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Automating e-commerce phone returns to save costs and time

Covid-19 has increased online shopping in many industries. Because of remote working and retails shops being closed people have also purchased smartphones online. When consumers purchase smartphones online, they have a right to change their minds and request a return within the buyer’s remorse period which is often 14 days or even more depending on a country.

This may lead to a high number of complications in cases where consumers return the phones with activated accounts, where information on the returned mobile device is incomplete or does not match with the device that was originally bought. There may even be cases where the phone that is returned is a counterfeit or stolen.

When returning the smartphone, consumer needs to provide details of their phone, such as phone model, OS version, and the IMEI. If the process is manual, users may not always fill in the details correctly or they might not know where to find the required information.

Once the returned phone is received with incomplete details, it can be challenging to verify whether the phone information matches. Receiving locked phones results in extra time spend and costs for an e-commerce retailer. This, in turn, can have a significant negative impact on the profit margins of a retailer.

Automating the return process

Piceasoft has an innovative solution, Verify OnTheFly, to remotely verify and capture information from an end-user’s mobile device to ensure the device is ready for reuse prior to it being returned.

Piceasoft’s Verify OnTheFly can be integrated into the digital return flow to ensure phone information is automatically captured and removing of locks is required before the return is accepted. This solution ensures a mobile phone is acceptable for reuse through fast and accurate make/model recognition, IMEI detection, lost and stolen checks, iOS and Android activation lock checks, genuineness check, and presence of any media cards.

This automated solution also provides a better user experience for the consumer. As a consumer, you don’t’ want to have to manually enter any information, and you would not want to return your device with active user accounts. Verify OnTheFly provides a convenient way to automatically capture device information by scanning a QR code on a website, and check all accounts are securely removed from a device prior to return acceptance. Before shipping, consumers are usually also given instructions to erase the phone content by resetting the device.

After the consumer has successfully completed all the necessary steps to ensure the device can be reused, they can print the return label to ship the device. The device information is automatically sent to the cloud, making it easier for the e-commerce vendor to follow returns. When there is an integration with the company’s own ERP system, device inventory is updated in real-time.

Preventing the intake of locked devices creates opportunities for more efficiency in device reverse logistics chains, helps save time and avoid unnecessary costs, and enable reselling of the devices faster. The process is also more convenient for the end customer who can trust the return and refund process has been accurately initiated.

For more information about Picea® Verify solutions and to arrange a demo, please do not hesitate to contact us.

To learn more visit:
Website: https://www.piceasoft.com/products-on-the-fly/verify/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/piceasoft

About Piceasoft Ltd
Piceasoft is a Finnish company, located in Tampere. Since it was founded in 2012, Piceasoft has created a unique set of software solutions to cover the whole lifecycle of mobile devices. These solutions create new business opportunities and enable a cost-efficient service for mobile operators and retail chains. Our innovative products are disrupting mobile device buyback, repair, and recycling business. Our software products are easy to use and offer added value to the end-user, which means better ROI and user satisfaction. In short, we promise to Simplify Your Mobile Life.