Method and apparatus for providing recommendations based on return data

A method of recommending products in association with product returns, the method comprising:

• receiving a return request from a customer associated with a returned product from a given merchant;
• receiving search results based on a search for relevant products to the returned product;
• filtering the search results based on a likelihood of return rating of at least some of the relevant products, the likelihood of return rating being determined based on a return model generated based on associations made with respect to return volume, return frequency and repurchase frequency associated with the given merchant, the customer and the returned product;
• modifying ordering of the search results and applying exclusions to the search results;
• displaying a plurality of recommended products based on the modified ordering of the search results and the application of exclusions to the search results;
• receiving feedback regarding performance of the return model and merchant applied tags associating products with exclusion and ordering adjustment instructions;
• and
• updating the return model based on the feedback received and the merchant applied tags,
• wherein displaying the plurality of recommended products comprises displaying the plurality of recommended products on each of a plurality of separate points along a product return process flow path, and
• wherein modifying ordering of the search results and applying exclusions to the search results comprises preventing display of at least one selected product from the search results responsive to one of the merchant applied tags identifying the at least one selected product for exclusion from display and adjusting an ordering of at least another selected product from the search results responsive to another of the merchant applied tags identifying the at least another selected product with a positive or negative association.