Handling Receipted Returns 

If a customer has a receipt for items purchased, use the receipt to locate online information about the original sales transaction in the Advanced Store system. The online information contains the following:

• the accurate return price for all the items in the transaction, including any sales and manual price changes
• the amount that is accurate for the location where the item was purchased
• any post-sales activity, such as returns

After locating the sales transaction online, select the item for return. The application displays the correct return price of the item.

The POS supports returns using gift receipts. When a sales receipt with a gift receipt transaction is scanned for return, the POS displays all the items in the receipt. The POS only accepts combined scanning of gift receipts with sales receipts when the transaction numbers are the same.

When the transaction is completed, the application may print the following receipts:

• Charge/Refund copy—requires the customer’s signature and is kept in the store.
• Customer copy—prints as a copy of the transaction for the customer.
• Audit copy—requires the customer’s signature and signifies that the manager has approved the return transaction.

The POS also supports returns using receipts generated by the following:

• older versions of Advanced Store
• third-party sources before using Advanced Store
• e-commerce sales transactions

Configurable features

The POS application can be configured with the following features.

• Set up the following return functions:
  • Display or disable the View Transaction screen.
  • Accept duplicate receipts and other receipt types for return transactions. By default, the application displays an error message when a duplicate receipt is used.
  • Accept expired receipts for return transactions. By default, the application displays an error message when an expired receipt is used during a return transaction.
  • Determine which refund expiry date type is used during a receipted or gift-receipted return transaction. By default, the application uses the receipt date and the values defined in the Receipted Return Days and Gift Receipt Return Days parameters. Retailers can specify the expiry date of different items.
  • Prevent price override for receipted and gift-receipted return transactions.
    Note

    By default, price override is enabled for all receipted and non-receipted return transactions. When disabled, price override is still available for offline receipted and non-receipted return transactions and return transactions that are not found in the database.

  • Scan multiple receipts in one return transaction. The maximum number of receipts accepted can also be configured.
  • Specify return priority order. By default, if there are two of the same item in a single receipt but with different prices and the associate scans the item for return, the application displays the item with the highest price on the Return Entry screen. If there are multiple receipts with the same item, the application displays the oldest item with the highest price.
  • Collect customer information. The application can be configured to display the Customer Information screen before completing a return transaction.
  • Specify the tender options to offer the customer as a refund from a gift-receipted return.
  • Specify the tender types to offer the customer when the amount to be refunded has exceeded the configured amount acceptable for receipted returns.
  • Specify the order of results displayed when the application retrieves multiple transactions for return.
  • Specify the maximum number of retrieved transactions displayed on the POS.
  • Disable printing of the Audit copy of the receipt.
• For more information about these options, refer to Returns Setup.
• Print the customer name on audit and store copy receipts during a return and exchange transaction. The printed name is based on the latest loyalty member added or on the customer added using the Customer Information screen in the transaction. For more information, refer to Receipt Printing.
• Enable the POS application to issue modified refund amounts using original tenders. For more information, refer to the following sections:
  • Issuing modified refund amounts to original tenders
  • Returns Setup
• Enable customers to return non-merchandise items. For more information, refer to Item Services.
• Allow the printing of duplicate receipts for receipted return transactions. By default, the application does not print a duplicate receipt during a receipted return transaction. For more information, refer to Receipt Printing.
• Determine whether the application prints the return reason descriptions on the customer receipt, chit, and franking slip. By default, the application prints the return reason description. For more information, refer to Receipt Printing.
• Frank the return details on a slip or document. For more information, refer to Receipt Printing.
  Note

  Configure at least one franking template to frank a form for returned items. For more information, refer to Reason Definitions.

  Important

  The POS application does not frank the service fee refund details of returned items.

• Disable the Begin Printing button on the Frank Return Information screen. For more information, refer to Menu Buttons.
• Enable the POS to automatically start franking when a franking form is inserted. For more information, refer to Receipt Printing.
  Important

  Depending on the model of the printer integrated to the POS application, this feature may require configuring the printer device in the DeviceManager.xml file. For more information, refer to Configuring the POS to automatically frank documents.

• Specify the time period the POS waits for an associate to insert the franking form before displaying a warning message. For more information, refer to Receipt Printing.
• Print the gift code on the gift receipt. For more information, refer to Receipt Printing.
• Print the Approved By signature label on the return receipt. For more information, refer to Receipt Printing.
• Print the Store Copy label on the return receipt. For more information, refer to Receipt Printing.
• Print the Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) number on the receipt and display it on the screen regardless of whether the item is entered using the SKU or UPC number. Refer to the following option:
  • Receipt Printing > Print product code (SKU) on receipt and POS UI regardless of method of lookup
• Print custom headers on the return receipts. For more information, refer to Changing the names of UI components and receipt text.
  Example

  Retailers can configure the application to print the transaction type information on the return receipt. When configured, the application prints the RECEIPTED RETURN label for receipted return transactions and the NON-RECEIPTED RETURN label for non-receipted return transactions.

• Print the audit copy of the receipt according to a specific tender. For more information, refer to Tender Definitions.
• Print custom signature labels on the audit copy of the return receipts. By default, the application prints the Approved By and Customer signature labels on the audit copy. For more information, refer to Understanding the receipt footer.
• Print the return reasons on the return chit. This can include return reasons of up to any level and the additional information entered by the customer when returning the item. Chits and franking slips are printed based on return item quantity. For more information, refer to Reason Definitions.
• Prompt the customer to enter additional information for a specific return reason level. For more information, refer to Reason Definitions.
  Note

  Associates can still continue with the transaction even without entering additional information.

• Specify the data used to validate additional receipt bar code formats. For more information, refer to Validation Definitions.
• Display the product image and non-dividend-eligible information in the item details on the View Transaction screen. For more information, refer to Transaction Search.
• Prevent associates from applying an associate discount in the sales portion of a return. For more information, refer to General.
• Print the member ID or the employee ID on the receipt when returning a transaction applied with an associate discount. For more information, refer to Member.
• Scan and accept 16-digit SKU bar codes. This option requires configuration to recognize the price tag bar code. For more information, refer to Configurable Inputs (Input Validation).
• Enable lookup for missing product information from an external transaction. For more information, refer to Returns Setup.
• Mask personal identification numbers and customer details. For more information, refer to Transaction Search Criteria.
• Allow associates to enter the item quantity when more than one item is being returned in a transaction. The POS displays an information when one of the following conditions occur:
  • the value entered in the Quantity field is more than the available item quantity
  • the value entered in the Quantity field is zero
  • the value entered in the Quantity field is more than the configured maximum allowed quantity
• For more information, refer to the following sections:
  • Returns Setup
  • Menu Buttons
• Important

  Item quantity can only be changed or updated on the View Transaction screen and the Return Item Quantity screen.

• Specify the maximum amount allowed for a return transaction before a manager override is required. The value is specific for receipted returns transaction limit but can be used for receipted and non-receipted returns if their transaction limits are the same. If the transaction limit is different for receipted and non-receipted returns, another value should be set using the Transaction limit before manager override for non-receipted returns parameter. Refer to the following option:
  • Returns Setup > Transaction limit before manager override
• Specify the number of days a receipted return is valid for employees and loyalty members. Refer to the following options:
  • Returns Setup > Receipted Return Days for Employee
  • Returns Setup > Receipted Return Days for Member
• Display or hide the zero amount discount applied as part of a promotion in the Item Details column and the Item Options panel on the POS application and on the receipt. Refer to the following option:
  • Discounts > Display Zero Amount Discount