In one embodiment, a point of return device can be configured to gather information related to a return request and a returning customer. Upon providing the information to an authorization server, the server can identify historical transaction data of the returning customer from data stored in a repository. Based on the historical transaction data and on the return request, the authorization server determines a return authorization decision based on an item-level return policy, another decision based on customer-specific return privileges, and optionally, another authorization decision based on registry-related return privileges. Upon processing the return request based on a selected return authorization decision, data representative of the processed return request is optionally stored in the repository to update the previously identified customer transaction data.