8 Best Returns Management Platforms For Footwear Brands In 2025
Are you a fashion brand that’s looking for the best returns management software to handle returns while offsetting costs?
Are you a fashion brand that’s looking for the best returns management software to handle returns while offsetting costs?
Footwear brands benefit from a good returns management platform because it reduces costly size-related returns, streamlines exchanges, and enhances customer loyalty through a faster, easier, and more sustainable return experience.
In this article, we’ll go over the 8 best returns management platforms for footwear stores in 2025.
Before we begin, let’s go over the factors to consider when evaluating these post-purchase tools: ⤵️
What Factors To Consider When Evaluating Returns Management Platforms For Your Footwear Brand
When evaluating a returns management tool for your footwear brand, you should be looking at the following criteria:
Size and Fit Intelligence: Look for returns management software that collects and analyses return reasons to inform size recommendations or offer guided exchanges. Bonus if it integrates with virtual try-on or fit prediction tools.
Automated Exchange & Refund Workflows: Look for the ability to offer instant exchanges, incentivised exchanges (e.g., discount if you exchange instead of a refund), and real-time inventory checks to simplify the process.
Reverse Logistics Integration: Look for integration with carriers and 3PLs to streamline label generation, track returns, and optimise warehouse routing. Support for in-store or locker drop-off is a plus.
Customer Experience & Branding: Look for a white-labeled, mobile-friendly returns portal with self-service options. Support for branded emails, tracking pages, and multilingual UX if you sell internationally.
Customer Support and Onboarding: Look for strong post-sale support, including a dedicated account manager or onboarding specialist, which is essential for smooth setup and long-term success.
Return Data & Analytics: Look for insight into return reasons by SKU, customer behaviour patterns, product quality issues, and cost of returns. Bonus if it offers predictive analytics for proactive improvements.
Customisability and branding: Lastly, we looked for platforms that let merchants easily customise touchpoints like tracking pages, review requests, and survey forms.
💡 Lastly, we had a look at user reviews from retailers to get a clear picture of each platform’s strengths and limitations, so you can make an informed decision based on real-world use.
Let’s now go over the best platforms that meet this criterion:
What Are The Best Returns Management Solutions For Footwear Retailers On The Market?
#1: ZigZag Global
ZigZag Global offers the best returns management platform on the market for footwear retailers looking to optimise and automate their returns process on a local or worldwide scale.
We understand that shoe returns often come from customers trying multiple sizes.
Our platform offers multiple return methods (drop-off points, lockers, pick-up, etc.) across 220+ countries, reducing friction for international and domestic returns.
Our platform comes with:
Best-in-class key account management and customer support that will help your footwear brand set up the returns portal and promptly answer questions even after becoming a paying customer.
Our own carrier accounts (and plenty of them, at that), so you would not have to use your own carrier account and would have a choice on which ones you’re using.
A comprehensive range of return options for shoppers, including return to store credit, paid returns, and in-store returns, not just returns and exchanges.
Advanced return analytics that will let you find out why consumers return shoes in the first place and help you deal with return fraud.
ZigZag allows for automated processing of refunds or exchanges, including smart rules to:
Approve exchanges for different sizes or styles automatically.
Process refunds only once items are scanned by the courier.
For example, imagine a customer returning a pair of sneakers for a smaller size – they can request an exchange within the ZigZag portal without needing to contact customer service.
We also provide merchants with access to 220 localised warehouses and over 1,500 international carrier services across 170+ origin countries.
Let’s go over the features 👇 that footwear retailers like SportsDirect, ECCO, & SportsShoes love about ZigZag Global.
Multilingual & Customisable Returns Portal
ZigZag offers a customisable returns portal that enables you to change returns rules alongside white-labelling the portal to reflect your footwear brand.
You can adapt various new return solutions (such as a gift card, exchange, or cash refund) depending on shoppers’ reasons for returning.
Possible reasons could be that the shoe did not fit or was unsuitable.
Get a feel of how ZigZag’s platform works in our guided demo: 👇
Single-Click Shopify Integration
Does your footwear store operate on Shopify?
Our returns solution can also be set up on Shopify with as little effort as a single click.
Here’s why merchants love our Shopify integration:
One-click installation: You can install the ZigZag plugin with a simple click to offer hassle-free returns to your shoppers.
Save the sale with exchanges: Offer exchanges or refunds to gift cards instead of a full refund.
Cut the costs of your returns: Save up to 57% in your return costs with our consolidation and efficient routing of e-commerce returns.
💡 Our research on returns found that 57% of shoppers who are considering returning items would accept a gift card as a refund.
This return option lets you keep money in your business while benefiting consumers with a quick gift card option they can use in your store.
International Returns To 170+ Countries With 1,500+ Carrier Services.
The ‘’Global’’ part of ZigZag Global is because our returns platform is ideal for international merchants, as our software facilitates international returns in 170+ countries by connecting you with 1,500+ global carriers.
➡️ Our returns portal can accept multiple currencies & provides different language settings for international shoppers, which is ideal for international brands.
Instead of using multiple return management platforms for the USA, Europe, and other regions, you can use ZigZag Global as a global return logistics solution.
Comprehensive Range of Return Options For Consumers
The goal of our global returns solution is not only to manage your returns but to help you save time, money, and improve the loyalty of your shoppers.
This is why ZigZag Global offers the following returns options for your customers:
In-Store Returns
In-store returns are when your consumers return the product to your store in person to save the costs of a paid return online.
Your store can implement free in-store returns to slash shipping costs, boost foot traffic to your physical store, and give consumers more ways to get a refund.
💡 ZigZag Global also offers in-store drop-off kiosks for companies that are hassle-free for your shoppers.
Store Credit To Save the Sale
Return to store credit is when shoppers get a refund in the form of a gift card to your online store, instead of a monetary refund in their bank account.
As customers are happy to accept store credit instead of a refund (since it’s usually of greater value), we added the option of this return to our retailers’ portal so you can keep capital in the business.
➡️ Return to store credits allows you to increase and maintain the customer lifetime value.
Paid Returns
As 48% of consumers are happy paying for returns, there has been a 32% rise in paid returns since last year.
This is why we’ve started recommending that the footwear merchants we work with implement paid returns in their stores, as the behaviour towards paid returns is changing.
That means asking consumers to pay a small fee to return their products.
Here are a few reasons why merchants have been offering paid returns:
Returned costs are covered, so your company is not on the losing end.
Consumers can’t exploit the free returns policy to engage in wardrobing.
Shoppers are likely to make better buying decisions.
Here’s a scenario where you have 5,000 returns per month, and 20% of them are paid returns of £3.
That’ll save you a total of £3,000 per month.
Advanced Returns Analytics
Our returns management platform offers footwear retailers with advanced reporting that tracks everything for our retailers to view and manage from one portal, such as:
Comparing the popularity of refund solutions.
Evaluating the most common reasons why consumers return products.
Reviewing revenue generated from paid returns.
Detecting suspicious return behaviour from shoppers.
➡️ The footwear merchants that use ZigZag Global can reduce their returns in the long run after evaluating the common reasons why people return shoes.
Footwear Case Study: How SportsShoes Levelled Up Its Post-Purchase Experience With ZigZag Global
With over 1,500 carrier services across over 170 countries, working with ZigZag to manage the returns experience helped SportsShoes tap into our vast logistics network.
SportsShoes is now capable of bringing returns back in a time-efficient and cost-effective manner.
The merchant transformed its returns experience and has:
Set up a returns portal that can be completed by customers in under 60 seconds.
The ability to track orders and identify mistakes quickly helps the brand to process refunds fast and send out replacement items just as quickly.
Introduced reliable and trackable carriers to their network to appeal to more consumers.
To learn more about smarter returns with ZigZag, book a demo to see the portal in action and discuss tailoring a solution for your business.
ZigZag Pros & Cons
✅ 1,500+ global carriers to manage international returns.
✅ Advanced reporting and returns analytics to uncover why customers return products.
✅ Wide range of returning options for your customers, such as paid returns, return to store, and return to gift card.
✅ 500,000+ drop-off locations worldwide.
✅ Customisable returns portal with multiple currencies.
❌ Shipping back from the EU might take some time, according to a G2 review.
❌ Some merchants note that some of the carriers can be slower than others.
Book a demo with ZigZag to see how it works
#2: Easyship
Easyship offers a shipping management solution that also has returns management functionality that can be connected to Shopify, TikTok Shop, WooCommerce, and Squarespace.
The tool is a viable option for footwear brands that are looking to introduce pre-paid return labels to their return experience, so customers can easily return items if they want to.
Features
A good option for US-based footwear retailers due to the platform’s affordable shipping rates with USPS, UPS, and FedEx.
Shoppers can create pre-paid return labels: They can print and attach their own labels for fast return processing.
A global network of 3PL and fulfilment warehouses that helps you improve transit times and reduce tariff exposure.
Pricing
Easyship offers a free plan that offers up to 50 monthly shipments with discounted shipping rates.
To get access to more monthly shipments and advanced features, you’d have to be on one of their three paid plans that start from £23/month when billed annually.
Pros and Cons
✅ The tool is a good option for international returns.
✅ A freemium plan that lets you send up to 50 shipments per month.
❌ According to G2 reviews, the platform is not very good for larger order volumes due to its technical limitations.
❌ The UI does not allow copying of previous shipments, which can be time-wasting.
#3: AfterShip
AfterShip offers a post-purchase experience tool for footwear merchants that helps them set up rule-based returns automations.
The platform is a pretty solid option for retailers looking for more customisation options and more rule-based return automations.
Features
Recapture revenue with AfterShip’s product exchanges and offer partial refunds.
Rule-based returns automations to offset return costs and retain more revenue from shoppers.
Return eligibility rules, an analytics dashboard, and automated resolutions.
Advanced return fraud management: Detect and prevent return fraud by analysing return frequency for some consumers and weight discrepancies.
Pricing
Aftership offers four monthly plans that are based on how many shipments per year your footwear store is expecting.
There are 4 paid tiers:
Essentials: Starts from $19/month for 720 returns per year and includes their integration with 1,200 carriers and a customisable returns portal.
Pro: Starts from $49/month for 1,200 returns per year and adds automatic returns approval, refund to store credit, and general eligibility rules.
Premium: Starts from $199/month for 2,400 returns per year and adds shipment status-triggered automations, exchange on store, and exchange for other items.
Enterprise: Custom pricing for 12,000+ returns per year, which gives you access to instant exchanges, returns API, and enterprise-grade security.
Pros and Cons
✅ Rule-based return automations with eligibility criteria.
✅ SME-friendly pricing that starts from as little as $19/month.
✅ Good range of carriers.
❌ The analytics and data insights may not be as useful and powerful on lower tiers.
Outvio offers an international returns management solution that can help you expand into new markets.
The tool is a nice option for international footwear merchants looking to delight their international shoppers with a positive returns and exchanges experience.
Features
Create international return policies for different countries of operation.
Multilingual and customisable returns portal that provides consumers with on-brand notifications.
You can automatically generate return labels and automate product exchanges for any product variant.
Pricing
Outvio offers 2 paid plans for their international returns:
Grow: €125/month plus order processing fee, which lets you return products with 90+ couriers and access to smart returns and exchanges rules.
Conquer: €250/month plus order processing fee, which adds fully branded notifications, advanced analytics, and the tool’s fully automated Shopify exchanges.
Pros and Cons
✅ Multilingual customisable returns portal.
✅ You can create international return policies.
✅ Smart returns and exchanges rules.
❌ Lack of return options that go beyond returns and refunds, which is why some retailers have been looking for Outvio alternatives to offset costs.
❌ Limited range of return courier services and drop-off locations.
#5: ShipStation
ShipStation offers a returns management solution that helps enterprises and small stores set up a branded returns portal to manage cross-channel returns.
The returns platform is a good enough tool for smaller footwear brands looking for a simplistic platform with an affordable pricing model that helps them save money with pay-per-use return labels.
Features
Set up a branded returns portal that lets your consumers seamlessly return products and request exchanges.
Send return labels with orders to speed up your returns process and manage returns centrally.
Get access to label discounts to protect your returns budget.
Create and process RMAs to reduce administrative tasks, provide visibility to your shoppers and prevent return fraud.
Pricing
ShipStation’s pricing is primarily based on shipments per month and offers 4 paid plans:
Starter plan: $9.99/month for 50 shipments/month.
Growth plan: $29.99/month for 1,000 shipments/month.
Scale plan: $99.99/month for 7,500 shipments/month.
High-volume plan: $399.99/month for unlimited shipments/month.
Pros and Cons
✅ Branded labels and tracking of returns.
✅ SME-friendly pricing with a generous plan for Enterprises with unlimited shipments.
✅ It’s possible to send return labels with your orders.
The platform’s smart routing helps retailers save on shipping, satisfy end users, and keep their e-commerce operations running smoothly.
Features
Smart rate-shopping and routing: Save money with the lowest shipping rates for every return.
Keep shoppers up to date with transparent order, return, and exchange status updates.
A comprehensive range of returns options, including exchanges and drop-off returns.
‘’Show Now and Later’’ feature that helps you engage your shoppers after the return.
Pricing
Loop Returns has recently removed its $29/month/ plan.
To access unlimited destinations and their ‘’Shop Now’’ feature, you’d have to be on their 3 paid plans:
Essential: $155/month, which adds unlimited destinations, automated return policies, workflows, and carrier rate shopping.
Advanced: $299/month, which adds Loop’s ‘’Shop Now’’ feature, Instant Exchanges, Bonus Credit, and fraud prevention features.
Enterprise: Custom pricing, which includes instant returns and enterprise shipping integrations.
Pros and Cons
✅ Smart rate-shopping and routing.
✅ Seamlessly link with carriers, 3PLs, WMSs, ERPs.
✅ Shop Now functionality to enable customers to check out products when exchanging.
❌ The setup of the software can take a while, which is why some retailers have been looking for Loop alternatives.
❌ The pricing model penalises stores for exceeding the returns limit with high charges, according to G2 reviews.
#7: ReturnGO
ReturnGO has gained a reputation with its sustainable returns management platform that focuses on enabling footwear merchants to offset return costs from returns while tackling waste.
The returns solution is a good option for local retailers who want to set up a streamlined and environmentally friendly return experience.
Features
Exchanges: Upsell customers as they are making a return to increase revenue.
Send out branded order tracking notifications for any shipment to improve consumer loyalty.
Best-in-class return automations, such as ‘’request approval’’ automation and ‘’mark as done’’.
Get access to AI-powered insights on your returns to optimise your returns process.
Pricing
ReturnGO bases its pricing on a tiered pricing structure that includes features and an annual returns allowance.
There are 3 paid plans for retailers:
Premium: Starts from $121/month for up to 2,000 annual returns and gives you access to variant and product exchanges, and branded email notifications.
Pro: Starts from $297/month for up to 5,000 annual returns and adds white-labelling options, item validation features, and packaging slips.
Enterprise: Custom pricing, which adds an order tracking portal and notifications, advanced automations, and multi-store plans.
Pros and Cons
✅ Refunds, gift cards, and store credit return options.
✅ Customisable returns portal that can be set up with up to 5 languages.
✅ Advanced returns automations.
❌ Starting price may not be SME-friendly, which is not ideal for smaller businesses.
ReBound offers an international returns management solution that can help you reduce the cost of returns with the platform’s efficient RMA and reverse logistics management.
The returns platform is ideal for footwear brands looking to take care of the entire returns flow for all sources of their returns.
Features
Omnichannel returns: You can handle the process of the entire returns flow for all sources of returns.
RMA management: Offset your cost of returns by up to 5% with ReBound’s efficient returns routing.
A comprehensive range of return options for customers, such as home collection and drop-off services.
With advanced analytics to understand why customers return products, you can battle return fraud.
Pricing
ReBound does not currently disclose its pricing, so you will have to contact them to receive a quote.
Pros and Cons
✅ Return tracking with branded push notifications for your consumers.
✅ One-click Shopify integration that adds different return options.
✅ Efficient RMA management to reduce returns costs.
❌ Some shoppers have lost orders with their service, according to verified user reviews.
❌ Less return options for shoppers than other ReBound competitors on the market.
Next Steps for Footwear Retailers: Offset Return Costs & Battle Return Fraud With ZigZag Global
We went over the 8 best returns management platforms that are ideal for footwear brands, as they can help you minimise your cost of returns and delight shoppers.
Each returns system that we reviewed has its strengths, weaknesses, and pros & cons.
Built for global footwear retailers and local merchants, ZigZag offers an all-in-one returns management solution that is designed to take over any online store’s post-purchase experience.
If you’re an e-commerce leader or a small online store looking for a returns management platform for your footwear brand that offers:
A customisable returns portal that can be personalised to your shoppers.
Wide range of return options, such as paid returns, return to store credit, and return to gift card.
Access to detailed analytics and reports on what drives shoppers to return products.
Then you can book a demo to learn more about ZigZag Global.
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