What does the item condition of an OTTO return tell you?
Last updated: 3 November 2026 · The MargenOptimierer app is in German. Button and menu names are shown exactly as you see them, with the English meaning in brackets.
Item condition tells you how good a returned item still is.
You enter it yourself at OTTO when you accept or reject a return. There are five levels, „originalverpackt“ (in original packaging), „wie neu“ (like new), „leicht gebraucht“ (lightly used), „stark gebraucht“ (heavily used) and „Irrtum“ (mistake). MargenOptimierer shows you per item what condition its returns came back in, on the Optimierung (optimization) page in the Retouren (returns) tab.
Example: Item condition of 6 returns
Say that of the 6 returns of the acacia chair, 4 come back „originalverpackt“ and 2 come back „stark gebraucht“.
What else counts with item condition
Irrtum
OTTO describes this level as „Lieferung unvollständig oder nicht vorhanden“ (delivery incomplete or missing). OTTO doesn't say who made the mistake.
Does every condition count toward the return rate?
Whether a return counts toward your return rate doesn't depend on the item condition. Every return you accepted and where goods came back counts, and a rejected one never does. Below the item condition it says how many returns there were in the period and how they split, for the acacia chair „6 Retouren, alle angenommen mit Ware“ (6 returns, all accepted with goods). Each return appears there exactly once. „an OTTO statt an dich geschickt“ (sent to OTTO instead of to you) means your customer sent the goods to OTTO by mistake.
When no condition is shown
„nicht gemeldet“ (not reported) means no condition has been entered at OTTO for the return yet, as with every return that has only been announced. „unbekannter Zustand“ (unknown condition) means OTTO has a condition that doesn't fit any of the five levels. OTTO doesn't pass on the reason your customer gives for the return, so you don't see it in MargenOptimierer.
Next
- Which items come back too often?