1) Overview of the Best Returnly Alternatives for Returns Management
If you're an ecommerce business looking for a reliable and affordable returns solution, you've probably come across Returnly. Maybe you are using it now! While Returnly is a great option, what if it isn't the best option for your business?
Every online entrepreneur knows, there are always ways to improve their existing returns workflow. If you are one such store owner, then this post is for you.
Today, we are comparing Returnly to some of its biggest rivals. We have carefully curated this list with the help of logistics experts and ecommerce businesses. Further below, we’ll also provide some helpful tips on choosing the best Returnly alternative and competitor for your business. Let’s dive in.
2) Top 10 Returnly Competitors and Alternatives for Ecommerce Businesses
3) Detailed Review of the 10 Best Alternatives and Competitors of Returnly
3.1) ClickPost Returns Plus
ClickPost provides a plug-and-play return and delivery management software that offers multi-carrier integration to make returns faster and more cost-effective for your business. It is trusted by 200+ global brands for its excellent forward and reverse logistics. It enhances the post-purchase customer experience through a fully white-labeled returns portal that allows customers to register return requests easily.
ClickPost also provides dedicated return solutions with its Shopify app ClickPost Returns Plus that offers as a tracking page that customers can use to track the status of their refunds and exchange orders. The returns portal asks pertinent questions about the reason for returning an item. Such data accumulated weekly or monthly can give store owners valuable insight into the main cause of returns. This ease of doing returns is what makes ClickPost Returns Plus one of the best Returnly alternatives in the market.
3.2) Happy Returns
Happy Returns is a returns management software and Shopify that provides online and offline return and exchange services to e-commerce businesses of all sizes. It is mainly operational through the US.
Therefore, if you are an ecommerce business in the United States looking for international shipping and return services, then Happy Returns may not be for you. For everyone else, this is a great returns app with flexible return shipping features. With Happy Returns, your customers can return unwanted items to your physical store, to one of the 3000+ Return Bars, or directly from their doorstep.
3.3) Return Prime
While ClickPost and Happy Returns are great for Shopify merchants and other businesses, Return Prime is designed for Shopify users only. It can accommodate both Shopify and Shopify Plus users while integrating with several other shipping channels, payment gateways, ERPs, WMS, and more to simplify the returns process. Return Prime can manage returns from over 50 countries via a branded returns page. It also sends email and SMS notifications to customers about the status of their exchanged orders and refunds.
3.4) Loop Returns
Loop Returns aims to convert all of your returns into repurchases or exchanges. To that end, it displays other items from your inventory in similar shades and styles to the customer trying to return an item. In most cases, these customers end up exchanging their unwanted items for a new product from your inventory.
This intelligent AI-driven platform automates inventory management to update your stock levels in real-time and provides regular analytics reports on how well your return strategy is performing. To use it on the go, download Loop Returns from the Shopify app store.
3.5) AfterShip Returns Center
Everybody in the ecommerce industry is familiar with AfterShip as a provider of exceptional order tracking services. The AfterShip Returns Center is an offshoot of the same company with a focus on managing the returns experience of customers. It is an excellent alternative to Returnly if you want timely returns status updates, a branded tracking page, and a self-service returns portal that automatically approves or rejects return requests based on your return rules. The AfterShip Returns Center is also available for Shopify users on the Shopify App Store.
3.6) Trove
Trove is a new-age sustainable option to turn returns into ecommerce. Trove is a returns platform in the sense that it helps ecommerce businesses sell their returned products in the secondary market while maintaining their brand equity and image. This is great news because the secondary market is super big on branded items. For online stores, this means all their revenue is being utilized and turned into newer sales. This is definitely a returns management option that ecommerce stores looking for Returnly alternatives and competitors should consider.
3.7) Optoro
Optoro is a returns and exchange management platform aiming to reduce your percentage of returns by turning them into exchanges. It features a solid returns portal that makes online returns completely hassle-free. It has several drop-off locations where a customer can easily drop off their returns shipments. Optoro also provides expedited return shipping. If a customer does not want to exchange their product, Optoro simply puts it through different sales channels till it finds a buyer. Optoro has a full-fledged B2B marketplace of its own, known as BULQ.
3.8) Clicksit
Clicksit is the returns management solution provided by Sorted's very popular shipping management software. Clicksit Return Center is also available for download at the Shopify app store. It has a returns portal for easy return placement, order tracking with real-time status notifications, and the option to track the status of refunds. Clicksit can integrate with many shipping carriers and other platforms. It provides deep insights on improving your returns process and enhancing the returns experience of customers.
3.9) Ordoro
Ordoro is an end-to-end returns management solution that provides a host of automated services like dropshipping, bulk shipping/return label creation, inventory management, and more. In returns management, Ordoro lets you create RMAs as soon as you verify the order your customer wants to return. You can simply email them the return shipping label they need to send back the item. As soon as the product is received, Ordoro updates your inventory to reflect the returned item. Ordoro is built for large businesses and is a highly cost-efficient alternative to Returnly.
3.10) Cin7 OrderHive
Cin7 OrderHive is a complete order management software for online businesses with an impressive list of features to manage returns. OrderHive provides superfast returns processing times. Customers can finalize a pick-up date, and merchants can assign to which warehouse they want to send the returned item. Thye can also ship or email shipping labels to customers directly and save on logistics costs. OrdrHive enables real-time tracking on all their returning items. The refund process is initiated when a returned product passes all quality checks, RMA qualifications, and other approvals.
4) How to Choose the Best Returnly Return Center Competitors and Alternatives for Your Online Store
There are several great Returnly alternatives and competitors available, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses. So which one should you choose? In the section below we discuss some of the most important criteria to selecting a returns management solution.
4.1) Pricing of the Return Software
You don’t want to break the bank to use a returns solution! Therefore, pay careful attention to that price tag. Of course, services matter more than the price and you should never go for a Returnly alternative just because its pricier than the rest. What you should do instead is weigh the pros and cons of the return app before deciding if it’s the right one for you. Many of the returns software listed above offer free trial plans that are an excellent way to get to know a return solution better.
4.2) Location serviceability of the Returns App
If your returns app does not ship to and from where your customers are, then it’s no good. You might take serviceability for granted but all returns programs and the shipping carriers they integrate with operate in specific regions only. Your returns app may say it offers international shipping and returns. But how many countries does it ship to? Is it a 100, 30, 50? It’s no help if your chosen Returnly competitor accepts returns from 50 countries but leaves out the one you sell in. Please talk to your software provider before making your decision.
4.3) Self-Service Returns Portal
Suppose you want to make your customers' returns experience as smooth as possible. In that case, you need to invest in a returns management system that provides a self-service returns portal that lets customers place return requests easily. The platform is actually great for ecommerce businesses too, because they can automate product returns by defining return rules in eCommerce, special conditions, ineligible return products, and more.
4.4) Refund Tracking and Notifications
Say your returns provider was unable to persuade your customer to opt for an exchange instead of a return. The next thing they should be worried about is about informing the customers that their refund process has been initiated. Your Returnly alternative may have already initiated the refund process but it’s no good if they don’t keep the customers informed.
The crucial thing here is not just getting the money back but not feeling anxious or uncertain in the meantime. That’s what refund tracking does. Refund tracking can be enabled through the returns portal itself or it can be done via emails or SMS to the customer informing them just how much time it will take for them to get their refunds.
4.5) Omnichannel Return Process
Since returns are everybody's least favourite thing about online shopping, the least store owners can do is provide customers the option to return items wherever they want, whenever they want. This means enabling store returns, drop-off locations, home returns, post-office returns, etc. This might sound like a hassle, but your returns software vendor can provide these options for you. And trust us, you'll be much better off with these because this will encourage customers who have had a great return experience to come back to your store more often.
4.6) Return Shipping Costs
We have already discussed the price of the software. By shipping costs we refer to the price you or your customers pay for returns. You may already know many ecommerce businesses don’t pay for return shipping. It makes total business sense. But if you want higher customer retention rates, we suggest you make returns free or at least charge minimal rates. Whether you pay for shipping or not largely depends on your return policy and the policy of the returns management software you work with.
4.7) Automated Return Label Creation
What if there were a way to make returning items easier and faster for your customers? With automated return label creation, you can do just that. This feature streamlines the entire process by creating labels for your customers' returns right from their account page. Not only does this make things easier for them, but it also cuts down on the amount of work you have to do. Alternatively, you can also email it to them for similar cost-efficient methods.
4.8) Customer Support
Lastly, your returns management alternative to Returnly must provide customer support. It can be in the form of live chat, phone help, email support and more. Regardless of what the method is, make sure it’s effective and responsive. Many companies will say they provide customer support but when the time really comes it takes them forever to reply. This is not acceptable because bad customer service can negatively impact your customers’ post-purchase experience and induce buyer’s regret, anxiety around returns and many other things.