Return to Sender Protocol

Shopify Discussion
1

We are getting more and more return to sender packages. It’s becoming a pain and costly to reach out to the customer to get a new address and reship the package. Most of the time, it’s the customer’s error, and they usually want it reshipped at no cost or a full refund.

Does anyone have a return to sender policy? Was considering refunding all return to sender packages minus any shipping fees. But, it seems customers are not happy with that.

2

Hi @crastett

I totally get the frustration of dealing with return-to-sender packages. It’s time-consuming, costly, and let’s be honest—it’s usually due to customer mistakes, which makes it even more annoying when they expect a free reshipment or full refund.

Understanding the Issue

Return-to-sender (RTS) happens for a few reasons: incorrect addresses, customers not picking up packages, or failed delivery attempts. Since this issue is becoming frequent for you, it’s smart to have a clear Return-to-Sender Policy in place.

Suggested Return-to-Sender Policy

You want to balance customer satisfaction with protecting your business from unnecessary losses. Here’s what I’d recommend:

  1. Refund Minus Shipping Costs – If a package is returned due to a customer error (wrong address, refusal, etc.), refund them for the product but deduct the original shipping cost (plus return fees if charged by the carrier). This keeps things fair.
  2. Reshipment at Customer’s Expense – Offer to resend the package, but the customer must cover the new shipping cost. This ensures you’re not paying twice for their mistake.
  3. Final Sale Disclaimer for Certain Products – If you sell custom, perishable, or limited-stock items, you can make them non-refundable for return-to-sender cases. Just be clear about this in your policy.
  4. Address Verification – Reduce RTS by enabling address validation at checkout. Shopify Plus and some apps (like Address Validator by RoboTurk) help customers catch errors before they check out.
  5. Clear Policy on Your Site & Emails – Update your shipping & returns page and include a note in your order confirmation email like:
    “Please double-check your shipping address. If a package is returned due to an incorrect address, customers are responsible for reshipping costs or refunds minus shipping fees.”

How to Implement This1. Update your Refund & Shipping Policies (Settings > Policies).

  1. Add a checkbox at checkout (using a custom field app) where customers confirm their address is correct.
  2. Use an RTS Tracking Spreadsheet to track patterns and reduce repeat offenders.
  3. Train your customer support team with a pre-written response for RTS cases so responses are consistent and firm but polite.

Example Policy Template (Feel Free to Use!)

“If an order is returned to us due to an incorrect or undeliverable address, the customer will be responsible for any additional shipping fees to resend the package. If a refund is requested instead, we will process the refund minus the original shipping costs. Please ensure your shipping details are accurate at checkout to avoid delays or extra fees.”

This way, you’re keeping things fair while minimizing losses. Most customers will understand when it’s stated clearly upfront.

Hope this helps! If you need extra help, just let me know asap. Thanks!
Daisy.