Every exception StockReclaim finds falls into one of four rules. Each names a different way a returned unit fails to make it back onto the shelf.
Rule A — Refunded, not restocked
A refund was issued with the Restock box unchecked. The customer got their money back, but the unit was never added back to sellable inventory. This is the most common leak, and the one the Restock checkbox is supposed to prevent.
Rule B — Open return, aging
A return is in progress — approved or in transit — and the unit hasn’t been restocked yet. Rule B tracks it and ages it, so a return that quietly stalls becomes visible instead of disappearing.
Rule C — Confirmed loss
A return was dispositioned as not restocked or missing — a deliberate write-off recorded through a returns app or the API. StockReclaim surfaces and totals these so they’re counted, not forgotten.
Rule D — Restock claimed, stock unchanged (Growth)
A restock was recorded — a refund with Restock checked, or a return dispositioned as restocked — but the on-hand level never actually moved. This is the check no returns portal runs on itself.
Rule D is forward-only: Shopify keeps no historical log of inventory adjustments, so StockReclaim can only watch levels from the moment it’s watching. Its coverage grows the longer it runs — which is why it’s part of continuous assurance on Growth, not a one-time backfill.
Netting
A single physical unit can trigger more than one signal — for example a refund and an open return. StockReclaim nets these so one unit is counted once, never double-counted in your total.