Checklist template

Returns and exchanges desk for retailers

A ready-to-use checklist with 103 items in 6 sections, covering Policy compliance, Processing, Return-to-stock, Damaged and defective, Customer experience, Records. Use it as-is in InspectLoop, or adapt it to your own standards in minutes.

  • 6 Sections
  • 103 Items
  • 88 Yes / No checks
  • 5 Scored ratings
  • 113 Points

Use this template How audits work

1. Policy compliance 18 items

  1. The return policy is posted at the service desk where a customer in line can read it Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The posted policy is the current version issued by the head office Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The return policy is printed on or with the sales receipt Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Employees at the desk can state the return window for regular merchandise Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Employees at the desk can name the categories with a shorter window (electronics, seasonal, clearance) Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Returns outside the window are refused or escalated as the policy states Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Final-sale items are not accepted for refund Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Returns without a receipt are looked up by card, loyalty account or order number before being treated as no-receipt Yes / No 1 pt
  9. No-receipt returns are refunded at the lowest recent selling price as store credit, per company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Identification is recorded for no-receipt returns where company policy requires it Yes / No 1 pt
  11. The return authorization system's decline is followed, with no manager override outside policy Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Opened software, media and personal-care items are handled under the exception rules in the policy Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Online purchases are accepted at the desk under the same policy as the website states Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Gift receipts are refunded as store credit or exchange, not cash Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Exceptions to policy are approved by a manager on the transaction Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Each exception approved last week carries a reason note Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Policy exceptions approved last week Number
  18. Desk employees' knowledge of the return policy Rating
    • Accurate answers on every question asked 5 pts
    • Mostly accurate, one error 3 pts
    • Several errors or had to guess 1 pt

2. Processing 18 items

  1. The original receipt or order is scanned to start the return, not keyed manually when a barcode exists Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The item's barcode is scanned and compared with the item on the receipt Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The employee opens the box to confirm the contents match the item Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Serial numbers are matched to the receipt for serialized items (electronics, power tools, appliances) Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Accessories, manuals and parts are checked for completeness before the refund Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Apparel is checked for signs of wear or washing before it is accepted Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Refunds go back to the original form of payment Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Cash refunds for debit or card purchases are not given Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Refunds above the limit set by company policy need a manager approval at the register Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Store credit is issued on a company gift card or merchandise credit, never a handwritten slip Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Promotional discounts and coupons are deducted from the refund as the system calculates Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Free gift-with-purchase items are returned or their value deducted Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Exchanges are processed as one transaction showing both the return and the new sale Yes / No 1 pt
  14. The customer signs or confirms the return on the pin pad where the system requires it Yes / No 1 pt
  15. The return receipt is given to the customer Yes / No 1 pt
  16. Employees do not process returns for themselves, relatives or friends Yes / No 1 pt
  17. Each desk employee is signed in under their own operator number Yes / No 1 pt
  18. Verification of returned items on transactions observed Rating
    • Item, contents and receipt checked every time 5 pts
    • Checked on most transactions 3 pts
    • Refund given without checking 1 pt

3. Return-to-stock 16 items

  1. Returned items are sorted at the desk into resalable, damaged and vendor-return bins Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Each resalable item is checked for original packaging and tags before going back to the floor Yes / No 1 pt
  3. Missing price tickets are reprinted before the item leaves the desk Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Security tags are reattached to items that carry them on the floor Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Go-back carts are labeled by department Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Go-back carts leave the desk at least every 2 hours Yes / No 1 pt
  7. No returned merchandise from before today is waiting at the desk Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Returned items go back to their home location, not to the nearest shelf Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Opened but complete items are resealed and labeled as open-box, where the company sells them Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Open-box items are priced by the markdown rule in company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Items returned from online orders that the store does not carry are routed as the system directs Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Returned seasonal items past their selling season are sent to clearance, not to regular stock Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Refrigerated or perishable returns are never returned to stock, where the store sells them Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Returned items are added back to on-hand quantity by the return transaction, not by manual adjustment Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Go-back carts waiting at the desk at the time of the visit Number
  16. Speed of returns back to the sales floor Rating
    • Same day, carts cleared several times a day 5 pts
    • Next day 3 pts
    • Returns sit for several days 1 pt

4. Damaged and defective 17 items

  1. A defective item is tagged at the desk with the date, the reason and the employee's initials Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Defective items are keyed with the defective reason code so they do not return to on-hand stock Yes / No 1 pt
  3. The defective holding area is separate from resalable returns Yes / No 1 pt
  4. Items are dispositioned (vendor return, repair, salvage, destroy) as the system or vendor agreement directs Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Vendor return authorizations are requested within the time set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Items in the vendor-return area carry their return authorization number Yes / No 1 pt
  7. No item has been in the defective holding area longer than 30 days Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Destroyed items are recorded in the system before disposal Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Destruction of items is witnessed by a manager where company policy requires it Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Items subject to a recall are isolated and labeled "do not sell" Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Returned items containing fuel, oil or batteries are stored in the area designated for hazardous materials Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Returned devices holding personal data are routed to the data-wipe process before resale Yes / No 1 pt
  13. A return linked to an injury or property damage is referred to a manager before any refund is given Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Warranty claims are directed to the manufacturer or protection plan as the policy states Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Items in the defective holding area at the time of the visit Number
  16. Date of the oldest item in the defective holding area Date
  17. Condition of the defective holding area Rating
    • Tagged, sorted by disposition, nothing overdue 5 pts
    • Tagged but some items overdue 3 pts
    • Untagged or mixed with good stock 1 pt

5. Customer experience 17 items

  1. The service desk is staffed during all posted hours Yes / No 1 pt
  2. The customer is greeted within 30 seconds of reaching the desk Yes / No 1 pt
  3. A queue line with a single entry point is marked at the desk Yes / No 1 pt
  4. A second employee is called when more than the number of customers set by company policy are waiting Yes / No 1 pt
  5. The longest wait timed during the visit was within the company standard Yes / No 1 pt
  6. Employees explain a refusal by pointing to the policy, without arguing Yes / No 1 pt
  7. A refused customer is offered the available alternative (exchange, store credit, manufacturer warranty) Yes / No 1 pt
  8. An exchange is offered before a refund is processed Yes / No 1 pt
  9. The customer is told when a card refund will appear on the account Yes / No 1 pt
  10. A manager is called whenever a customer asks for one Yes / No 1 pt
  11. A manager reached the desk within 3 minutes when called during the visit Yes / No 1 pt
  12. The desk counter is clear of returned merchandise in front of customers Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Carts or a shelf are available for customers bringing in bulky returns Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Customers returning online orders with a QR code are processed without printing a label Yes / No 1 pt
  15. Customers waiting at the desk at the busiest moment of the visit Number
  16. Longest wait at the desk timed during the visit (minutes) Number
  17. Courtesy of desk employees during returns observed Rating
    • Welcoming and helpful 5 pts
    • Polite but mechanical 3 pts
    • Impatient or dismissive 1 pt

6. Records 17 items

  1. The return authorization system or return log is in use for every return Yes / No 1 pt
  2. Refund transactions for last week have been reviewed by a manager on the exception report Yes / No 1 pt
  3. A return reason code is entered on each of 10 return transactions sampled from last week Yes / No 1 pt
  4. No-receipt returns last week are within the store's limit as a percentage of returns Yes / No 1 pt
  5. Customer complaints about refused returns in the last 30 days are logged with the outcome Yes / No 1 pt
  6. The weekly list of most-returned items is shared with the department managers concerned Yes / No 1 pt
  7. Items returned as defective last week are reported by item to the head office, where the company asks for it Yes / No 1 pt
  8. Manager overrides last week each show the approving manager's operator number Yes / No 1 pt
  9. Voided return transactions are kept with the reason Yes / No 1 pt
  10. Merchandise credits issued are recorded by number in the system Yes / No 1 pt
  11. Vendor return shipments have a signed carrier receipt on file Yes / No 1 pt
  12. Return fraud incidents in the last 90 days were reported to loss prevention Yes / No 1 pt
  13. Return records are kept for the period set by company policy Yes / No 1 pt
  14. Returns as a percentage of sales last week (%) Number
  15. No-receipt returns as a percentage of all returns last week (%) Number
  16. Name of the service desk lead on duty Short text
  17. Comments and corrective actions Comments

About this template

This checklist is part of the InspectLoop template library. Yes / No checks score 1 point when met; ratings score the points shown for each option. The overall score is the percentage of points earned, with N/A answers excluded. In InspectLoop you can add photos, assign corrective actions, require sign-off and compare results across sites.

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