Returns + reverse logistics
Returns that restock into sellable inventory, not a bin in the back.
Fulfillment.com receives returns, ties them back to the original order in BestOMS, inspects and dispositions them on Deposco, and restocks what's sellable into the same inventory pool that serves your store. One operator runs this step, not a subcontractor.
What it is
Reverse logistics, run by the same operator that shipped the order
A return is not the end of the order; it is the start of a second decision. We receive the returned unit, inspect it, and decide what happens next: restock, quarantine, dispose, or route a refurbish-eligible unit onward. Because we shipped it ourselves, the return can be matched back to the order it came from rather than handled by a separate, disconnected process.
The unit that comes back is finished sealed product, and we handle it as a third-party logistics provider (3PL): we inspect and disposition the return but don't rework, repair, or re-manufacture it. What we own is the decision and the routing, tied back to the original order rather than handled loose, which is the link that lets a return trace to the item, the customer, and the lot if a pattern, a batch defect, a spike on one SKU, needs to be caught. Tell us what your own audit or record-keeping needs are and we'll walk through how that fits.
How we do it
Four steps, on the named platform, from doorstep back to sellable
Returns run on BestOMS, with Deposco behind it, the same stack that runs every other service, so the return is tied to the order, the SKU, and the lot it shipped on.
Received against the original order
Returns are received in BestOMS, the same platform that tracks the original order, so a return can be tied back to the customer, SKU, and lot when needed.
Inspected and sorted
Units are logged on Deposco with a disposition: restock-eligible, quarantine, dispose, or routed onward where refurbish-eligible. Those categories decide how much of a return's value comes back as sellable inventory versus held or removed stock.
Lot and expiry re-checked
On dated and regulated consumables, lot and expiry checks are part of the restock decision before anything re-enters sellable stock.
Restocked or routed
Restock-eligible units re-enter sellable inventory in the same multi-node pool that serves DTC, marketplace, and retail. Everything else is held or removed per your rules.
Where the restock decision earns its keep
On dated goods, the restock decision carries the most weight.
For dated and regulated products, the restock decision carries more weight than the inspection step. A unit that sat with a customer for weeks can come back closer to expiry than the stock around it, and dated-goods categories carry their own rules for how that has to be tracked. We apply lot and expiry checks on Deposco as part of the restock decision on consumables, using the same first-expired, first-out control that governs inbound and outbound stock. Bring us your product's dating and shelf-life specifics and we'll map the restock handling to your line.
Returns proof
Why the return-to-restock window matters
The time from a return arriving to a restock-eligible unit re-entering sellable stock is what determines how much of that inventory's value comes back to you instead of sitting idle. Ask any 3PL how they measure it, and get your own number confirmed when you request a quote.
Pending confirmation
A branded returns experience for your customer
Beyond the warehouse-side receive, inspect, and restock, a branded returns experience covers how a return is started, how the label is issued, and what the shopper can see while it is processed. It isn't part of what we run as a standard service today. If it matters for your program, raise it when you request a quote and we'll walk through what it would take.
Connects to
Returns is one step run by one operator
The same operator, platform, and inventory pool that handle the rest of the catalog handle your returns. Here is where this service connects.
Lot, expiry + rotation control
The lot and expiry re-check that gates returned consumables before restock runs on the same first-expired, first-out (FEFO) rule that governs everyday stock rotation.
Value-added services
The branded inserts, packaging, and presentation that shape the post-purchase experience for the customer.
Technology + portal
BestOMS tracks each return against its original order, with restock-status visibility on your portal.
The full service catalog
Returns is one of fifteen services run by one accountable operator. See how the rest fit together.
Questions buyers ask about returns
Does Fulfillment.com repair or refurbish returned product?
No. We receive, inspect, and disposition returned units: we restock the sellable, quarantine or dispose of the unsellable, and route refurbish-eligible units onward per your rules. We're a 3PL handling finished sealed goods; we don't rework, repair, or re-manufacture product. The disposition call and routing are ours; any rework, repair, or re-manufacture is outside that scope and stays with you or your vendor.
How does a returned unit get matched back to its order?
Each return is received and matched to its original order in BestOMS, tying the unit to the customer, the SKU, and the lot it shipped on. That link is what lets a disposition call, restock, quarantine, or removal, trace back to a specific order instead of sitting as a standalone record. Tell us your record-keeping needs and we'll walk through how that traceability fits your line.
How does Fulfillment.com handle returns of dated or regulated consumables?
Lot and expiry checks on Deposco are part of the restock decision for consumables, using the same first-expired, first-out control that governs inbound and outbound stock. Near-expiry or out-of-date returns are flagged for separate handling rather than restocked automatically. Dated and regulated products carry their own recordkeeping and labeling requirements; tell us about your product and we'll map the returns handling to what your line needs.
Can I offer my customers a branded returns experience?
A branded post-purchase and returns experience is the layer a shopper sees after they decide to send something back: how the return is started, how the label reaches them, and what they can see while the unit is in transit and being processed. That layer isn't part of what we run as a standard service today; our returns handling covers the warehouse-side receive, inspect, and disposition. If a branded, shopper-facing layer matters for your program, raise it when you request a quote and we'll be honest about what it would take.
Do restocked returns go back into the same inventory I sell from?
Restock-eligible units generally re-enter the same multi-node inventory pool that serves your DTC, marketplace, and retail orders rather than a separate returns silo, once a unit clears inspection and its lot and expiry check. We'll walk you through what restock-status visibility looks like in your BestOMS portal.
Turn returns from a leak into recovered inventory.
Tell us about your product, your return rate, and your channels, and we'll put together a custom quote for receiving, inspecting, and restocking your returns end to end.