What is reverse logistics, or returning products by mail?
Photo: Avila Ops Tecnologia
Reverse logistics is the product’s journey back from the customer’s home to your store. You generate a posting code, customers take parcels to Correios or carrier drop-off points and products return without customers paying at the counter.
In November, this stops being a detail. Black Friday sellers receive December return requests, and those without processes handle each manually.
Who pays for returns?
Photo: Avila Ops Tecnologia
It depends on the reason. If customers withdraw within Brazil’s seven-day cooling-off period after receipt (Consumer Defense Code, article 49), or products are defective or incorrect, stores bear return costs. Size exchanges without defects are not legally mandatory: store policies decide who pays and must be published before sale.
A common mistake is asking customers to pay shipping and “deduct it later.” Generate reverse-posting codes and message only the order’s registered contact. Correios and carriers offer this under contract; without contracts, shipping platforms can issue prepaid labels you send as files.
How do you build a process before needing it?
Write policies covering deadlines, product conditions and who pays in each case. Define one return-request channel, such as a website form or WhatsApp keyword. Record each return’s order number, reason and status.
In December, those records reveal whether sizing, photos or packaging caused problems.
What to do now
Publish return and exchange policies today if missing and test generating a return code before November 27. Avila Ops stores include policy pages and return requests linked to customer history: avilaops.com/loja-virtual or WhatsApp wa.me/5517997811471.
Frequently asked questions
Is reverse logistics mandatory for online stores?
Accepting withdrawal within seven days of receipt is mandatory, and stores pay return costs for withdrawal and defects. Brazil’s solid-waste law uses the same term for collecting discarded packaging and products in certain sectors.
How do you generate Correios return-posting codes?
With contracts, use the reverse-logistics dashboard. Without them, shipping platforms can issue prepaid labels to send customers.
Must customers use original packaging?
You can request packaging and invoices but cannot deny withdrawal because the box is missing. State this in the policy.
Connections, made clear
Every delivery has a journey to follow.
Explore a transport operation and its review points.
- RequestGather collection or delivery details.
- PlanningOrganise the stops and responsibilities.
- DispatchCheck the load and record its departure.
- TrackingMonitor updates and possible incidents.
- CompletionReview the delivery and operation records.
- Request. Gather collection or delivery details.
- Planning. Organise the stops and responsibilities.
- Dispatch. Check the load and record its departure.
- Tracking. Monitor updates and possible incidents.
- Completion. Review the delivery and operation records.
Request
Gather collection or delivery details.
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