Generate return labels for one or all of the packages in a multi-package shipment

Customers return their packaging to us as part of our recycling program. To make this happen we have to generate a return shipping label for each case of product that goes out the door. Currently we have to generate the labels through the Fedex website which is extremely time consuming. We need the feature badly.

This is a feature we need badly. It seems like something that wouldn't be too difficult to implement. Is there any update or chance this could happen soon?

maybe one or two in a month. we need to print return label for multiple packages.

Please do add this. It's a small but time consuming frustration.

This was over 2 years ago, is this going to added or not?

Hey @Brian King Superlative Events - Thank you for pinging us for an update! We're constantly working on multiple projects at once so it takes time to get to these ideas. That being said, can you tell me how often you're needing to create these types of returns?

Average week we’ll have 20-25 orders, of those orders 14-20 of them will need multiple packages with multiple return labels. A big piece of what we do is shipping out multiple packages and making sure they all have return labels that bring them back. We rent equipment out nationwide and then our clients use the return labels to ship all the equipment back after their event. Most events are multiple package shipments. Even if we had a way to avoid the whole “return label” thing, where it would flip the addresses and create an exact duplicate of the order that would be fine as well. So if we ship 3 boxes to Jim. It would flip the order so Jim would send us 3 boxes back using the exact same package info say for a default of a week later. Fedex doesn’t really care what the date of the label or shipment of the order is, if it’s addressed to the right place they’ll get it there. Thanks!

Hi, sorry to butt in to the conversation, but I would like to mention that we use ShipStation for our rental business. The majority of our orders are multi-package shipments. Every one of our orders are shipped with return labels for our clients to use when their rental period expires. So we would be using the return label feature every time! It would be extremely beneficial for us, and I'm sure many others as well.

We have this need multiple times a day because a lot of our rentals are multiple packages. Having to create returns for them is a pain.

We ship close to 500 packages a day; and 1/5 of them are multiple packages. And we're required to include return labes in each shipment. Currently, we have to use UPS Worldship program for those multiple-package orders, in order to generate return labels. It's really an inconvenient temporary solution. Any suggestions/workarounds until ShipStation implements this feature?

Can we have an update on this please - we also have many multi-package orders hat we need a fast way to generate return labels for.

This feature is a must, if you have the option to ship multiple packages out you should be able to get multiple packages back. What's the status of this?

There hasn't been an update since 2015. That something that's as basic as creating a return for multipiece shipment is unsupported by now is kind of ridiculous. Other customer service agents at SS have said to just create one return label and print it multiple times and attach a copy on each return box. Just this past week, I've had two customers tell me that the fedex driver would not accept them. Whether that is related to a change in fedex policy, or the driver is misinformed doesn't matter: I cannot tell my customers to argue with the fedex driver to get them to accept it. The other CSR agent said just create multiple return labels: well, sure that's a possible solution but I'm paying 50% more because instead of one multipiece shipment Im now billed at 3 individual pieces. There's got to be a better way, or at least more responsive coding to user requests. While I'm sure there are a number of priorities to attend to at SS it's silly that multipiece returns are not supported but new integrations with Houzz, which isn't even an etailer are added while neglecting basic improvements on the regular infrastructure. Furthermore, EVERY one of your wholesale accounts ships multipiece shipments - it's not just me. All those cabinet makers on Houzz? Please provide an update and when we can expect this implementation.

This would be a great feature to save on shipping costs as generating 2 separate returns with UPS triggers 2 separate shipments and twice the cost.

This really creates an issue for companies that use your website. We expect our customers to be able to ship their packages back to us with little to no complications and a lot of our stores do not have means to repackage these items into a bigger box to accommodate one shipping label. I don't know why it was changed from how it was before but it would be great if it stayed that way.

'@Mary - If I'm understanding you fully, it sounds like the recent additions to the returns process don't allow you to create the right number of return labels needed. The update allows you to gather more information on why your returns are occurring so you can be proactive about future returns. To create multiple return labels, create the first return label by going through the line item/quantity selection flow. If this is a single line item order, you can continue to create returns by clicking on "New Return" in the return tab of your order. This will allow you to create as many labels as you need.

We need this ASAP! One of our best selling products ships in two halves (two separate boxes). Our customer's are not able to return their orders automatically because of this limitation. Shipstation has been programmed to ship our product with two labels when shipping from our warehouse. I wish it could take that same information and know to create two return labels if a customer wishes to return the item. As of now, we have to manually create labels for this product via FedEx Ship Manager.

Thank you. I have been waiting a long time for this! However, I don't understand the instructions and when I hit "Create Return" in the shipments window on any FedEx shipment - nothing happens! Can you please post an illustrated tutorial? Thank you

Hi @Greg - While we don't have a dedicated way to make return labels for your FedEx multi-package shipments, you can use the updated returns process to create as many return labels as needed. All you'd have to do is create one return label after another until you have all the return labels needed. This article will walk you through creating return labels: https://help.shipstation.com/hc/en-us/articles/115001232008 If you'd like more information on how to do this, I recommend chatting in with our folks here to keep moving quickly.

This is a step closer but still doesn't address the main issue. There are a number of us who have return shipping labels as part of the process for every shipment. Everything going out gets returned back. A large incentive we negotiate with our shipping providers are discounts on multi-package returns. Currently we are losing around a $1000+ a year because this functionality is lacking from ShipStation. It's a painful reminder every month seeing this task go uncompleted and how valuable this functionality is to us and how important it is to our bottom line. Even though our shipping providers know that packages are being shipped together, because they aren't created as a multi-package return through ShipStation initially, we miss this incentive. You can imagine how much I curse ShipStation and look to alternatives watching profit fly out the window needlessly... Thank you for creating step 1, check that box off. Please complete the second part of this feature request of true multi-package returns. Just needs to be a carbon copy of the shipment going out just created as a return. I will offer a $100 bounty towards the completion of this task to your staff. Please, help make this happen. Anyone else?

I just made 21 return labels for returning an order with 21 packages. I'm sure there is a way to make this more efficient.

It is crazy that we can't do this! If we have not fulfilled the original order but are sending return labels on behalf of the shipper, we should be able to "ship again" like you can on UPS and Fed Ex sites... makes me want to just take my shipment over there to print labels for 6 packages with the same information and weights. I'm currently processing 6 return labels for 6 pillows that all have the same weights and dims; the thought of making 6 different Shipstation labels makes me cringe... there should be a check-box of "ship again" to generate a new tracking info for the same shipment details.

This feature is a must! Breaking the return into multiple shipments can cost several hundren dollars more then bundling the return into one label.

Yes please add this feature. Most of our shipments are multiple package shipments. Adding the same "ship multiple packages" option that is available for shipping to returns seems like it should be easy to add to your interface and I really do not understand why it isnt already available.

Any update? Multiple returns, one click, one return shipment bundled. Mirrored functionality to generate a multi package shipment like an outgoing shipment. Just add UPS and Fedex to start. Seems like USPS is the outlier. Throw an error message saying USPS is not supported. I’ll up my bounty to shipstation of $250 for getting this done. Help us...we’re all burning money needlessly for lack of this feature!