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Process your return shipments

Louise
  • Updated

Topic: Learn how to process incoming returns in the Sendcloud returns overview.  

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You can now charge customers for their return shipping label directly via external service provider Mollie Connect. Learn more here

Returns overview

What does Sendcloud offer to optimize your return process?

  • Different ways to create returns: In the Helpcenter article How to create a return we explain the different options we offer to create return labels via Sendcloud.
  • Optimize your return policy and increase the conversion rate: Would you like to charge a different fee per country? Check out this article about return rules. You can also set up rules to prevent specific items or orders from being returned (from specific countries) or choose to ship with a specific return shipping method per country. Communicate the possibilities for returning shipments clearly on your website, for example, in the footer or on a dedicated "Returns policy" page. When your customers know upfront that they can easily return an order if needed, it will drive conversion.
  • Improve customer experience: Customizable Tracking emails will inform your customers about the status of their return and increase brand awareness.
  • A clear overview of all your incoming returns: Filter your returns by status, cancel a return or mark as refunded.

When you've created a return, it will appear in the Returns overview. The returns overview will list all the returns that have been created by both you and your customers. If you have enabled in-store returns in your return portal, no shipping label will be created and the return will have the status No label. 

  
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Return details and parcel tracking

By clicking the eye icon, you can enter the return detail view.
  
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  1. Order details
    Information regarding the original order and the tracking number, plus the customer details.
  2. Return details
    The new tracking number for the return parcel, the date the return was created and the selected return shipping method, plus the chosen brand when creating the return. 
  3. Delivery Status
    The current delivery status of the parcel is shown under status, so you can keep an eye on when your parcel is going to arrive back with you. The customer will also receive Tracking notifications for their return parcel when you enable return Tracking emails, so they know their parcel has arrived safely and when they can expect to receive a refund. If the customer chooses the option to return a parcel in-store, no tracking statuses will be shown as a return label is not necessary.   
  4. Returned items
    This section shows the products the customer has chosen to return and the quantity, plus the reason for the return. 
  5. Refund method
    This section details the refund option your customer has chosen from the methods you have enabled (refund, exchange or store credit), the shipping cost the customer paid (so you can refund it alongside the product/s they are returning) and the return fee if you enabled one. 

How do I refund my customer or charge my customer for their return?

Once your customer has returned their products, you will need to refund them while taking into account the costs of their return parcel. 

Please note that it is EU law to refund the shipping costs charged for the original shipment if the whole order is returned and refunded. We, therefore, provide you will all the information necessary to refund the correct amount by taking your shipping costs for this parcel into account. Note that this may differ from the actual shipping costs you chose to charge your customer. For more information, you can read the: European legislation about returns.

In the example below, you can see that the amount you should refund your customer is estimated (total order value + original shipping costs - return fee) / (€700 + €6.00 - €5.00 = €701.00): 

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Note that shipping costs do not have to be reimbursed if only part of the order is returned. If you ship an order with free shipping, you will refund the returned item minus the return fee. 

Once you have refunded a return, you can mark it as refunded in your Returns overview. 

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The customer created a return but didn't receive the label, what now?

The customer will be prompted to download their return label as soon as they have created a return using the return portal, provided they have not chosen to return in-store. It will also be sent to them in an email. 

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However, if for some reason they are unable to print the return label when initially prompted, or if they can no longer locate it, you might want to resend it to your customer. To do so, simply navigate to the particular return in your Returns overview, click the eye icon to enter the return details and click the "Resend return label" button to send the label again to the customer via their email address. 

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The return label is not being used. Why am I not able to cancel the label?  
The same cancellation policy is being applied as mentioned in this article. You can cancel return labels by clicking on the tracking code instead of the eye icon. Go to Incoming returns > click on the Tracking code > Cancel return.  

Related articles:

→ How to create a return

→ No carrier within 10 km? ERS will allow you to drop off at the national carrier