Returns

Set up your returns easily through the EasyPost API.

1. Return address: For failed deliveries or return shipments, you can specify a different return address than the initial outbound location
2. Scan-based return labels: These labels are free to print. Shippers won't get charged unless it gets used. All EasyPost return labels are scan-based, and available for USPS, FedEx, and UPS shipments only. Shippers can only generate return labels for the same carrier that your outbound shipment was sent with.

Generate a return label with USPS, UPS, or FedEx

To generate a pay-on-use return label, create a Shipment object in the API and set is_return field as true inside the attribute.

Note: do not swap the addresses yourself -- the EasyPost API will take care of this for you. The original to_address of the outbound shipment becomes the from_address for the return label.

curl -X POST https://api.easypost.com/v2/shipments \
  -u "$EASYPOST_API_KEY": \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "shipment": {
      "to_address": {
        "name": "Dr. Steve Brule",
        "street1": "179 N Harbor Dr",
        "city": "Redondo Beach",
        "state": "CA",
        "zip": "90277",
        "country": "US",
        "phone": "8573875756",
        "email": "dr_steve_brule@gmail.com"
      },
      "from_address": {
        "name": "EasyPost",
        "street1": "417 Montgomery Street",
        "street2": "5th Floor",
        "city": "San Francisco",
        "state": "CA",
        "zip": "94104",
        "country": "US",
        "phone": "4153334445",
        "email": "support@easypost.com"
      },
      "parcel": {
        "length": "20.2",
        "width": "10.9",
        "height": "5",
        "weight": "65.9"
      },
      "is_return": true
    }
  }'

The Shipment creation call generates rates followed by the label. For more information follow the process of shipment creation for your return label.

When the return label is generated, it will be valid for a period of time. After this time, carriers may still accept these labels but it can cause the shipment to be flagged, returned, or destroyed without being eligible for a refund. Depending on your carrier, generated return labels are valid for different periods of time.

Generate a return label with other carriers

If you need to generate a label for return shipments for carriers other than USPS, FedEx, and UPS, you can create a normal shipping label and swap the to and from addresses.

Note: Return shipping labels have a limited label validity and the label may be rejected after that, so we do not recommend inserting them into your outbound package. You can provide a method for customers to contact your support, and you can provide them with the link to the label.