Happy Returns VS AfterShip

Creating a fantastic eCommerce return and exchange experience is essential if retailers want to build long-term relationships and scale efficiently. This page dives into the differences between AfterShip Returns and Happy Returns, two popular online returns management solutions, and helps you choose the best platform for your business.

Overview

When looking for a powerful and user-friendly post-purchase solution with advanced features for operations and warehouse teams, AfterShip and Happy Returns are two of the best options in the market. Both companies provide different approaches to returns and exchanges, especially when comparing return status notifications, exchange tracking, and return methods. This page will help you understand the differences between AfterShip and Happy Returns and help you choose the best-fit returns solution for growing your business.

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What does AfterShip do?

AfterShip is an end-to-end, omnichannel solution that sparks loyalty and optimizes customer touchpoints to boost efficiency for global brands and retailers. Its solutions include shipment tracking, returns management, estimated delivery prediction, multi-carrier shipping, shipping protection, and carbon footprint accounting software.

 With a team of 450 people, with 66% comprised of engineers and product managers, AfterShip ensures that each solution is easy to use, reliable, and frequently gets new feature releases. AfterShip works with over 17,000 customers, including large retailers and Fortune 500 companies.

 Being platform agnostic, AfterShip connects to custom experiences, Shopify, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, Magento, Salesforce, and more. AfterShip Returns plugs directly into an extensive partner ecosystem of over 20 technology and 3PLs partners, such as Klaviyo, Gorgias, Yotpo, Shipbob, and more. AfterShip Returns works with more than 23 carriers and 310,000 return drop-off locations worldwide. This includes box-less and label-free returns for US-based FedEx & Walgreen locations and Happy Return Return Bars. Lastly, AfterShip provides in-depth API and webhook documentation for quick and easy connectivity.

An overview of AfterShip Returns

AfterShip Returns is a holistic exchange-first returns solution which encourages exchanges over refunds to recover lost revenue. Retailers can fully automate each step of their returns experience and management. Additionally, users can leverage features such as branded and self-service returns page, RMA-based email notifications, variant and other item exchanges, instant refunds, physical drop-off locations, automatic policy enforcements, non-returnables and partial returns, and keep-the-item Green returns.

 AfterShip Returns is ideal for those who need a scalable enterprise-level solution. Its approach focuses on automation and encourages exchanges, such as automated label generation, advanced country and item-based item routing, filtering eligibility flows, and AI-powered exchange product recommendations. Meanwhile, customers receive proactive updates on their returns with over 10 automated status-based notification sequences. AfterShip also offers AfterShip Tracking, providing advanced shipment tracking for exchanges and new orders.

What does Happy Returns do?

Happy Returns is a returns management solution for eCommerce brands. Their main draw is their boxless and label-less QR-code return drop-off system, Return Bars.

 Happy Returns was acquired in May 2021 by PayPal, with about 100-200 employees dedicated to running and maintaining its solution. Happy Returns also reached over 250 merchants on its platform in 2021.

Happy Returns supports 4 different platforms: Shopify, Shopify Plus, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce. The solution allows for access to 17 carriers and offers 5,000+ Return Bar drop-off locations across the US. Happy Returns plugs into 21+ partner platforms, including Celigo and 3PLs.

An overview of Happy Returns

Happy Returns is a returns management platform that prioritizes boxless and label-less returns via their QR-Code-based Return Bars. It provides same-item exchanges, variant exchanges via Return Shopping, auto label generation, returnless items, branded returns page, and email notifications.

 Their Return Bar network spans over 5,000 US-based locations. Happy Returns holds items at Return Bars until their totes are full, then ships them to a warehouse for sorting. Some brands may notice additional time needed to receive and restock items.

 Happy Returns is ideal for brands who want another physical touchpoint and want to refund customers instantly. With Return Shopping, brands can manually recommend exchange options, although it may contribute to a lower conversion rate than AI-powered solutions. Happy Returns routes return items to warehouses on a country-based level through its Shipping Zone feature. Users of Happy Returns also provides basic branded item tracking for exchanges.

Pricing comparison

To better understand the difference in cost between AfterShip Returns and Happy Returns, let's compare their pricing models and decide which is ideal for your business.

happy returns price comparison

AfterShip Returns

AfterShip's pricing is transparent and sports plans for businesses of different sizes, adjusting for the number of returns (based on RMAs), carriers, routing rules, and routing zones. Plans are easy to find on the website, with clear breakdowns of which features are available on which plan.

 Each plan is billed monthly or discounted annually. Lastly, brands can start with self-service options or test the solution with its free trial.

Happy Returns

Happy Returns offers three monthly plans, Plus, Plus for PayPal, and Enterprise. Customers with PayPal Checkout can access some of Happy Returns’ plans as a complimentary service. 

In addition to their plans, Happy Returns charges a per-item fee at their Return Bars based on the size and weight of an item.

Experience the AfterShip Returns x Happy Returns Integration

AfterShip Returns and Happy Returns are now integrated to provide more convenient and accessible returns for everyone. Deploy one integration to improve customer relationships, infuse automation, process returns faster, and drive sustainability. Brands and businesses can leverage AfterShip Returns' advanced returns management solution while leveraging Happy Returns' Return Bars. While valid accounts are required for the integration, users can reduce costs by using only one dashboard to access the drop-off network.

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Compare AfterShip and Happy Returns on G2.com

Reviews and ratings from verified customers can go a long way in helping you select the right post-purchase platform. Explore AfterShip and Happy Returns ratings from G2.com as of June 6, 2023 to help you make an informed decision.

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AfterShip

129 AfterShip Reviews

four point five stars orange

Jan 27, 2023

“My amazing experience with AfterShip Returns”

like

“AfterShip Returns has helped me a lot in regaining my customers' intact trust. Previously I was struggling a lot in smoothening the return process for my family's online e-commerce business, but AfterShip Returns has helped me in executing it in the true sense. The best feature I liked about AfterShip Returns the most is the "Refund to store credit". It not only has provided an improvised customer experience but has also impacted our business in regaining from the loss.“

un like

“There is nothing to dislike about AfterShip Returns. It has been working impressively, and just hope it keeps on enhancing its existing services more and more in the upcoming days.“

four point five stars orange

Aug 18, 2022

"AfterShip Returns Center allows us to streamline our returns process"

like

“AfterShip Returns has the functionality to include photos with return requests and generates return labels or allows you to upload a different return label.“

un like

“The refunding process still has to take place outside of the returns center, so we have to use along side Shopify, it's not fully integrated“

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Happy Returns

4 Happy Returns Reviews

regular grey stars

Jul 6, 2022

“Such an awesome tool!”

like

“It's really user-friendly and offers a lot of options that make returns easier. It is especially useful for retail users that need an efficient way to handle orders.“

un like

“It would be great if it would offer more information on its different views to the customers at the moment of using the platform. Admin mode offers this but it would be cool if the customers could take advantage of it as well.“

regular grey stars

Nov 15, 2022

"Pretty Good Returns/Exchanges Solution But Still Some Hiccups"

like

“This is a user-friendly platform and easy to access.“

un like

“There's no visibility to the return process as we can't truly confirm the package has been received.“

A quick company overview

Regardless of your company's size, you need a reliable and flexible solution. Discover how AfterShip and AfterShip Returns can support your post-purchase offering and how it stacks up against Happy Returns.

AfterShip

Happy Returns

Year founded

2012 (source)

2015 (source)

Number of employees

450 (source)

100 - 200 (source)

Number of customers

17,000+ paid customers (source)

250+ merchants (source)

Number of carriers integrated

23+ carriers (source)

17 carriers (source)

Number of platforms supported

10+ eCommerce platforms (source)

5 platforms (source)

API Reliability & Uptime

99.99% (source)

None mentioned

Data Privacy & Security

SOC 2 Type 2, ISO 27001, GDPR Compliance (source)

None mentioned

Switching from Happy Returns to AfterShip

AfterShip provides a dedicated Solutions Architect to help ensure a seamless transition from Happy Returns to AfterShip without data loss.

Step 1. Plan

Formulate a plan to build the post-purchase system you need. Think about your desired features and the integration with your current tool.

Step 2. Migrate

Move your data to AfterShip with the help of a Solutions Architect. You can include customer data, workflows, and reports.

Step 3. Test

Set up the system the way you want, then test, and preview the design before rolling it out. You can configure workflows, dashboards, and more.

Step 4. Scale

Once everything is running smoothly, you can duplicate your custom settings as needed to meet the demands of your growing business.

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Recognized by customers for exceptional service

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How AfterShip customers boost revenue and retention

  • marc nolan

    “This exchange feature took every problem away. It’s also saved a lot of revenue — saving us $125k in the last 90 days.”

    Read their journey >

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  • vector

    "With AfterShip Returns, what used to take our team upwards of 8 hours a week to do, now only takes us 1 hour."

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  • pelagic gear

    "Putting restrictions on specific items means we don't need to jump through hoops. We can identify our products through tags and fully control our returns, especially from a cost perspective."

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