Reverse logistics and size exchanges: how to turn a return into a sale you keep
How to set up a returns process that is easy for the customer and profitable for the brand: portal, inspection, restocking, size exchanges before or after the garment comes back, and what each step costs.
Updated 27 October 2026 · 5 min read
Returns are the cost that most surprises fashion and sports brands when they start selling online. According to 2025-2026 industry indices, an average of 23.7% of online orders in Spain are returned, with 31% in fashion and 27% in footwear. It is not a problem you can eliminate, but it is one you can manage better.
Reverse logistics is the journey back: from the moment the customer asks to return something until the garment is on sale again (or another destination is decided). In sport, a large share of that traffic is size exchanges, and that is where the opportunity lies: the customer does not want their money back, they want a different size.
The five stages of a return
- Request. The customer states what they are returning, why, and whether they want a refund or an exchange.
- Return shipment. They receive a label or instructions for dropping off the parcel.
- Receiving and inspection. The warehouse identifies the return, checks its condition and documents it.
- Decision and restocking. The garment goes back into available stock or is set aside for another destination.
- Closure. Refund, credit note or dispatch of the new size.
Every stage that depends on an email or a spreadsheet adds days and errors. The aim is for all of them to leave a trail in a system that both you and the warehouse can check.
The returns portal
A portal where buyers manage their own return without writing to customer service saves work and provides information. The essentials:
- Order lookup by order number and email address.
- Choice of items and a structured reason (too big, too small, not as expected, faulty…).
- The option of a size or colour exchange based on actual available stock, not just a refund.
- A returns label or clear instructions.
- Return status visible to the customer.
Structured reasons are gold: if an item keeps collecting “too small”, the problem lies in the size guide or the pattern, not in the warehouse.
Inspection and restocking
Inspection decides whether a garment can be sold again at full price. It is best to set the criteria in writing and always apply them in the same way:
| Status | Guideline criterion | Usual destination |
|---|---|---|
| Saleable | Tags attached, unworn, packaging intact | Available stock |
| Saleable after refurbishing | Unworn, but packaging damaged or garment creased | Repacked or ironed and returned to stock |
| Second quality | Slight signs of wear or a minor defect | Outlet or discounted sale |
| Unsaleable | Obvious wear, damage or missing parts | Claim, return to supplier or disposal |
Inspection photos are the best protection against disputes with the customer (“I sent it back in perfect condition”) and with the supplier in the event of a defect. Some providers charge for them separately: ask whether they are included in the price of the return.
Speed matters too: a garment that takes weeks to be restocked can miss the season.
Size exchanges: before or after the garment comes back?
This is the decision with the greatest impact on the customer experience and on the brand’s risk.
Exchange after receipt
The new size is sent once the return reaches the warehouse and passes inspection. It is the lowest-risk model: you send nothing without having the original garment. In exchange, the customer waits longer.
Exchange before receipt
The new size goes out as soon as the customer registers the exchange, before the original comes back. The customer receives it much sooner, but you take on the risk that the original garment does not come back, or comes back in poor condition. It is usually applied to repeat customers, to low-value orders or with a payment pre-authorisation.
Many brands combine both: advance exchanges for customers with a track record and exchanges after receipt for everyone else. What matters is that the rule is configured in the system and does not depend on someone deciding case by case.
What a return costs
Handling a return (receiving, inspection and put-away) is usually charged per unit, and return shipping is charged separately. On top of that come:
- Return shipping and, for an exchange, outbound shipping of the new size.
- Refurbishing, if needed, usually charged per hour.
- The value lost on garments that are never sold again at full price.
Charging for returns is a widespread practice: in the United States, 92% of warehouses do so (The Fulfillment Advisor, 2025). What is reasonable is for the price to be in the rate card and itemised on the invoice; see how to read a fulfillment invoice.
What to ask your provider for
- A buyer portal with structured reasons and a size exchange option.
- A configurable rule for exchanges before or after receipt.
- Inspection with written criteria and photos you can access.
- The status of every return in real time and fast restocking.
- Defined destinations for unsaleable items: outlet, supplier, repair or disposal.
- A published price per return, itemised on the invoice.
At ZENVU, returns are managed with a buyer portal, size exchanges and inspection photos that you can see in ZENVU Portal, together with stock by SKU, size, colour and status. More in returns and reverse logistics and sport apparel logistics.