Managing returns effectively is a cornerstone of a great customer experience. Whether you offer a self-service ShipHero Return Portal via our iFrame or prefer to have your team manually create RMAs, there are essential configurations required to align ShipHero with your brand and operational requirements.
This guide provides a comprehensive breakdown of available settings, from aesthetic customizations (like colors and text) to logic-based rules that dictate return eligibility. By tailoring these options, you ensure a frictionless experience for your customers and a predictable workflow for your warehouse.
Important Considerations
- Always ensure your warehouse settings are updated before enabling self-returns to ensure labels are generated with the correct destination address.
- The return settings configured on the Customer Returns settings page are not applicable when manually generating returns in ShipHero.
- NOTE for 3PLs: return settings should be configured at the client account level, not the 3PL level.
Table of contents:
- Configuring the Return iFrame for your Store Platform
- Managing Return Shipping Methods
- Managing Return Reason Codes
- Managing Return Statuses
Configuring the Return iFrame for your Store Platform
Specific steps on each store platform may vary, an example is provided when implementing the iFrame for Shopify stores. To add the iframe to your sales channel follow the steps below.
- Go to the My Account > Settings > Customer Returns page.
- Select a language from the drop-down.
- Use the iFrame code found under Implement Returns in My Store to your website.
Customizing your Returns Portal
There are a limited number of settings available to change the look and feel of the Returns portal on your sales channel returns page when using ShipHero's iframe, including:
| Setting Name | Description |
| Background Color | Sets the background color for the return portal. The default is white (#ffffff). |
| Header Text | Displays custom text at the top of the portal. Supports basic formatting like headings and lists. |
| Header Color | Sets the color for the header text. The default is black (#000000). |
| Footer Text | Displays custom text at the bottom of the portal. |
| Footer Color | Sets the color for the footer text. The default is black (#000000). |
| Language | Sets the primary language for the portal. The default is English (en). |
Display and Contact Options
| Setting Name | Description |
| Show Item Images | Displays product photos to the customer within the return portal. |
| Hide Line Item Price | Prevents the price of individual items from being shown in the portal. |
| Support Phone Number | The contact number displayed for customer assistance. Must be at least 10 digits. |
| Support Email | The email address displayed for customer assistance. Must be a valid email format. |
Email Settings
| Setting Name | Description |
| Email Header Text | Custom text that appears at the top of return-related emails sent to customers. |
| Email Footer Text | Custom text that appears at the bottom of return-related emails. |
Return Eligibility Rules
| Setting Name | Description |
| Days for Customer Return | The number of days after shipping during which a customer can start a return. Set to 0 to disable. |
| Minimum Value of Return Items | The lowest dollar amount required for an item to be eligible for a return. |
| Max Percent of Items Value | Limits returns based on shipping costs. If the label cost exceeds this percentage of the item value, the return may be restricted. |
| Allowed Countries | A list of countries from which you accept returns. Leave blank to allow returns from anywhere. |
Shipping and Processing
| Setting Name | Description |
| Customer Self-Returns Only | When active, customers must arrange and pay for their own shipping. They will receive an address label rather than a prepaid carrier label and only see Return Reasons with the Return Type:Paid by customer. |
| Allow Customer Self Returns | The master switch that enables or disables the ability for customers to start their own returns. |
| Flat Rate Shipping Cost | A set dollar amount deducted from the refund amount when processing the RMA in ShipHero for return shipping. |
| Return Package Weight | Choose between using the product weight defined in ShipHero or allowing the customer to input the weight. |
| Send Returns To | Determines the warehouse returns will be sent to. |
| Country Overrides | Configure which warehouse returns from orders shipped to different countries are delivered to. |
| Return Options Available to Customers |
At least one option must be selected: Refund: Refund of items value (default). Exchange: Exchange of items; does not create an exchange order in ShipHero. Store Credit: Store credit of items value; manage from your store platform not, ShipHero. |
Managing Return Shipping Methods
To make specific shipping methods available to customers when they create a return from your store platform, using the return iframe, or for your team to be able to select a shipping method when creating an RMA manually within ShipHero, you must add them to the Return > Shipping Carriers page.
Things to Consider
- The carrier accounts must first be connected to ShipHero before you will be able to add them as a return shipping method.
- All shipping methods added to the Returns > Shipping Carriers page are available for manually created returns and returns generated on the sales portal using the return iframe, unless the Self-returns only setting is enabled on the return settings page; which then will only return generic labels when a customer initiates a return on the store's returns portal.
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Determining which carrier account is used to print the label: when generating the return label, the system will:
- First try to use the specified carrier account with connected to the selected return warehouse and the profile assigned to the original order.
- If not found, fallback to the account connected to the Primary warehouse and the profile assigned to the original order.
- If still not found, fallback to the carrier account connected to the Primary warehouse with a default profile.
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The cheapest shipping methods can be used but are limited to carriers with return APIs setup. Currently, the only shipping methods supported when the cheapest shipping method is configured as a return shipping method are USPS Priority and USPS First Class (via Shippo ONLY) and FedEx Ground.
- If no valid rate is found when using the Cheapest shipping method for a return label, the system returns a generic label.
- If a package exceeds all of the allowed carriers' dimensional limits, you will receive an error.
Step-by-step Adding Return Shipping Methods
- Go to the Returns > Shipping Carriers page.
- Click on Add A Shipping Method on the top right of the page.
- Select the Carrier and Shipping Method from the drop-downs.
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Click Add Method and then OK.
To remove a return shipping method, click the Delete button in the Actions column.
Managing Return Reason Codes
Return reason codes are why the return is being created. There is no limit to how many return Reason codes can be created on your account.
Things to Consider
- When manually creating returns in ShipHero all return reason are available to select and the configured settings are no longer applicable.
- When using the iframe configuration, control which Return Reason Codes are available for the customer via the Internal Use Only setting.
Return Reason Codes page columns defined
| Column Name | Definition |
| Code | The option selected on the returns page. |
| Description | Internal reference field. |
| Return Type | Determines eligibility and who pays for label fees. |
| Language | The language of the return code. |
| Internal Use Only | Hides the reason from the customer portal. |
| Require Customer to Call Store | Forces the customer to contact support. |
Return Types Defined
In ShipHero, a Return Type is a rule assigned to a specific return reason code. This setting dictates the financial responsibility for shipping and the method of label generation. Please note that when generating a return manually in ShipHero these are referenced as the Return Label Type in the Shipping Info Section.
| Return Type | Description and Label Logic |
| Paid by Store | Generates a pre-paid label for the customer using the carriers connected to ShipHero. The store covers the label costs and is not deducted from the refund calculation when processing the return. |
| Flat Rate | The customer pays a fixed amount based on the Flat Rate amount entered on the Customer Returns settings page. *Flat rate cost is deducted in the refund calculation when the return is processed. |
| Paid by Customer | Generates a pre-paid label for the customer usign the carriers connected to ShipHero. The return label cost is deducted in the customer's refund calculation when the return is processed. |
| Not Returnable | Used for final sale or non-hygienic items. Prevents the return process and label generation. |
| Self-Return | Generates a generic label where the customer can choose a postage service and pay for shipping directly with the carrier. *Only available as a Return Label Type when creating a return manually in ShipHero. |
Managing Return Statuses
Return statuses help identify which part of the process the RMA is in. The default return statuses in ShipHero are Pending, Warehouse Complete, and Complete.
| ShipHero Return Status | Definition |
| Pending | Open RMAs not yet processed. |
| Warehouse Complete | Inventory received; awaiting support action. |
| Complete | Fully processed; no further action required. |
You also have the option to create custom return statuses if you need to add more granular steps to your return process. For example, if you you need to complete a washing and QA process before you restock inventory.
How to Create a Custom Return Status
- Go to the Returns > Statuses page.
- Click on Add Status and type in the new Return Status
- Hit Save.