Return shipments

The return shipments is a logistical service provided by carrier in the logistics industry. This service aims at providing the customers to send back items they have purchased, typically due to reasons such as dissatisfaction, wrong items, defects, or simply a change of mind. This service is an essential aspect of e-commerce and retail operations, as it provides a streamlined process for handling returns efficiently.

In SAPIENT, if you are a Royal Mail customer, you can use the return service as follows:

The only API call that you must develop for Royal Mail return services is Create Shipment which is used to generate the labels for your packages.
To ensure the correct generation of the return labels, please ensure to meet all of the following requirements:

  • Destination section: to be populated with the details of where you would like the items to be returned.
  • Return to Sender section: to be populated with the details of the person returning the item(s). This information is displayed on the side of the label.
  • Sender section: to be populated with the details of the retailer.
  • ServiceCode: to be populated with either TSN Tracked Returns 24, or TSS Tracked Returns 48.

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Note

The labels created for the return service do not have to be manifested.

If you are interested in the paperless return solution for your customers, then after creating the shipment, you can generate a QR code which you can share with the end consumer. The customer can then take it to the post office, either printed or on a mobile device, and scan it to have the returns label printed. For more information, refer to the Print My Label QR Code API reference.