The operating question
Returns are an information channel as much as an inventory problem. The reason and the condition answer different questions.
What to decide, in order
- Reason and condition Why it came back and what state it is in, recorded as separate facts.
- Disposition Restock, recover, refurbish, hold for review or write off, with criteria and owners.
- Feedback Recurring return reasons routed to the packaging or quality decision that causes them.
Quick reference
| Decision | What it settles |
|---|---|
| Reason and condition | Why it came back and what state it is in, recorded as separate facts. |
| Disposition | Restock, recover, refurbish, hold for review or write off, with criteria and owners. |
| Feedback | Recurring return reasons routed to the packaging or quality decision that causes them. |
Where the handoff usually breaks
Without a disposition code, returns accumulate in a holding area that quietly becomes inventory nobody can sell.
What good looks like
Every returned unit has a destination decided at receipt, and the recovery rate is visible by reason.
Placeholder article prepared for layout review. The operating guidance above is generic; replace it with your own verified content before the public launch.