Purpose: With the help of the return portal, you can process returns easily and quickly and receive them directly in the returns overview in your Sendcloud account. In this article we will explain how you can set up and activate the portal in a few simple steps.
This feature is available from a Premium subscription. The Sendcloud subscription plans have been updated. If the subscriptions shown in the banner above don’t match your current subscription plan and you’d like to know more, please click here
Please note that before your return portal can be activated, you must first have enabled your direct debit in your account. Click here to see how to set up your payment method.
Note: International returns are possible through the return portal, but only if the original shipment was created in Sendcloud. This ensures all necessary customs information (HS code, Country of Origin, and parcel details) is included. Customers can download the return label and customs document directly from the portal or via email. For more info, click here.
Step 1: Set up your brand
Step 2: Add a return address
Now we need to add a return address, which is the address you will receive the return parcels at. You can directly Add a new return address or navigate to Settings > Addresses > Return and click on the Create new button.
- Fill in all your return address details
- You can set a label for easier recognition of your return address within the Sendcloud panel
- Click on Save and your first return address is set
- If you have physical shops and you would like to offer your customers to return orders in-store, check the shop addresses as store location. These addresses will be used to offer return in-store option to your customers. Read below how to offer this option.
Step 3: Configure your portal
To begin setting up the return portal, go to Returns > Return portal and select the brand for which you want to create your return portal from the dropdown menu. Keep in mind that the return portal for each brand needs to be set up individually.
Setting tab configuration
- Enter the return address for parcels to be returned. You can specify one return address per return portal.
- If you want to receive an email notification every time one of your customers creates a return through the portal, enter your email address into the email notification field. The email address must be one of the verified email addresses in your account. For sub-users, the corporate user's email address needs to be verified.
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the maximum number of days after a shipment has been delivered in which the customer can create a return. According to EU law, this has to be a minimum of 14 days.
The countdown starts the day after the parcel receives a delivered scan. The delivery day itself counts as day 0, the following day is counted as day 1. For service point delivery, the day the parcel is scanned as "delivered" to the parcel shop (not the day it is collected by the end-customer) counts as day 0. - The return fee informs customers in the return method step of the return portal about the fee involved for the return label. This fee can be set to charge the buyer if he or she chooses to return through a drop-off point. If you specify '0', it will show the return is free. Within the details of the return, we do a quick calculation and subtract the return fee from the amount to be refunded to the customer. Read more on how to process your returns.
- Payment for returns (Premium): Premium users have the option to make their clients pay for their return shipping label directly via the return portal thanks to our paid returns feature. This option is possible in collaboration with external payment service provider Mollie. Learn more about paid returns here.
- Return Policy is a link to your own policy about returns, this helps customers know what they can expect during the process of a return.
- In the return method section,
select the return methods you want to enable. If you want to offer in-store returns to your customers, make sure you set your return address as store location here. You can also offer pickup returns for those carriers who offer this option or let your customers drop off their return parcels at a drop-off point, whether paperless (no shipping label needed) for those who don't have a printer, or regular.
- In the refund method section, you can choose to offer your customers money back, store credit or exchange as a refund. Learn more about refund methods.
- Enable certain return reasons that your customer can specify when returning an item. We recommend selecting not more than 7 reasons. The "Other" reason will be shown by default in the return portal. By choosing the "other" reason the consumer will be able to specify a personalized reason in a message field.
- Add extra instructions for your customers. In the "Returns instructions" section you can add instructions about the requirements, the refund process, packaging, etc. Your customers will see this on the homepage of your return portal. You can make your text bold, italic, underlined... You can also use headings, bullet points, and include links.
- Choose which carriers you allow returns for. Be aware that these carriers are country-specific. You can check prices for returns in the Price list under Settings > Rates. Read How to view shipping and return rates in the panel.
- Allow returns without a Sendcloud outbound shipment. By default, the return portal requires an outgoing parcel to have been shipped via Sendcloud before a return parcel can be created.
By ticking this box, you can allow the return portal to only require an order number and postcode instead of a tracking number. This allows you or your customers to validate and create returns even if you don't ship orders in Sendcloud, partially ship orders or accept returns beyond 12 months from the moment of delivery, etc. For the original order lookup to be successful, order information must be imported into the Sendcloud panel via your webshop or API integration.
Appearance configuration
- Select page layout. You can choose between displaying the standard layout or choosing a background for your portal. For the latter, select “background image” and upload an image for your return portal background by clicking on the background image section, or dragging your image into this section. (see below number 1)
- Enable/disable branded header and footer. You can choose to display both, only the header/footer, or none of them in your return portal. (see below number 2)
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Add return instructions on the first page of the return portal for your customers. In the "Returns instructions" section, you can add instructions about the requirements, the refund process, packaging, etc. You can make your text bold, italic, or underlined. You can also use heading bullet points and include links. Example: The return will not be accepted without a return vignette. (see below number 3)
Note: You can select each language to customise return instructions and helper texts, ensuring a localised experience for all supported markets.
Step 4: Return emails
When a customer creates a return, you can improve their customer experience by proactively informing them about the status of the delivery, Sendcloud provides you with three different emails dedicated to return shipments. You can enable return emails during the following steps of the journey:
- Label created
- Handed in at drop-off point
- Return received
You can customise the language and content of these messages by going to Tracking > Tracking messages and following the steps in this article: Tracking notifications.
How to embed your Sendcloud return portal into your online store
If you prefer to embed your Sendcloud return portal into your website instead of redirecting your clients to another page (via the link to your return portal), you can use the <iframe> element.
For an optimal experience we recommend using the following dimensions:
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Default mobile width: 350
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Default mobile height: 800
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Default desktop width: 660
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Default desktop height: 1000
Important notes about using the return portal iframe element:
- Sendcloud cookie consent messages will still be active
- All buttons stay where they are (including language selector and "manage cookie preferences" link)
- The mention "Powered by Sendcloud" will only be hidden if you have deactivated beforehand (this is only possible for users with a Premium subscription
- Your header and footer will be removed from the iframe element
FAQ
What can you do if an order was created with the wrong address and now has to be returned?
You have two options:
- Add a new order and make a return without an outgoing shipment in Sendcloud by selecting "I don't have an outgoing shipment in Sendcloud" in the return portal.
- Create a manual return.
The return portal doesn’t work, and it gives a 404 error.
- Verify that the return portal is activated for the correct brand.
- Ensure that direct debit is activated, as it is required to create any labels, including return labels.
The customer created a return but didn't receive the label.
Keep in mind that receiving the email with the return label can take up to 10 minutes.
If your customers are unable to print the return label or have misplaced it, you can easily resend the label to them. To do this, navigate to the specific return in the Returns overview, select the eye icon to view the return details, and click the "Resend return label" button to send it to the customer's email address.
What's the maximum number of days that a return can be accepted in the Return Portal?
The maximum number of days you can set to accept a return is 365 days. This limit complies with data retention policies, which only allow storing user information for up to one year.
Why does the return portal select the wrong brand for a return?
The return portal automatically selects the brand linked to the outgoing shipment. If a shipment was created with the wrong brand, it will use that brand for returns. You can change the brand by creating a manual return.
Can my customers choose to print a label instead of using a paperless return?
Within the return portal, users have the option to select either "No printer needed" or "Print at home", allowing flexibility in their return process.
Can I insure returns through XCover?
XCover Insurance does not currently cover returns processed through the Return Portal. You may need to explore alternative insurance options for your return shipments.
What should I do if my customer sees an "Oops, something went wrong" message when trying to create a return?
If one of your customers encounters an "Oops, something went wrong" message while attempting to create a return, it might be due to one of the following reasons. Here’s what you can check to help resolve the issue:
- Check if it's an international return: International shipments may have specific return methods that need to be activated. Ensure that the return method applicable to international shipments is active and configured correctly.
- Verify the customer's phone number: A missing phone number from the original order could cause this error. Confirm that the phone number was entered during the initial order process and is present in the return request.
If these steps do not resolve the problem, please contact our support team for further assistance, providing them with the order ID and any error messages you received. This will help us diagnose and resolve the issue more quickly.