Approvals, Labels & Tracking
Manage return approvals, generate shipping labels, and track packages.
This guide covers approving or rejecting return requests, generating and printing shipping labels, booking pickups, and how tracking updates flow back into ReturnMate.
Finding Returns That Need a Decision
New requests land on the RMAs list with the status Pending or Submitted. Use the Pending tab to see everything awaiting review, or My RMAs for requests assigned to you. See RMA Queues & Views.
Approving a Return
Open the RMA and click the Approve RMA button in the header.
Standard returns
The approve modal asks for:
- Return Method — the carrier you want to offer, with live prices where available, or an automatic best-price option
- Admin Notes (optional)
On approval, ReturnMate:
- Moves the RMA to Waiting Customer
- Emails the customer an approval notification with a secure link to the returns portal
- Lets the customer choose how to return the item — prepaid carrier label, their own courier, or drop-off, depending on your settings
When the customer selects the prepaid label option, the label is generated and emailed to them automatically. You can also generate the label yourself at any time (see below).
For trade (B2B) returns there is an extra No return required (skip return) option — the RMA is approved and marked received immediately with no label or pickup, ready to resolve.
Third party and out-of-warranty repairs
For third party repairs and out-of-warranty repairs, the approve modal instead asks for a Shipping Decision — who pays for return shipping:
| Decision | What happens |
|---|---|
| Free Return | A return label is generated immediately and emailed to the customer |
| Customer Pays | A shipping invoice is sent via Shopify; once paid, the label is generated and emailed automatically |
| Customer's Own Courier | The customer receives the return address and a link to upload their tracking number |
Rejecting a Return
From the RMA header, open the ⋯ menu and choose Reject RMA. The modal requires a Rejection Reason and includes a Send email notification to customer checkbox (on by default) so the customer receives your explanation.
Generating Labels
To generate a label yourself, click Generate Return Label on an approved RMA (it appears in the ⋯ menu while the RMA is waiting on the customer). In the modal you can:
- Choose the carrier (or leave it on automatic selection)
- Generate multiple labels for multi-parcel returns
- Choose the direction — return labels are inbound; outbound labels are available for shipping items back out (the modal title changes to Generate Outbound Label)
Carriers are configured under Settings → Carriers — ReturnMate supports ten carriers including Australia Post, StarTrack, TNT and Team Global Express. See Connect Carriers.
Label delivery to the customer
- Email — the label is emailed to the customer with return instructions
- Portal download — the customer can download the label from the returns portal
Printing labels in the warehouse
On the shipment card, click Print 4x6 to open the Print Shipping Label (4x6) modal:
- Send to Printer — prints directly to a thermal printer via a connected print client
- PDF Download — opens the label as a PDF for browser printing
See Print Clients for direct-to-printer setup.
Booking a Pickup
For carriers that collect from the customer, use the Book Pickup button on the shipment. The modal lets you choose a Pickup Date and Time Window — for TNT, ReturnMate loads live availability including booking cutoffs.
Team Global Express requires the pickup date at label-creation time; TNT pickups are booked separately with Book Pickup after the label exists. If a pickup booking fails during label generation, the label is still created and you can rebook via Book Pickup.
Customer's Own Courier
If the customer ships with their own courier, record the consignment with Upload Tracking — enter the carrier name and tracking number so the return still appears in your tracking view.
Resetting Shipping
If the wrong method was chosen or the label needs to be redone, use Reset Shipping. Confirming with Reset Shipping & Notify Customer:
- Clears the shipping settings on the RMA
- Cancels the existing label with the carrier (if one was generated)
- Emails the customer a link to select their return method again
Tracking
ReturnMate refreshes tracking for all active inbound shipments by polling the carriers roughly every 30 minutes. There are no live carrier webhooks, so allow up to half an hour for a scan event to appear.
Shipment statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Created | Shipment record created |
| Label Generated | Label issued, not yet scanned |
| Booked | Pickup booked with the carrier |
| In Transit | Moving through the carrier network |
| Delivered | Arrived at the destination |
| Exception | A delivery problem needs attention |
| Cancelled | Label/consignment cancelled |
When a parcel shows as delivered but hasn't been checked in yet, it appears in the Awaiting Check-in queue on the Receive Returns page — see Receiving Returns.