Fujitsu's ReturnCENTER Helps Retailers Combat Return Fraud

Fujitsu Transaction Solutions Inc. today announced that its ReturnCENTER software application is designed to combat fraudulent returns that cost retailers billions of dollars per year.

In fact, the National Retail Federation (NRF) recently released a study of 90 retailers who expect bogus returns will cost them $3.5 billion this holiday season and $9.6 billion for the year. The survey also reported the most popular forms of deception include return of stolen merchandise, return of merchandise purchased with fraudulent or counterfeit tender and returns using counterfeit receipts.

ReturnCENTER significantly reduces these activities by enacting multiple processes to identify and verify the customer, as well as the returned merchandise. ReturnCENTER, one of Fujitsu's Pervasive Retailingâ„¢ solutions, easily integrates with a retailer's point-of-sale (POS) and loyalty systems. It manages returns across channels (in-store, phone and Internet) and provides numerous analytical reports, resulting in fewer losses and improved customer service. ReturnCENTER delivers a quick return on investment (ROI) with payback in as low as nine months, according to detailed ROI analyses with retailers.

"Return fraud is a significant, industry-wide problem for retailers, and effective loss prevention and returns management are key to combating the issue," said Keith McNamara, senior vice president of software operations at Fujitsu Transaction Solutions. "ReturnCENTER is Fujitsu's answer to the problem - an application that gives retailers greater flexibility and control over returns management, while offering a robust reporting system that provides critical insight into those activities that have the greatest impact on the returns process."

Following are a few examples of returns processes that can be managed with ReturnCENTER:

- Review original transaction by receipt or customer detail.

- Capture and report reasons for merchandise returns.

- Confirm whether a product has been returned before.

- Confirm price of product at time of sale.

- Prevent fraudulent returns of items purchased from another retailer.

- Alert management of potential fraud by flagging certain customers.

By Fujitsu