Returns are a normal part of e-commerce, but if you don’t have a clear system for handling them, they can quickly turn into a cost and support burden.
E-commerce returns management software helps online sellers automate the returns process — from initiating returns and generating courier labels to tracking parcels, managing refunds, and collecting data on why products are returned.
Not every NZ business needs a full-blown solution to achieve this, but we think it’s worth knowing what’s out there.
This guide covers:
- How e-commerce returns software works (and where it fits),
- A comparison of leading tools based on price (as of July 2025), capabilities, and application for NZ sellers
- How Zappy helps you handle returns professionally — for free.
Try Zappy free or keep reading to learn more about returns management software.
What is e-commerce returns management software?
E-commerce returns software helps businesses manage the entire lifecycle of a return — from customer initiation through to refund, restock, or disposal.
While the specifics vary across platforms, the core workflow generally includes:
- Return request initiation: Customers start a return through a portal or link, select a reason, and request a refund, exchange, or credit.
- Label generation & reverse logistics: A return shipping label is generated and sent to the customer. The system may automatically select the best courier and delivery method.
- Returns tracking: Parcels are tracked back to the business, giving visibility into delays or delivery confirmations.
- Inspection and processing: Returned items are checked and processed according to the returns policy. This may involve restocking, refurbishment, or disposal.
- Refunds or replacements: Based on inspection and policy, refunds or exchanges are issued manually or automatically.
- Customer communication: Automated updates (e.g. return received, refund issued) help reduce support queries and manage expectations.
- Returns data and reporting: Most systems collect data on return reasons, product issues, and refund timelines to help businesses improve over time.
Returns software can be a powerful tool for improving customer experience, streamlining operations, and gaining insight into product performance.
But not every business needs every feature — and many small e-commerce sellers can implement an effective, customer-friendly returns system without the complexity or cost of enterprise software.
While it’s not a comprehensive returns platform, Zappy brings some of this functionality together with your regular shipping workflows.
Zappy includes returns flows, label generation, and branded customer comms — all handled in the same dashboard you already use to fulfil orders and track parcels.
That makes it easy for small and mid-size businesses to offer a professional returns experience — without needing another expensive piece of software.
Reviewing 5 popular e-commerce returns solutions for NZ businesses
All pricing and feature details below are correct as of July 2025, based on publicly available sources.
We’ve done our best to ensure this information is accurate, but always double-check directly with the provider before making a decision.
We’ve evaluated each platform based on four criteria:
- Pricing: Monthly cost, per-return fees, customer charges
- Order volume suitability: What kind of business the tool is designed for
- Distinct capabilities: Automation, reporting, branding, or integrations
- NZ relevance: Local courier support, platform integrations (e.g. TradeMe,), and regional fit
Zappy isn’t a returns management platform. Although we provide some foundational features to facilitate returns processes, we’re not trying to compete with these tools.
We hope that helps us provide a fairly balanced view to help you compare what’s out there.
Loop
Loop is a popular returns platform built for mid-sized to enterprise Shopify brands, offering a polished, exchange-first experience that includes branded returns portals, bonus credit incentives, and smart refund workflows.
However, for New Zealand sellers, Loop seems to have limitations.
While it does support Australian merchants (with integrations for Australia Post and DHL), it does not offer native support for major NZ couriers like NZ Post, Aramex, or Post Haste.
As of July 2025, there is no public documentation or integration listed for TradeMe, which is a critical sales channel for many Kiwi e-commerce businesses.
You can use Loop in NZ if you’re Shopify-only and working with a 3PL that handles courier integration — but for most local brands, that adds complexity and cost.
Pricing starts at USD $155/month for the basic plan, rising to USD $272/month for advanced workflows.
Enterprise plans can exceed $2,000/month, depending on order volume and integrations.
Unless you’re a large, Shopify-only business with the technical support to manage courier workarounds, we think Loop is likely more than most NZ sellers need.
Narvar
Narvar is a post-purchase experience platform built for large, global retailers. It offers branded tracking, AI-powered delivery updates, returns management, and deep integrations with ERP and CRM systems.
But for smaller NZ businesses, we don’t think Narvar is a fit.
Its website doesn’t mention native support for NZ couriers, so setup may require custom development, extensive onboarding, and ongoing contract management.
Pricing is fully quote-based, but enterprise clients can expect to pay USD $150,000–250,000+ per year, with some smaller implementations starting from USD $5,000+.
Unless you’re operating at a significant scale with a dev team working for you, Narvar will likely be overkill for most NZ e-commerce sellers.
parcelLab
parcelLab is a feature-rich post-purchase experience platform aimed at mid-sized to enterprise retailers.
It offers advanced capabilities like branded tracking, automated returns workflows, upsell logic, and integrations with major e-commerce, CRM, and ERP systems.
For New Zealand sellers, parcelLab is a more realistic option than some enterprise tools.
It integrates with several NZ-compatible carriers like NZ Post, DHL, UPS, and Australia Post, making it more viable than Narvar or Loop for those handling local fulfilment.
However, Capterra shows a starting cost of €2,400/month (~NZD $4,300) which puts parcelLab firmly in the enterprise bracket, and setup still requires technical onboarding.
It’s best suited to retailers already managing cross-border logistics and high order volumes who need to standardise the customer experience across multiple markets.
For smaller NZ sellers focused on reducing shipping cost and maintaining simplicity, the platform may offer more power than needed.
ReturnGO
ReturnGO integrates directly with NZ Post’s eShip system, allowing for pay-on-scan return label generation, live tracking, and automated courier selection.
That makes it one of the few international returns platforms with native NZ courier support — but only for NZ Post.
It doesn’t integrate with other local providers like NZ Couriers or Aramex, so you’ll need to generate labels separately if you use those services.
As of July 2025, ReturnGO also does not support TradeMe. It's purpose-built for Shopify, and while it offers API options, setting it up outside that ecosystem would require development resources.
As of July 2025, pricing starts at USD $297/month — with no free tier, though a free trial is available.
It’s suitable for stores processing hundreds to thousands of returns per year, but may be overkill for low-volume sellers who only need basic return handling.
If you’re a NZ Shopify merchant using NZ Post and want more control over branded returns and automation, ReturnGO could be a good fit. But you’ll need to handle edge cases — like TradeMe returns or alternate couriers — outside the platform.
Re:Do
Re:Do offers a lightweight returns layer for e-commerce businesses, built around a checkout opt-in model: customers can pay a small fee at checkout for “return protection.” If they opt in, they get access to an easy returns portal. If not, returns are handled manually by the merchant.
For NZ sellers, this model may look appealing on the surface — no monthly fees, no setup costs, and a branded interface. But there are important limitations.
While it lists integrations with major carriers like FedEx, UPS, DHL, USPS, and Australia Post Integrations, there’s no mention of NZ courier APIs or domestic label generation, which means NZ sellers would need a separate system to handle the logistics.
Other potential concerns for NZ merchants:
- Conversion friction: opt-in paid add-ons at checkout are uncommon in NZ, and may confuse or deter customers.
- Consumer protection compliance: We recommend checking this model aligns with your obligations under the NZ Consumer Guarantees Act, which grants customers clear refund rights regardless of opt-in add-ons.
- Manual gaps: you’ll need separate systems to issue refunds, restock inventory, and track parcels.
For low-volume DTC brands looking to avoid SaaS fees, Re:Do might be worth testing — but you’ll need to patch together the operational side of returns yourself. And for sellers aiming to provide a seamless, locally compliant returns experience, it’s likely not enough on its own.
Consider e-commerce returns software when you’ve outgrown manual returns handling
Still managing returns by hand? That may have worked early on, but as your store scales, the cracks start to show.
Here’s how to tell if you’ve outgrown manual returns:
- You’re constantly replying to refund emails or generating labels manually. It’s time-consuming and prone to error, especially as order volumes grow.
- Customers keep asking what to do — or worse, don’t return at all. That’s lost revenue, lost stock, and a frustrating experience for everyone.
- You don’t know why people return products. Without data, you can’t improve your listings, fit guides, or fulfilment processes.
- You’re selling across Shopify, Squarespace, or WooCommerce — but returns are siloed. Without a central view, it’s hard to manage return rates or track items across systems.
- You want automation and efficiency — but can’t justify paying $300+ per month. Many returns tools are priced for high-volume stores and don’t scale well for small to mid-sized NZ sellers.
If that’s you, it’s worth looking at tools that offer a basic returns capability alongside your existing shipping setup, without adding another subscription.
How Zappy bridges the gap between manual returns handling and a dedicated returns platform
If you’re a growing e-commerce brand in New Zealand, returns are no longer something you can afford to handle ad hoc.
But that doesn’t mean you need to pay hundreds per month for software — or wrangle another standalone platform just to manage labels.
Zappy gives you core returns functionality built into the same system you already use for shipping.
- Manage returns from Shopify, WooCommerce, or TradeMe in oa branded returns portal
- Print return shipping labels instantly, no manual setup required
- Use branded return links to reduce support load and build customer trust
- Control rules via your e-commerce platform
Best of all, Zappy is free to use. You only pay when you ship — whether that’s outbound or inbound.
Add a branded returns link to your orders with Zappy — no monthly fee, no hidden costs. Get started for free.
Answering your questions about using Zappy for returns
Does Zappy support international returns?
Zappy is designed primarily for domestic returns within New Zealand and Australia. You can generate return labels for all major domestic couriers — including NZ Post, Aramex, Post Haste, Australia Post, and CouriersPlease — and send branded returns links to your customers.
International returns (e.g. a customer in the US returning a parcel to NZ) are not currently managed through the Zappy platform. However, you can handle these on a case-by-case basis using your own courier account and manually updating your Zappy dashboard or e-commerce platform.
If international returns are critical to your business model, Zappy may not be a complete solution — though many users continue using Zappy for domestic fulfilment while managing international returns separately.
Do I need to use Shopify or TradeMe?
No, Zappy supports a wide range of platforms including:
- Shopify (with direct integration)
- TradeMe (via courier plugin or order import)
- WooCommerce
- Squarespace
- Custom setups (via CSV import, email, or API)
If your platform isn't directly supported, Zappy’s customer support team can often help configure a custom integration or workaround. You can also manually upload orders or generate return labels from the dashboard.
In short, Zappy is platform-agnostic — it works with most e-commerce setups as long as you have access to order details and a shipping address.
Is there a monthly cost?
No — Zappy is free to use.
There are:
- No subscription fees
- No setup costs
- No platform or user limits
You only pay for what you ship. That means:
- Courier shipping labels (outbound or return) are charged at Zappy’s pre-negotiated rates.
- You’ll receive one consolidated invoice for all courier services used.
This makes Zappy especially cost-effective for small and mid-sized businesses that want the benefits of a shipping and returns platform without committing to a monthly SaaS fee.
How to manage returns in e-commerce?
Managing returns effectively requires more than just generating a label. Here’s a general process followed by many Zappy customers:
1. Set a clear returns policy: define eligibility (time window, product conditions), refund/exchange rules, and whether customers or the business pays for return shipping.
2. Communicate proactively: include return instructions with every order confirmation or parcel.
3. Use branded return links: with Zappy, you can include a link for customers to access their return label and instructions directly.
4. Track returns centrally: Zappy shows when a parcel is picked up or delivered, helping you decide when to issue a refund.
5. Collect return reasons: if using a return form or Shopify app, collect reasons to understand why customers are returning items.
6. Restock inventory: once an item is returned, update your stock manually or via your e-commerce platform/WMS.
Zappy supports this process by consolidating courier activity, label creation, and branded comms — keeping things simple for both you and the customer.
How to reduce return rates in e-commerce?
Return rates are a natural part of e-commerce, especially in apparel, electronics, or gifting — but you can reduce them by addressing the causes:
1. Accurate product descriptions: use detailed specs, dimensions, and compatibility notes.
2. Clear visuals: include multiple angles, close-ups, and scale references in product photos.
3. Size and fit guides: especially important in fashion or homewares.
4. Customer reviews: highlight verified feedback and real-world use cases.
5. Packaging improvements: poor packaging can lead to damage, which increases returns. Zappy helps reduce this with smarter label routing and packaging suggestions.
6. Better delivery transparency: delays or confusion during shipping can lead to cancelled or refused orders. Zappy’s branded tracking helps set expectations and reduce complaints.
Collecting return reason data (which Zappy supports in basic form) is the first step to identifying what to fix.