ReturnRelay

ReturnRelay is a web app marketplace that lets brands and Shopify-scale merchants list customer returns and overstock the moment they’re authorized—before items hit the warehouse, get damaged, or incur restocking labor. Buyers (liquidators, refurbishers, discount retailers, exporters) bid on lots with standardized condition codes, photo requirements, and shipping terms. The platform generates prepaid labels or buyer-arranged pickup, tracks chain-of-custody, and releases escrow when scans confirm handoff. It’s not glamorous: margins are thin and ops are messy, but returns are a massive, growing cost center and most sellers still rely on opaque liquidation brokers. The MVP focuses on a narrow wedge: apparel and small hardgoods in the US, with integrations for return portals and basic lot-building. It’s a traditional marketplace app with light AI assistance for auto-categorization and condition/price suggestions.