RMA#s issued but never used by customer?

A few times... I've found that sometimes people instantly want a return because they're convinced something is wrong with the item, and they automatically go on the offensive. Then once I say they can return it, they usually change their minds. I think some people just like finding out they have the option. Then once they go to do it, they either work it out, forget, or don't want to bother.

I had an RMA for a monitor last year. It was probably six months before I got my fat butt out of the chair to find a box that the monitor would fit in. By that time I just called and got a new RMA.

Yep, happens all the time.

Yes, we have a decent percentage that never return. We make sure the return policy is spelled out in the RMA email and give them a finite amount of time to return. The opposite of this is the people that return items that never call for an RMA.

... the people that return items that never call for an RMA.

Agree. Those returns go on the back shelf. We're not trying to be mean, and of course we refund them... eventually.

If the returnee can send a return "unannounced", we have the power to refund them "unannounced". Sometimes it's a really-long-time. If they don't have a tracking number, it might even be longer.