Woman returning item at Encora kiosk in retail store

About Encora

Built to verify
what comes back

Encora captures proof of return at the moment it happens—so retailers and operators can stop guessing and start trusting their data.

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Patent pending · Seattle, WA

Why returns need their own infrastructure

Returns are a $101B fraud problem in the US alone. Yet most of that loss happens in the first thirty seconds—at the point of drop-off—before anyone has looked at what was actually returned.

Retailers process an average of $29 in cost for every return they handle. Almost none of that investment includes any actual verification.

The result is predictable:

  • Empty boxes and wrong items accepted as valid returns.
  • No timestamped record of what was dropped off, or when.
  • Refunds issued before condition is ever checked.
  • Fraud that looks identical to a legitimate return.
  • Manual audits that can't scale across locations.

Encora could put a verification layer at the intake point, capturing photo, weight and item data the moment the return is made. RetAI is a potential future direction; not validated or deployed for retail returns.

What Encora provides

⟲

Smart intake

  • Kiosk hardware for stores, malls, and logistics hubs.
  • QR scan or receipt lookup at drop-off.
  • Guided customer flow—no staff required.
  • Live visibility into volume and location.
✓

Proof at drop-off

  • Photo and timestamp captured at the moment of return.
  • Would validate weight and item before acceptance.
  • Could flag wrong items and empty boxes.
  • Tamper-evident record stored per transaction.
⧉

Connected data

  • Could work alongside your POS and OMS.
  • APIs and webhooks for routing would be developed.
  • Refunds could be held until verification is complete.
  • Audit-ready reporting across all locations.

Built for audit-ready return records

Every return event would be logged with photo evidence, timestamps and structured data for internal audit and chargeback disputes.

Our story

Encora began by solving one of the hardest problems in reuse: getting physical items back reliably. We built smart bins and traceability tools for reuse programs at campuses, restaurants, and public venues—the goal was simple: make it possible to run a reuse program without the spreadsheets.

That work exposed a broader infrastructure gap. Every operator we worked with had the same problem underneath the reuse question: they couldn't prove what came back. Reusable containers, retail merchandise, or returned goods—the moment of drop-off was a black hole. Items went in, but there was no reliable record of what they were, when they arrived, or whether they matched what was expected.

That insight led us to pivot to verification. The kiosk hardware and software we built for reuse intake could also serve retail returns, by creating a tamper-evident record at the moment of drop-off.

Encora's reuse platform has run in pilots at Seattle Municipal Tower, San Diego International Airport and Chabot College, and supports reuse events with the City of Seattle. RetAI is patent pending. RetAI is a potential future direction; not validated or deployed for retail returns.

2019

Ran our first reuse tracking program at Seattle Municipal Tower with Seattle Public Utilities and CBRE, as Green GrubBox.

2021

Founded Encora Enterprises. Built automated RFID return kiosks, piloted at San Diego International Airport and Chabot College.

2023

Joined the LACI incubator (completed 2025) and developed an outdoor smart bin with its Advanced Prototyping Center.

Now

Exploring RetAI for retail returns. Patent pending. RetAI is a potential future direction; not validated or deployed for retail returns.

FAQ

What is Encora?

Encora builds return infrastructure, proven in reusable container pilots. RetAI is a potential future direction; not validated or deployed for retail returns. It would capture photo, weight and item data at drop-off, creating a record of each return before a refund is issued.

Do we have to replace our existing systems?

No. RetAI would sit alongside your existing POS, OMS or logistics systems. Connecting to them would require integration work.

What hardware is involved?

Encora kiosks are freestanding units roughly the size of an ATM—suitable for store floors, mall corridors, and logistics hubs. A retail unit would include a camera, weight sensor and receipt or QR scanner. We handle installation and maintenance.

How do pilots work?

A RetAI pilot would be scoped with you, likely 60-90 days at a defined set of locations, with baseline metrics agreed up front. No retail pilot has run yet.

Can Encora hold refunds until verification is complete?

That is the intended design: with integration, your OMS could hold a refund while the item is checked, then release it or flag it for review.

Ready to verify your returns?

RetAI is our vision for verified retail returns. If you're exploring what verified intake could look like for your operation, we'd like to hear from you.

Get in Touch