Return, exchange and refund
Handle returns so that refunds, exchanges and the returned goods are each decided and recorded, with a clear link to what was sold.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
2 bundles · 2 layers · 4 findings · 8 questions
Return request What the customer wants to return and on what terms.
Authorization
Request, policy and authorization.
Request
Sale, lines, quantities and policy.
- Which sale, lines and quantities does this return request cover?
- Which return policy version applied to this request, and was it within the return period?
Authorization decision
Who authorized the return and any exceptions.
- Who authorized this return, and was any exception to the policy approved?
Receipt and settlement What came back and what the customer received.
Goods and money
Condition, disposition, refund and resulting records.
Receipt and condition
Receipt, condition grade and disposition.
- When and where were the goods of this return received, and what condition grade was recorded?
- What disposition was recorded for each returned item, such as resell, refurbish, return to supplier or scrap?
Refund or exchange
Refund or exchange and its records.
- What refund or exchange was given for this return, by which method, and does it match the amount paid?
- Which stock movements and payment records resulted from this return?
- Which reason did the customer give for this return?
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Enterprise profiles
- Category
- Enterprise subject
- Entry kind
- subject
- Domain
- EnterpriseRTL
- Industry
- Retail and e-commerce
- Tags
- EM-RTL-05W-INDsubjectReturnAuthorizationReturnLineReturnReceiptConditionGradeReturnDisposition
What it is Filled
A customer's request to return goods, its authorization, receipt and inspection, the grading of condition, the disposition of the goods and the refund or exchange given. The original sale and the payment are referenced, not changed.
Why it exists Filled
Handle returns so that refunds, exchanges and the returned goods are each decided and recorded, with a clear link to what was sold.
Distinguishing features Filled
- A return references the original sale and does not change it.
- The refund and the disposition of goods are separate decisions.
- Return policy versions apply as stated at purchase or at return.
- Returned goods enter stock through inventory events.
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Issue refunds or approve exceptions.
- Refuse statutory return rights.
- Accuse customers of fraud.
Only with a human decision
- Refunds outside the policy require a supervisor's approval.
- Suspected return fraud is reviewed by authorized staff.
May
- Check a return request against the policy and the original sale.
- Propose a refund amount for staff approval.
- Analyze return reasons by item and supplier.
Moral aspects Filled
- Return rules must respect consumer rights.
- Return fraud detection can unfairly flag honest customers.
Who is affected
- Customers
- Store and warehouse staff
- Suppliers
Owners Filled
Steward
The head of customer service who answers for returns and refunds.
Master systems
- Order management system
- Point of sale system
- Warehouse management system
- ERP
Links to other meta-models Filled
neighbor
- EM-RTL-04
- EM-COM-03
- EM-COM-04
- EM-OPS-05
- EM-FIN-03
- EM-MFG-06
references
- WM-ECO-025 - conceptual-candidate
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- A return authorization has an identifier unique within the company.
- Return lines reference the original transaction or order lines.
Direct properties not applicable Not applicable
Not applicable
Enterprise record contour: physical properties belong to referenced world models.
Recognition required Filled
- Records show returned items, reasons, condition, disposition and refund.
- A return must be distinguished from a cancellation, a warranty repair and a return to a supplier.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- The contour supports refund processing, stock recovery and return analysis.
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Refunds before receipt of the goods can cause losses.
- Wrong condition grading puts damaged goods back on sale.
Standards and interfaces optional Filled
- Schema.org defines the MerchantReturnPolicy and ReturnAction types for publishing return terms and actions.
Context of use required Filled
- The contour is used for store returns, online returns and marketplace returns.
- Consumer withdrawal periods and warranty rules differ by jurisdiction.
Sources Filled
- schema.org: MerchantReturnPolicy and ReturnAction
- GS1 identification of returned goods and logistic units
- Consumer withdrawal and warranty rules
- Schema.org MerchantReturnPolicy type - Checked live (HTTP 200) on 2026-10-21.
- Schema.org ReturnAction type - Checked live (HTTP 200) on 2026-10-21.
Open questions
- How is a return linked to the original sale when the receipt is missing?
- Which return policy version applies, the one at purchase or the one at return?
- How is the disposition of the goods kept apart from the refund decision?
- Settle the boundary and the reuse, extend or new decision against the current specifications.
- Confirm the semantic crosswalk, rights and source mastership.
- Choose immutable references and run fixture checks before claiming publication readiness.
Machine files
Provenance
enterprise research programme · published-partial
Built from: enterprise/models/em-rtl-05/brief.json, ver-cy/world-models/card-supplements/em-rtl-05.json