Ecommerce & Omnichannel · Fashion · Home Improvement

Returns Root Cause

Returns spiking on a SKU or reason code. Attributes cause, routes it.

Target KPI Return rate
Executes in ≤ 24 hours
System of record Shopify · OMS · Salesforce
Trigger condition

Return rate on a SKU exceeds its category benchmark by 10 points, or a single reason code more than doubles inside 30 days.

Write-back

Product content flagged for correction in the PIM; quality case raised in Salesforce; OMS reason-code mapping updated.

Every write is gated on an approver role you name. Nothing runs unattended.

Procedure
  1. Decompose returns by reason code, size, colour, channel and fulfilment node.
  2. Separate the four real causes: product defect, description or imagery mismatch, sizing, and fulfilment error.
  3. Route each to the team that can actually fix it. A photography problem sent to the buyer dies there.
  4. Open a case with the evidence and the estimated annualised cost of leaving it alone.
  5. Close when the return rate returns to benchmark for 30 days.
Outcome metric

Return rate on the SKU over 60 days vs. benchmark, valued at the fully loaded cost of a return.

The case closes on this number, not on the action being taken. A playbook without a close condition is a dashboard.

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