The operator behind the program.
Returns and disposition, by written rule.
Every returned, overstock or recalled product needs a written disposition decision. Anchor coordinates the program through independent local operators and records the approved path.
Choose the allowed path before collection.
Reuse, resale, recycling, destruction and disposal are different outcomes. Your written rules identify which paths are allowed for each product category and condition.
Reuse or resale is considered only when your rules permit it. Recycling, destruction or disposal is considered only when a scope and confirmed local path support it. No material is assigned to a recovery or destruction claim by default.
Custody protects the decision.
Before movement, records can identify the site, load reference, material and disposition instruction. At intake, seal checks, unload records, weights by grade and exceptions connect the return to the authorized decision.
Products designated for destruction are kept out of unauthorized recovery or resale. Pooled pallets remain subject to the owner's return rules.
Program issues and records stay connected.
Anchor coordinates the program, and independent executing operators perform the scoped receiving, collection or processing work. A service, custody or routing issue is logged with relevant evidence and reviewed against the approved instructions.
Any change of disposition requires the required approval. The exception and its resolution are recorded under the program agreement. Destruction, recycling and other completed paths are documented separately.
Records match the approved path.
The reporting schedule and record set are stated in the program agreement. Certificates, when issued, are tied to the scoped processing event and do not replace the intake, instruction or exception record.
A destruction certificate, recycling record or other destination evidence is not interchangeable. The documentation must support the actual disposition claimed.
Resources for your next decision.
What a certificate of destruction should include
A practical guide to certificates of destruction for multi-site teams, with chain of custody, disposition evidence, and a sample layout to use.
Read the guide ReturnsWhat really happens to returned merchandise, and when brands choose destruction
Returned merchandise needs a documented decision path. Learn when to reuse, recover, recycle, or destroy inventory and protect your brand with confidence.
Read the guideClear answers
What you should know.
What happens to returned merchandise?
It is received, documented and routed according to your approved disposition rules. Those rules may allow resale, recovery, recycling or destruction, depending on product condition, legal requirements and brand restrictions.
Can returned goods be resold?
Only when your written rules permit resale. Products designated for destruction must not enter an unauthorized recovery or resale channel.
How do you prove nothing re-entered commerce?
Use a connected custody record, approved destruction instructions, processing evidence and a certificate tied to the load. A certificate alone is not proof of every prior movement, so exceptions and reconciliation matter.