returns management
What is an RMA?
Returns Merchandise Authorization (RMA) for product return in the Reverse Supply Chain. Read about RMA and download the RMA checklist.
The Customer Journey of Dexter Bawbund
Product returns occur in different phases while the customer is using your products.
Stef de Bont
Apr 24, 2017
Dexter Bawbund is a 24-year young man. He just graduated from university and he is making his first career steps at a boutique marketing communication agency. Dexter lives and breathes the internet. He is online around the clock and shops online as well. He much values customer service. Let’s have a closer look at his shopping behavior and customer journey.
Shoes are boring. He loves to wear sneakers and he can’t resist following the latest trends in footwear. His collection grows every 3 to 4 weeks. He does not have a favorite brand so he shops and buys around the world. He loves finding this odd pair of shoes in a small specialized shop. As sizes differ per brand he is always struggling to buy the right size in one go. He buys 2 sets in different sizes knowing that he will keep one set and return the other. He loves the “14 days” return option and he prefers to do it for free. But he also understands that free returns require his contribution to keep it affordable for the merchant. He also understands that the merchant would like to have a heads-up about the return. Making an online registration just takes a few minutes but will pay off for everybody. He does not have any problem with dropping the box at a local postal office. He likes to have a heads up when the product has been returned and the refund is made.
Dexter prefers a healthy way of living while working hard. He loves all the fresh food delivery services that deliver at his home. No returns here, he is keen on using all ingredients and left-over’s for a next-day meal.
He loves photography and spends his Sunday out in the field. He owns a fortune in cameras and accessories and buys directly at the online brand store. He recently experienced a defect with his preferred camera and was looking for fast repair service. He loved the RMA Portal (some call it a return portal) to request a Return Material Authorization with the manufacturer. Within 24 hours he received a prepaid return label to ship the defective product with a reliable courier service. Making an online booking for a time-definite pickup was not an issue for him. He much valued the option to track the status of the return, repair, and shipping process. He received his repaired camera within 7 days and the whole process has never been a “darkroom” for him. He and the camera brand are friends forever.
Dexter cares about the environment and contributes to the friendly disposal of old printer cartridges. As he prints many of his photo’s he uses these a lot. It’s a no-brainer for him that the returns process is simple and free of charge. No need for advanced status tracking. He does not expect a response once the cartridges have been returned.
To fund his expensive photography hobby he loves to make money in smart ways. One thing that makes him smile is being successful in finding the best price for selling his old electronic gadgets. As there are many sites out there he likes to spend time on finding the best “return-for-cash” deal. He wonders what happens with the returned products. Hopefully, these are used again and not end up in an African landfill. It would be better if he could return and cash directly with the brand owner.
He is also keen on making a trade-in deal with his favorite camera brand when buying a new camera. He is surprised that there are just a few brands that offer a “return-to-buy” discount for buying a new camera while returning his old one. It does not require much to understand which makes a lot of marketing sense.
“Return to Sender” would be a nice slogan for a returns management marketing campaign for one of their customers. Let’s see if he can do something with it at the office tomorrow.
Dexter Bawbund is a fictive person.
Shoes are boring. He loves to wear sneakers and he can’t resist following the latest trends in footwear. His collection grows every 3 to 4 weeks. He does not have a favorite brand so he shops and buys around the world. He loves finding this odd pair of shoes in a small specialized shop. As sizes differ per brand he is always struggling to buy the right size in one go. He buys 2 sets in different sizes knowing that he will keep one set and return the other. He loves the “14 days” return option and he prefers to do it for free. But he also understands that free returns require his contribution to keep it affordable for the merchant. He also understands that the merchant would like to have a heads-up about the return. Making an online registration just takes a few minutes but will pay off for everybody. He does not have any problem with dropping the box at a local postal office. He likes to have a heads up when the product has been returned and the refund is made.
Dexter prefers a healthy way of living while working hard. He loves all the fresh food delivery services that deliver at his home. No returns here, he is keen on using all ingredients and left-over’s for a next-day meal.
He loves photography and spends his Sunday out in the field. He owns a fortune in cameras and accessories and buys directly at the online brand store. He recently experienced a defect with his preferred camera and was looking for fast repair service. He loved the RMA Portal (some call it a return portal) to request a Return Material Authorization with the manufacturer. Within 24 hours he received a prepaid return label to ship the defective product with a reliable courier service. Making an online booking for a time-definite pickup was not an issue for him. He much valued the option to track the status of the return, repair, and shipping process. He received his repaired camera within 7 days and the whole process has never been a “darkroom” for him. He and the camera brand are friends forever.
Dexter cares about the environment and contributes to the friendly disposal of old printer cartridges. As he prints many of his photo’s he uses these a lot. It’s a no-brainer for him that the returns process is simple and free of charge. No need for advanced status tracking. He does not expect a response once the cartridges have been returned.
To fund his expensive photography hobby he loves to make money in smart ways. One thing that makes him smile is being successful in finding the best price for selling his old electronic gadgets. As there are many sites out there he likes to spend time on finding the best “return-for-cash” deal. He wonders what happens with the returned products. Hopefully, these are used again and not end up in an African landfill. It would be better if he could return and cash directly with the brand owner.
He is also keen on making a trade-in deal with his favorite camera brand when buying a new camera. He is surprised that there are just a few brands that offer a “return-to-buy” discount for buying a new camera while returning his old one. It does not require much to understand which makes a lot of marketing sense.
“Return to Sender” would be a nice slogan for a returns management marketing campaign for one of their customers. Let’s see if he can do something with it at the office tomorrow.
Dexter Bawbund is a fictive person.