Explains the various ways to create return labels in ShipStation, how to mark returned shipments, and which carriers support creating return labels in ShipStation.
Returns are an unfortunate, but necessary, part of any eCommerce business. It's important you have the ability to create return labels so your customers can get items back to you, whether the product wasn't what they were expecting, arrived damaged, or was the wrong item altogether.
To learn about how a good returns policy can actually help increase your business, check out our How to Process Returns blog post.
In ShipStation, you have three ways to create return labels, each with its own advantage:
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Create a return label and email it to your customer when they request one.
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Send a return label with the shipment so your customer can return without contacting you.
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Let your customer self-serve using the ShipStation Branded Returns portal.
To learn how to set up and use the Branded Returns option, review our Branded Returns article.
Important Details about Return Labels!
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ShipStation does not currently support return labels for international shipments. ShipStation can create return labels for domestic shipments only.
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ShipStation cannot currently create return labels for U.S. territories or APO/FPO/DPO addresses, as they require customs information for shipping.
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Creating a Return Label will not send marketplace notifications to the order source.
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Return labels count toward your monthly shipment limit, even if they are not used.
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Not all carriers/services can be used for return labels. Review our Integrations Help Guide for details about any specific carrier. Details about Return Labels are in the Available Features section within each carrier's article.
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The multi-package option is not available for return labels. If the option to include a return label with the outgoing shipment is selected and the shipment is set to use multiple packages, the outgoing labels will generate normally, but no return label will generate. If you need return labels in this scenario, the best option is to split the order into multiple shipments and then follow the steps below for each order.
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If you have multiple accounts for a single carrier, return labels will always use the primary account.
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Return labels cannot be billed to a third-party carrier account, even if the outbound label is billed to a third party.
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Return labels created using ShipStation Carriers or a pre-paid postage provider like Stamps.com or Endicia, will be charged when you create the label regardless of whether it is used by your customer or not (Endicia's pay-on-use labels are an exception to this). You can void unused return labels for a refund, just like outbound labels.
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Return labels using invoiced carriers, like UPS or FedEx, will only be charged to your account if the label is used.
Watch this demo video to learn how you can create return labels on demand in ShipStation.
ShipStation University Creating Return Labels Course
If learning by doing is more your style, take the ShipStation University Creating Return Labels course. The lesson videos will show you how to create individual return labels on demand, send return labels with your outgoing shipments, and use the Branded Returns Portal so your customers can self-service their returns.
You can create a domestic return label for orders you have created labels for or marked as shipped in ShipStation. You can initiate the Returns process from either the Order Details screen or the Shipment Details screen
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Click Create Return from either the Order Details screen:
or Shipment Details screen.
A Create Return pop-up will appear that lists all items in the shipment.
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Select which products to return and the quantity.
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Click Continue.
This will open the Order Returns tab in the Order Details screen where you can set your Return Reason, add notes, and configure the return label options.
A return reason is not required but can be useful when running reports later. See below for the full list of available return reasons.
At this time, Return Reasons cannot be customized.
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Configure the shipping details for the return label.
ShipStation is set by default to automatically assign an RMA number. Uncheck the Auto Assign RMA # option to enter your own RMA numbers.
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Select Email Label then click either Authorize & Email to email a copy of the return label to your customer:
Or, select Download Label Now then click Download PDF for the downloadable version of the return label.
You should now see the Return Record in the Shipments section of the Order Details screen. The return record will also show in Shipping > Returns.
Set a Default Return Service
If all of your return labels will use the same service and package type, you can set a default return service in Settings > Shipping > Returns so the service and package type will auto-populate each time you create a return label.
Select Same as Outbound to set the service and package type to the same service and package type used for the outbound shipment, or set to the specific service and package type you wish to use for every return label.
You can always configure an individual return with a different service and package type if you choose to.
The default return service does not apply to return labels created at the same time as the outbound labels.
If you did not email your customer a copy of the return label when the label was created, but want to send them one now, follow the steps below:
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Go to the Shipments tab, then the Returns section in the left-hand sidebar.
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Click the RMA # to open the Return Details screen.
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Click Other Actions then choose Send Return Label.
The Send Return Label option is also available from the Other Actions menu in the Returns grid.
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Enter your customer's email address and click Send.
Your customer can then print the return label for the shipment and send it back to you.
If you'd like to customize a return email message that will always be included in the email to your customer that contains the return label:
There is a selection of reasons for returns that can be useful for reporting. The included reasons are:
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Arrived Too Late
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Changed Mind
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Courtesy Return
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Damaged
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Defective
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Exchange
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Missing Parts
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Not as Described
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Ordered Wrong Item
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Other
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Received Wrong Item
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Rental
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Warranty
These reasons are listed both in-app and on the branded returns page. Run your Returns Export to get a spreadsheet that includes the Return Reason to evaluate common reasons for returned items.
The option to create a return label at the same time as the outgoing label is only available for USPS, FedEx, UPS, and Canada Post domestic shipments. Return labels cannot be billed to a third-party carrier account, even if the outbound label is billed to a third party.
Insurance Settings and Rate Quote not included with Returns
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Insurance settings will not carry over to the return label. If you need insurance for a return label you send with an outbound shipment, use the Rate Calculator to create that return label.
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The rate for the return label will not be included in the quoted rate displayed in ShipStation.
To create a return label at the same time as the outbound shipping label so you can include the return label with the shipment, do the following:
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Set the shipping service and package type for the shipment in the Configure Shipment Widget.
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Go to the Other Shipping Options section in the Shipping Sidebar.
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Check the box for Include a return label with the outgoing shipping label.
You will then see drop-down menus for the return service and package type.
If the Include a Return Label option is not available, that means this feature is not available for shipments using the service selected in the Configure Shipment Widget.
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Select the Service and Package type for the return label.
You should then see the Include return label indicator next to the Other Shipping Options header.
Now, when you create the outbound label, ShipStation will also create the return label using the service and package you selected. ShipStation will use the same weight and dimensions for the return label as for the outbound shipment.
Automate Your Return Labels
If you plan to always include return labels for certain shipments, use Automation Rules to automatically apply the Include Return Label option for your orders.
You can create a return label in the Rate Browser if you need to create a return label that is not associated with an order. The process is very similar to creating an outbound label with the Rate Browser, with one small change.
The Rate Calculator allows you to create both outgoing and return labels without creating an order first.
To create a label using the toolbar Rate Calculator:
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Select the Carrier and Service you want to use.
The Configure Label option becomes active after you select a service.
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Click Configure Label.
The Rate Calculator will then ask you to fill in the remaining Ship To Address information. The Postal Code will carry over from your initial entry.
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Complete the Ship To Address in one of the following ways:
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Manually enter the address information in each field.
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Use the Paste Entire US Address function to copy/paste the Ship To information. ShipStation will attempt to parse the information into the correct fields.
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(Optional) Click Validate Address if you are not confident the address is exactly correct. ShipStation will validate and standardize the address for you.
If you want to use the correction, click Use this Address.
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Make any other adjustments you need to the shipment (weight, dimensions, insurance, customs declarations, etc.).
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Click the Create + Print Label button (or use the drop-down to only Create Label without printing).
ShipStation will create the label at this point and, depending on your printing setup, will either send it to your default printer or ask you to print the label.
If ShipStation is not able to create the label, we'll display any relevant errors so you can correct the shipping details and attempt to create the label again.
You can print the label immediately or print it later from the Shipments tab. Review the Print Labels article in this help guide for more details on available print options.
If the Automatically mark returns as "Received" if tracked option is checked in Settings > Shipping > Returns, and the return uses a service that supports auto-tracking, ShipStation will update the shipment as Received as soon as we receive the tracking notification from the carrier.
If this option is not checked, or the return service does not support auto-tracking, you can manually mark the shipment as Received in ShipStation so you can keep track of outstanding returns.
You can mark returns as received from the following locations:
The Return Details screen:
Open the Return Details screen, click Other Actions and choose Mark As Received.
The Returns widget:
Open the Order Details screen, click the action menu for the return, and choose Mark As Received.
The Shipping > Returns screen:
Go to the Shipping > Returns screen, select the return, and click the Mark As Received button.
Once you click Mark As Received, choose the date from the pop-up calendar and then click Mark As Received one more time.
Check the table below for which of your local carriers support creating return labels in your ShipStation account.
Carriers marked with + can create return labels to send with outbound shipments.
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US Carriers |
Supported? |
|---|---|
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USPS + |
 |
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UPS + |
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FedEx* + |
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DHL eCommerce |
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DHL Express |
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* Not all FedEx services can be used for returns. Check the FedEx Service Guide for details. The FedEx Smartpost Return address cannot be set. The return label will use the return address set in your FedEx account.
If you are using ShipStation's Legacy Layout, follow the instructions below to manage and create return labels.
This video demonstrates how to create a return label for either an entire shipment or just selected items within an order in ShipStation Legacy.
When creating returns, you can choose to return the entire order or select items within the order. This allows for a more dynamic way of reporting what is returned and why.
There are two ways to access the Returns pop-up in ShipStation:
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Use the Create Return button in the Shipments tab.
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Use the Create Return button in the Order Details screen.
In the return pop-up screen:
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Click Create a Return to create a new return label.
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Select all of the Order Items to be included in the return shipment.
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Select a reason for the item needing to be returned in the Return Reason drop-down.
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Adjust the Return Shipping Info for the return order.
Click Show More to see the full list of shipping options.
Tip
If you would like to keep an internal note of this return shipment, enter it into the Return Notes field.
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Choose if you want to Download label now or Email label as attachment to the recipient (to send the label to multiple emails, separate the emails with a comma).
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Click Authorize & Email or Authorize & Download (depending on the Send as: option selected) and you'll be set.
There is a selection of reasons for returns that can be useful for reporting. The included reasons are:
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Arrived Too Late
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Changed Mind
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Courtesy Return
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Damaged
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Defective
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Exchange
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Missing Parts
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Not as Described
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Ordered Wrong Item
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Other
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Received Wrong Item
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Rental
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Warranty
These reasons are listed both in-app and on the branded returns page. Run your Returns Export to get a spreadsheet that includes the Return Reason to evaluate common reasons for returned items.
In ShipStation, you have the ability to create return labels at the same time as your outbound labels when using carriers that support it.
You can create these return labels in two ways:
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On a per-order basis, or
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Create an automation rule to select this option for all (or a specific selection) of orders.
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Click an order number to open up the Order Details pop-up.
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Check the option to Include a return label with the outgoing shipping label under the Other Shipping Options section.
Tip
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The box that controls this feature can be checked in bulk by applying Bulk Actions to orders that you select in the Orders grid.
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You must have a service selected on the order to see the option to include a return label.
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Once you check the box, you will be prompted to specify a carrier, service, and package type. If you leave those fields in the Select mode, the outgoing carrier, service, and package type will be used for the return label.
When you click Create Label, a return label will print with the outgoing shipping label.
Important
In contrast to our standard method of creating a return label, this process cannot email a PDF copy of the return label to the recipient.
By creating an automation rule, you can have ShipStation automatically set certain orders to print return labels. You can apply the rule to all of your orders, or a specific subset of orders, based on the criteria of the rule.
For example, if you do a lot of International shipping, you may want to restrict this to domestic shipments only, as ShipStation only supports domestic return labels.
To create this type of automation rule, do the following:
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Set the criteria to determine which orders this rule will apply to.
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Set the action to Include a Return Label with the Outbound Label. Then set the service and package type for the return label.
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Save the new rule.
Your rule might look something like this:
Once this automation rule is in place, any orders that import from that point on and match the rule's criteria will generate a return label in addition to the outgoing label.