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Shipping Basics
How to Process Ecommerce Returns with ShipStation
Many ecommerce merchants find returns to be a hassle. Their biggest concerns are:
- It’s complicated
- It’s expensive
- I don’t have time to figure out all the details
Here is some data about returns that you might not know, but absolutely should:
Simple returns can actually help you improve your business.
The top reasons for returns are:
- Receiving a damaged product
- The product not looking like it did online
- Receiving the wrong item
- Something is wrong with the product.
Here’s what you can learn from this that can save you time and money, while also increasing sales and brand loyalty:
- If you get consistent reports of damaged products, re-evaluate your shipping method for that specific product.
- If you find out that customers are returning products because they don’t think they look like what they saw online, invest in new product photos.
- If you’re receiving a lot of “wrong item” notices, take a look at your fulfillment process and fix your shipping workflow.
- If you are receiving multiple reports of there being something wrong with a product, evaluate your manufacturing process. This can save you a lot of money down the road.
A good Returns Policy can actually increase your sales.
According to a recent study conducted by ShipStation, 72% of shoppers today say that return policies directly influence their buying decisions. Nearly two-thirds of shoppers have abandoned their checkout due to a company’s unsatisfactory returns policy. A clear, hassle-free returns policy is crucial for customer retention and business growth.
Luckily, ShipStation offers an enhanced returns feature allowing you to do everything that online shoppers designate important to them—all while making it extremely easy on you.
Get a high level view of what is happening with your returns in the Returned Products report. This report allows you to easily find patterns in product return reasons so you can fix issues with manufacturing, product photos, fulfillment workflows, and shipping methods. Resolve these issues before they become a big financial, time, and brand problem for your business.
How to Handle Returns
- Issue your RMAs like you usually would – go to your shipped orders or shipments and locate the order that needs an RMA issued.
- This time, you will see a new flow that will allow you to select products and return reasons, as well as how you want the label distributed (email label as an attachment or simply download the label immediately).
- You can also access all of the return reasons data collected over time from the reports section and review which products are returned and why.
Doing the research and improving your returns policy will not only make the returns process easier on your business, but will help you acquire new customers and achieve business growth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create return labels directly in ShipStation?
Yes. ShipStation allows you to issue return merchandise authorizations (RMAs), select return reasons, and create return labels to email or download instantly.
Does ShipStation track why items are returned?
Yes. ShipStation collects return reason data and surfaces it in the Returned Products report, helping you spot patterns and optimize fulfillment, product photos, or manufacturing.
Can a clear return policy improve my sales?
Absolutely. According to ShipStation research, 72% of shoppers say return policies influence their purchase decisions. A clear policy builds trust and reduces cart abandonment.
How does ShipStation’s returns tool save time?
The enhanced returns feature simplifies issuing labels, automates return data tracking, and helps you resolve product issues faster—saving time on manual workflows.
Where can I find reports about product returns in ShipStation?
You can access the Returned Products report in the Reports section of your ShipStation account to review which items are returned most often and why.
