Return Merchandise Authorization
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A Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) is a transaction whereby the recipient of a product arranges to return defective goods to the supplier to have the product repaired or replaced or in order to receive a refund or credit for another product from the same retailer or corporation.
Generally this is done with goods that are new and have been received DOA (dead on arrival) or when they have become defective while still under warranty. The customer generally calls a customer service phone number and gets some sort of "RMA number" or designation which is written on the bill of lading or other packaging. This is so that the supplier's own shipping and receiving department knows how to route the returned goods and is assured that the customer has talked to someone in customer service.
The specifics vary from one retailer to another and among industries. In some cases the retailer sends RMA forms and packing labels, sometimes even shipping packaging for the return shipment.
Regardless of the details, the process is referred to as an RMA. Sometimes the term is informally used as a verb: "I'll have to RMA that new system because it was DOA."