight through MontaPortal. In the portal you can see in real time which returns are coming in, what their status is, and which products come back most often, without having to keep track of any of it yourself. Below are the key features:
No hands-on management, yet full insight into every return. That's the power of MontaPortal.
What customers say about us
"Since partnering with Monta, we have gained control not just over our logistics, but over our growth too. From subscriptions to shop orders, everything is handled tightly and reliably. That means we can focus entirely on building a global brand.”
Piet-Hein Smit | CEO
"In our industry, trends are the norm, so flexibility is a must. MontaWMS is therefore the perfect solution. We have our own insight and overview, while still relying on decades of experience and development within Monta."
Niels v.d. Bosch | Supply Chain Manager
"I'm happy with Monta because deliveries run very smoothly and quickly. That keeps our customers satisfied. Communication lines are short, so we can also act faster whenever something needs adjusting or shipment numbers need to be passed on. Tech support from Nico is also always on hand"
If you use Monta's WMS software, you manage returns yourself, in your own warehouse, driven by MontaWMS's returns module (RMA). Below you can read what that looks like, step by step.
Step 1: Registering a return
Your customer logs into your returns portal with their order number and email address, and indicates which items are coming back and why. Does the customer want to exchange it? Then the system automatically creates a new order.
Step 2: Generating a returns label
As soon as the customer has registered the return, MontaWMS automatically generates a returns label as a QR or barcode, ready to hand in to the carrier.
Step 3: Visible in your own warehouse
The return is immediately visible in MontaWMS, so your team can prepare for its arrival without manual entry or separate emails.
Step 4: Processing and updating stock
Your team scans and assesses the item. MontaWMS automatically books it back into stock, rejects it, or sets it aside for second-chance sales.
Step 5: Processing and analysis
Return data per product and period becomes visible in your own dashboard, so you decide for yourself how to adjust your returns policy.
This way you stay in control of every return, with software that drives the process in your own warehouse.
Returns processed directly into your own stock, driven by MontaWMS's returns module.
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A module proven every day in our own 20+ fulfilment warehouses.
Why choose MontaWMS's returns module?
MontaWMS's returns module is one of the system's additional, conversion-boosting modules. Return data flows straight through to stock, order administration and reporting, without manual steps.
Used every day in our own 20+ fulfilment warehouses.
100+ developers continuously work on improving the system.
25+ years of hands-on experience in logistics.
More than 3,000 webshops have already gone before you.
Return logistics is the entire process by which a product travels from the customer back to the warehouse, from registering the return through to processing and any refund. This includes generating a returns label, transport back to the warehouse, inspecting the product, and booking it back into stock or finding it a new destination. Return logistics software automates this whole process and keeps it organised.
What's the difference between an RMA system and return logistics?
An RMA system (Return Merchandise Authorization), also known as a returns portal, is the part where customers register their own return and receive a returns label. Return logistics is the broader process around it, from receipt and assessment to booking items back into stock and analysing return data. At Monta, the RMA system is the starting point of a return, whether you take fulfilment or work with our WMS software.
Can customers also exchange items instead of returning them through the returns portal?
Yes. Customers can indicate in the portal that they want to exchange an item for a different size, colour or variant. The system automatically creates a new order, so the desired product can be processed and shipped straight away.
Can the returns portal be customised to match my branding?
Completely. The portal is set up in your brand identity, including logo, colours and email templates. Each sales channel can have its own branding and returns policy, so customers always recognise your brand, whether you take fulfilment or manage the process yourself with our WMS software.
What happens to returns that can no longer be sold?
If a product is no longer suitable for regular sale, we agree together on the best destination for it. Think of second-chance sales or, with fulfilment, our sustainable re-commerce partnerships, so products get a new lease of life wherever possible instead of being written off.
Personal & flexible
25+ years of experience
99.98% performance guarantee
