Self-serve returns are customer-facing workflows that let a buyer request, approve, label, track, or cancel a return through an online portal instead of contacting support. They are common in e-commerce because they reduce service load and make refunds faster, but they also create a security boundary around order state, payment records, and shipping data.
From a cyber-security perspective, these portals are sensitive because attackers may try account takeover, fraud, or social engineering to trigger unauthorized refunds, change return addresses, or replace items. Defenses usually include strong authentication, risk checks, policy validation, and audit trails that record every change. Good logging helps merchants investigate disputes, prove what happened, and detect abuse patterns such as repeated return requests, mismatched identities, or unusual address changes.