Articles on: Getting Started

How to Manage Carriers and Warehouses

Plans: Essentials, Pro, Premium, Enterprise Platforms: Shopify, Magento 1, Magento 2, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more

Overview



Under Shipping in the AfterShip Returns admin, merchants can set up/edit their carrier accounts, add/edit their shipping services, configure package size for returns, and generate packing slips when auto-generating return labels to effectively manage how returns/exchanges are shipped back.

📢What you’ll learn



In this tutorial, we will show you:

Progress dashboard
Carrier accounts and services set up
Add warehouse locations
Configure package sizes
Generate packing slips
Set up in routing rules

Progress dashboard





The progress dashboard gives merchants clear step-by-step guidance on all the steps that are needed to be set up for a successful auto-label generation.

Each step will be grayed out, accompanied by a checkmark to indicate that a particular step has been completed

They are 5 steps that need to be configured to set the auto-return label generation process in motion

Add carrier
Add return location
Add package size
Packing slips (optional)
Set up routing rules

Step 1: Carrier accounts and services set up



In the AfterShip Returns admin, you can easily set up and manage your carrier accounts and shipping services to auto-generate return labels.

Setting up carrier accounts and shipping services in AfterShip Returns admin is now very simple and straightforward.

New update effective 30.03.2023



Merchants can set up carrier accounts and shipping services directly in their AfterShip Returns admin.

Merchants can enable automated return label generation for the configured carriers and shipping services under Return routing rules in AfterShip Returns admin.

Merchants are not required to set up an AfterShip Shipping account first and configure their carrier accounts and shipping services there anymore.

Merchants get unlimited return label quota in AfterShip Returns. Returns labels generated in AfterShip Returns would not affect their AfterShip Shipping label quota.

Setup



Go to Shipping in the AfterShip Returns admin

Click Add carrier account under Carrier accounts and services settings

Once merchants click Add carrier account, they will be presented with either of the two cases based on their past association with AfterShip Returns

The cases are as follows.

Case I




If merchants have already set up carrier accounts in AfterShip Shipping, upon clicking Add carrier account, the list of all pre-configured carrier accounts will appear

Select the checkbox of carriers you want to add in AfterShip Returns and click Confirm

To add more carrier accounts other than the ones already added in AfterShip Shipping, click Add other accounts

Selected carriers will appear under My carriers

Case II




If merchants have never used AfterShip Shipping to set up carrier accounts, they can create and add carrier accounts directly in AfterShip Returns

Click Add carrier account and choose the carrier from the list you want to add to AfterShip Returns

a. Input carrier name in the search bar to find carriers easily

Fill in the required details to set up a carrier account and click Save

Newly set up carriers will appear under My carriers

To Edit or Remove carriers from the list, click the {...} icon



Step 2: Add warehouse locations





Warehouse location settings in AfterShip Returns admin give merchants the ability to add and manage multiple warehouse locations where the products will be sent back once returned

Merchants can set up routing rules based on specific warehouse locations to ensure that returned products are going to the right place

Merchants can select a particular warehouse location when adding return shipping information for return label generation for a specific routing rule

Warehouse locations set up


In the AfterShip Returns admin, go to Shipping > Warehouse locations

Click + Add warehouse location



Add the name of the warehouse location

Add the name and company of the merchant (i.e., you)

Add the address and contact information of the warehouse location

The above information will appear on the return label

Hit Save

All the configured warehouse locations will be listed under Locations

To Edit or Remove any warehouse location from the list, click the {...} icon

Step 3: Configure package sizes





Different carriers have different package size requirements based on which shipping labels are generated, and shipping costs are calculated. Package size settings in AfterShip Returns admin allow merchants to add different package sizes to auto-generate labels accordingly for packages to be accepted and processed without any issue.

In the AfterShip Returns admin, go to Shipping > Package size

Click + Add package size



Add the name for the package or package type for which you are adding package dimensions

Set the package width in the metric unit of your choice
Set the package height in the metric unit of your choice
Set the package length in the metric unit of your choice
Set the required weight of the package when empty in the metric mass of your choice

Metric unit and mass can be selected from their respective dropdown menus

Hit Save

All the configured warehouse locations will be listed under Package size

To Edit or Remove any warehouse location from the list, click the {...} icon

Step 4: Generate packing slips



Plans: Pro, Premium, and Enterprise plans Platforms: Shopify, Magento 1, Magento 2, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and more



Move the "toggle" to the right to automatically generate packing slips along with the return labels.

You can also select if you want to print the packing slip and return label

On the same page



On separate pages



- You can choose to include barcode on the packing slip to increase warehouse handling efficiency.

Step 5: Set up in routing rules



Once carrier accounts, return location, and package size information have been configured, it’s time to configure this information under Return shipping information in Return routing rules for zones where Ship with a return label is enabled as a return method.



Click Set up in routing rules on the progress dashboard.

Irrespective of whether you have or you haven’t set up routing rules for specific zones for your returns in AfterShip Returns admin, the tooltips in both the scenarios under the default or specific return zones will assist in setting up auto-label generation in the Return routing rules section.

The return shipping information you set up above will be printed on return labels for customers who’ll opt for Ship with a return label return method

Merchants can choose a carrier, shipping service, and warehouse location based on the specific return zone so they can accept returns in any country/region

Package size requirements can be selected based on the carrier and shipping service the merchant has chosen for a specific return zone

Get more information on how to auto-generate return labels with this tutorial.

Supported platforms


Shopify, Magento-1, Magento-2, WooCommerce, Bigcommerce, Wix, Walmart-us, Squarespace, Spree, Shopline, Shoplazza, ShipStation, SalesForce, Prestashop, Decathlon - Prestashop, NetSuit, Jushuitan, Google-Shopping, Fluent-Commerce, Ecwid-v3, Ebay, Cscart, 3dCart, AmeriCommerce, Amazon, Cdiscount, Shopware, Commerce API, CSV Import, Klaviyo, and Gorgias

Please contact our support team for quick assistance if you have any questions.

Updated on: 14/04/2023

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