Returns are an important part of the eCommerce experience for both your customers and your business. This article walks you through the steps and settings for configuring your returns process.
You may need to be pre-approved for returns before getting started. Contact your 3PL account manager at fulfillment@ShipHero.com for pricing and approval.
Ways Customers Can Return Their Items
1. Using labels provided by your 3PL
Your customer can receive a return label, making it easier to send the package back without sourcing their own postage.
Pay-on-use return labels can be charged either to the customer or to you. See the Return Reasons section for details.
2. Using their own labels
Your customer can print a Self-Return label, which shows the customer's address and the return address but includes no postage. The customer provides their own postage.
Setting Return Parameters
To update these settings, go to Settings > Returns.
How long after shipping will you accept returns?
This sets how many days an order can be returned after it ships. For example, entering 30 days gives the customer 30 days from the ship date to start a return. Entering 0 days disables customer returns.
Which countries will you accept returns from?
Contact your 3PL account manager to confirm:
- Whether they accept self-returns from any country (using the customer's own shipping label).
- Which countries they support for paid domestic return labels (e.g., US, Canada).
- How international return shipping is supported.
Flat Rate Shipping Cost
If you offer a flat rate return shipping cost, set it here. When a customer pays for a return and selects a reason with a "Flat Rate Shipping" payment policy, this flat rate is deducted from their refund instead of the actual label cost.
Minimum Return Value
If you set a minimum return value, returns where the items total less than that amount are blocked. For example, with a $10.00 minimum, a customer can't return a $5.00 t-shirt and a $3.00 hat together because the $8.00 total is below your minimum.
Where Should Returns Be Sent?
Choose the default return location for returns made through the Return Widget. The address of the location you select appears on the return label.
Contact Details for Returns
This information is shown to customers when an error occurs during a return, or when the return reason they select requires them to contact you. The message they see depends on what you provide:
- Phone number only: "This return requires contacting the merchant: Call {phone number}"
- Email only: "This return requires contacting the merchant: Email {email address}"
- Both: "This return requires contacting the merchant: Call {phone number} or Email {email address}"
- Neither: "This return requires contacting the merchant"
Return Reasons
You can create and manage the list of return reasons shown to your customers on the return widget, as seen below.
The list has a few columns, described below.
Reason
The text shown to the customer when they select a reason.
Description
An internal description of the reason. Customers don't see this.
Return & Payment Policy
- Not Returnable — the customer can't create a return.
- Flat Rate Shipping — the flat rate shipping cost is deducted from the refund instead of the actual label cost.
- Return Paid by Store — no label cost is deducted from the refund.
- Return Paid by the Customer — the label cost is deducted from the refund.
Required to Call the Store
If a customer selects a reason with this option checked, they're asked to contact you and can't proceed with the return.
Internal Use
A reason with this option checked isn't shown in the return widget. It appears only to you and your staff when creating internal returns.
How to Charge Customers for Return Label Cost
You won't charge the customer directly — instead, the label cost is deducted from their refund. For example, if a customer returns a $20.00 item and the shipping label costs $8.27, you refund $20.00 − $8.27 = $11.73.