What is a Return to Sender (RTS)?
A Return to Sender (RTS) is a shipment that is sent back to the warehouse or fulfillment center without being successfully delivered to the end customer. This can occur for various reasons related to address issues, customer rejection, delivery failure, or carrier restrictions. RTS shipments can impact customer satisfaction and operational efficiency, so understanding and managing them is critical.
Common Reasons for RTS Shipments
RTS shipments typically occur due to one of the following:
Incorrect or Incomplete Address
Misspelled street names, missing apartment numbers, or invalid postal codes.Recipient Unavailable
No one available to accept the package, or repeated missed delivery attempts.Refused by Customer
The customer rejects the shipment (often due to damage, confusion, or unexpected delivery).Unclaimed Package
The package is held at a local pickup point or post office and never retrieved.Customs or Import Issues (International Orders)
The recipient fails to pay duties/taxes or provides insufficient import documentation.Carrier Restrictions
Shipment flagged as undeliverable due to item restrictions or unsupported destinations.
Manifest’s RTS Process
At Manifest, we process all Return to Sender packages through our standardized returns workflow:
Package Arrival: RTS shipments arrive at the Manifest fulfillment center and are routed to our Returns team.
Intake via Two Boxes: Each RTS is received and processed in Two Boxes, our post-returns processing platform. This ensures proper visibility, tracking, and quality control.
Product Reconciliation: The warehouse team verifies the contents of the package and matches it to the original order.
Inventory Restock in ShipHero: After inspection and verification, eligible units are restocked into available inventory within ShipHero, our Warehouse Management System (WMS).
Brand Visibility: Brands can view RTS activity via Two Boxes, including product status and restock confirmation.