GUIDE / RETURNS & RECOVERY

A returned parcel.
A separate stock decision.

Receiving a return records what arrived. Restocking, rework, replacement and disposal each need their own approved instruction.

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First identify the actual receiving route.

Confirm the country, fulfillment program, return reference and who will inspect the item. A marketplace-managed return may follow a different route from a parcel sent to the seller or an agreed local operator.

For Brazil, Mercado Livre explains how the post-sale section identifies storage-centre review versus a return to the seller address. Use the current account record to determine the next action.

Official reference: Mercado Livre Brazil post-sale return management. Checked 6 October 2026; use the current instructions for your seller account and country.

Check platform handling before local stock work.

Route	Evidence needed for the next decision
US WFS customer return	The platform return record and current return rules. Confirm what the platform has already done before instructing an outside receiving operator.
US FBT customer return	The return order, selected service and Goods ID handling method. Identity-only verification does not establish sellability; request the condition evidence needed for the agreed decision.
US FBT Exit Inventory	A separate removal reference, confirmed receiving details, shipped quantities and carton tracking when available. Monitor OBC incidents for required delivery actions.
Seller-managed local return	The approved receiving route, order reference and agreed inspection scope. Keep the operator’s stock instruction separate from the customer remedy.

US guidance checked 6 October 2026: WFS return settings; FBT customer-return handling; FBT inventory exit. Use the current account settings for the actual program and product.

Choose the stock instruction from the evidence.

Condition to review	Evidence to agree	Decision requiring approval
Apparently unopened	Parcel reference, seals, outer condition and correct SKU	Restock only under the agreed acceptance criteria
Opened or incomplete	Product identity, included components and visible-condition photos	Hold, rework or a separate inspection scope
Damaged or unidentified	Visible damage, parcel reference and whether handling is accepted	Hold until the seller gives an instruction
Unsuitable for resale	Agreed inspection outcome and any handling restriction	Confirm disposal or removal, method and charges

A record for each approval.

Order or return reference, SKU and received quantity
Inspection coverage and condition evidence within the agreed scope
Seller-approved disposition, quantity and date
Rework, storage, removal or disposal charges where applicable
Completed work reference and revised stock balance

A visible condition check does not establish functionality, safety or authenticity. Agree any testing separately before treating returned stock as ready for sale.

Record retail packaging separately

For collectibles and presentation-sensitive products, record the item, retail packaging and accessories as separate observations. A product can appear intact while its display card or box is damaged. Keep the unit out of available stock until its disposition is approved. Describe the visible condition without assigning fault or treating it as proof of fraud.

Use the collectible item and retail-packaging condition record to keep those observations separate before requesting the seller’s stock decision.

Reconcile delivery and receiving before the stock decision

Example: an incomplete returned kit.

A returned kit contains the main product but is missing an accessory. Record the component difference and hold the kit. If the seller approves replacement of the accessory, complete the agreed work and record the finished kit separately. This is an illustrative workflow, not a customer case.

Approve rework before stock moves again.

For mixed variants or damaged packaging, separate product identity from condition. Prepare SKU quantities, photos, current labels, the intended destination and the handling instruction for each group. Mark units whose identity or condition cannot yet be confirmed.

Record	What to check
Local rework	Confirmed receiving operator, checking scope, approved labels and packaging work
Hold for a decision	Recorded quantities or counting limits, storage scope and a review point
Return to China	Shipment documents, goods condition and a route assessed for the specific shipment

A return to China is a route to assess, not an automatic remedy. Confirm transport, customs treatment and receiving acceptance with the responsible parties before dispatch. Do not send stock to an unconfirmed return address.

Keep replacement separate from customer remedies.

For seller-managed returns, the seller handles the customer remedy under the applicable platform rules. Platform-managed returns follow the platform’s refund review and case process. A replacement shipment also requires approved available stock, a dispatch instruction and the receiving address. A warehouse receiving record alone does not authorize either action.

Confirm destination availability, product acceptance and the return address before any parcel is sent.

Plan the return route

Agree receiving and disposition before customers send parcels.

Explore guide 02

Local returns & exchanges

Assess return receiving, inspection, restocking and replacement routes before launch.

Explore returns

Discuss the stock instruction.

Share the country and return route, order or removal reference, recorded SKU quantities and counting basis, current condition evidence and the action you want to approve. Identify any unverified contents, handling restriction or receiving arrangement still awaiting acceptance.