RMA - Getting Started

Welcome to the RMA Documentation.

RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) - is a powerful tool for managing the return and exchange of items purchased by customers in your store.

It has an intuitive, step-by-step user interface which allows your online store clients to create return/exchange requests quickly and easily, even when original order is not available. Extension allows you to create backend requests through the administration interface as well.

RMA Workflow Diagram

The best way to understand, how returns work, is to follow the this workflow diagram, which depicts the most general use cases. Detailed description of each step you will find below:

RMA Procedure Chart

RMA Workflow Explained

  1. If customer would like to make a refund or exchange of the ordered item(s) he can follow two possible paths:
    • If he is registered customer, then he have dedicated My Returns section in his Customer Account.
    • If he is a Guest, Guest RMA Form is available for him (by default accessible from the footer of frontend pages).
  2. Original order should be completed (e. q. invoiced, shipped and received Complete state) and was placed during time period, set in Allow to request RMA after order completion, days option at RMA Policy settings section, only then customer can issue a return. You can change order status, required for return, as well, using Allow to request RMA if order has status option from the same settings section.
    • If order exists, RMA can be placed in Regular mode, e. q. can be either selected in drop-down menu (for registered customers), or entered in Guest Form.
    • If order does not exist, RMA can be placed in Offline mode. Customer will be asked to enter order number and products to return manually.
      Normally Guest customers are not allowed to place Offline RMA. However, you can grant them such a possibility using option Allow Guest Offline RMA from RMA Policy section of Settings.
  3. By default customer also should provide for each returned product its Condition, Reason for returning and desired Resolution.
    You can select, which product conditionals shall be provided, at Require customers to select option at General Settings section of Settings.
  4. After products are selected and their conditionals provided, RMA Request can be placed. By default, each new RMA immediately receives status Pending Approval, and assigned to default staff user. Customer will receive Email Notification about this.
    You can change, which status will be automatically received by RMA using Default status for new RMA, and default staff user using Default owner for new RMA option. Both of them are located at General Settings section of Settings.

    Also, email notification, sent on default status assigment, is changed at corresponding Status edit page, at Email Notification for customer field.
  5. RMA Request, just placed by customer, can be automatically processed by Workflow Rule.

    In fact, during placing RMA request, two subsequent events are fired:

    • New RMA has been created - on this stage basic properties are set, such as RMA Number, initial Status assigment, and saving of customer and custom fields data.
    • RMA has been changed - on this stage returned items are added, and original orders are binded to RMA.

    If you wish to process with rules Status or other basic property of RMA (or custom fields), use first event. If you wish to process items and their conditionals, use second one.

  6. After Request is placed, and initial status is assigned, staff agent and customer can communicate with each other, to have additional details and return arrangement. Communication can be through emails (since each message will trigger notification), or through frontend. Both answers of staff and customer can be additionally processed using Workflow Rules.
  7. There can be two possible ways for agent to complete RMA:

    • If the item can not be returned or refunded, agent would set the RMA status to Rejected, and archive it.
    • If decision is positive, agent sets status Approved (or similar status), and return procedure begins.

    In both cases customer will receive automatic Email Notification (defined inside corresponding Status).

  8. On RMA approval, customer obtains possibility to print RMA Packing Slip and Confirm Shipping (corresponding buttons will appear in frontend).
    Display of these buttons can be turned on/off at corresponding Status (Approved by default) edit page, using option Show buttons 'Print RMA Packing Slip' and 'Confirm Shipping' in the customer account.
  9. Customer prints an RMA Packing Slip (or staff generates a FedEx label for him), and sends a package to your store.
  10. After sending it, Customer shall confirm shipping from his account (using button mentioned above). RMA then automatically receives status Package sent.
  11. When package is arrived on store and desired resolution is Exchange, agent have the following options:
    • If product can be exchanged to a identical one (useful for exchanging broken to a working items), he can create a Replacement Order. This option creates automatic order of zero-total, with the same product as requested.
    • If product can be exchanged with a cheaper/expensive one, he need to create Exchange Order. It will open a standard order dialog, where agent can pick product for exchange. If price is larger, use Custom Price option, and enter difference between old and new product.
      Magento allows very little flexibility for Order Creation dialog, so you can not automate the following properties:
      • Order number. Magento will number Exchange Order as any other. However, link to this order will be attached to corresponding RMA (see Exchange Order field at RMA backend edit page).
      • Automatic address pickup. If Exchange Order is created for registered customer, his Default Shipping address will be used. If original order, however, was placed in Guest Mode - regardless, whether customer is registered, will be used shipping address from original order.
      • Automatic exchange product pickup. You always need to add products for exchange manually.
      • Special surcharge. If you really need to have a fee for the exchange, you also need either to add it manually, or create a special virtual product as a workaround.
  12. When package is arrived on store and desired resolution is Refund, agent have the following options:
    • Issue a Credit Memo, and return money to customer.
    • If Mirasvit Store Credit is installed, you can use Quick Refund option to transfer money to customer's balance. This way refunded money can be used instantly in another order as discount, or even full payment.
  13. If customer received exchange or refunded money, agent would set RMA status to Closed (or similar status), e. q. completes RMA, and archives it.

During each of 6-13 steps above, customer and store agent can discuss details via RMA system. Each message will trigger Email Notification, and events New reply from customer or New reply for staff - which allows automation with Workflow Rules.

Return back to diagram. You may also proceed to Agent's Guide', where you can dive in even deeper.

Next steps:

RMA