FULFILLMENT DECISION TOOL

Should I restock a 3PL return or let the customer keep it?

The signed rate card prices every return as inbound handling plus restock. That is one path. After you already refunded the sale you can also destroy the unit or tell the customer to keep it. Hold the rest of the quote still. The first table is net cash out per return. The next tables raise the restockable rate and the unit cost until the cheapest path flips.

Path 3PL + label Inventory written off Net / return Monthly Cheapest?
Restockable Restock Destroy Customer keeps Cheapest
Unit cost Restock Destroy Customer keeps Cheapest

Figures are calculated locally from the assumptions above.

Full 3PL quote normalizer · Compare two quotes · Volume sensitivity · When return fees flip the quote · Long-term storage · Kit vs skip

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Common questions

Should I restock a 3PL return or let the customer keep it?

The sale is already refunded. Restock pays the prepaid label, inbound return handling, inspect/putaway, and storage until it sells again, then writes off the unsellable fraction. Destroy pays the label, inbound, and a dispose fee, then writes off the full unit cost. Customer-keeps skips the label and the 3PL return lines and writes off the unit. On a cheap SKU with an expensive label, letting them keep it is usually cheaper. Restock wins once unit cost covers those extra 3PL fees at your restockable rate.

When does restocking beat letting the customer keep a return?

Divide the extra 3PL path (label + inbound + restock + storage + leftover destroy) by the restockable rate. That is the unit-cost threshold. At the default $8 label, $3.50 inbound, $4 restock, $0.40 storage, $1.50 leftover destroy, and 70% restockable, restock first beats customer-keeps at $23.36 cost of goods.