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In its October Issue, STORES Magazine features retailer Stein Mart's success with Oracle Retail Returns Management. "We feel this system fits our culture and heritage. We're servicing our good customers and chasing out the bad guys," says CIO Black.

CIO Andrew Black stated at Oracle CrossTalk, "We have been making significant strides to improve legacy systems. This has led to better returns management and a reduction in fraud."

Returns are a fact of retailing and merchants have to be ready to deal with them. For instance, Stage's Oracle Corp. merchandising system allows the retailer to route online returns to either a distribution center if an item is still in season and salable or, if it isn't, to one of four clearance centers the chain maintains. During the holiday season, Hunter sets up special arrangements with makers of traditional holiday gifts, such as heated ice scrapers and other small items that might be featured in a Black Friday display, to have those products returned directly to the manufacturers or to have them shipped back in bulk from the stores' returned goods center in Jacksonville, Texas. Some vendors also agree to take back unsold products.