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Returns in Zippendo are merchant-side labels. There is no customer return portal, no shopper self-serve page, and no hosted QR/email flow in the dashboard. You create an inbound shipment (or let dispatch create one), print the label, and hand it to the shopper — or use a carrier product that emails / shows a QR itself (for example GLS ShopReturn).
Zippendo does not host a return portal. Carrier products such as GLS ShopReturn or GLS ShopReturnMail may email the shopper or show a QR — that is the carrier, not a Zippendo page.

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How returns work

You need two pieces:
  1. An inbound shipping rule — Direction is Inbound (Return), with a return product (ShopReturn, Pick&Return, PostNord Return, and similar).
  2. On the outbound rule you actually ship with, Return Shipping Rule points at that inbound rule.
Then you either:
  • Turn on Auto-create return on dispatch on the outbound rule — Zippendo creates and sends the inbound shipment when the outbound one is dispatched, or
  • Leave auto-create off and click Create Return Shipment on a dispatched outbound shipment (or Create Return on the order Shipments tab).
The created return is type inbound, reference RET- plus the original reference, sender/receiver swapped (the customer becomes sender; your warehouse becomes receiver), and it is booked with the carrier immediately.
Create Return Shipment (shipment header) and Create Return (order Shipments card) appear only when the outbound shipment is dispatched, a Return Shipping Rule is set on the shipment’s rule or the order’s rule, and Auto-create return on dispatch is off. The docs org’s example shipments have no return rule, so the button is not on those screenshots — configure the rule first. The API resolves the shipment’s rule first, then the order’s.

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1. Create an inbound shipping rule

Shipping Rules → Add Shipping Rule. The page is Create Shipping Rule.
Create Shipping Rule form with Direction set to Outbound and the inbound-for-returns descriptionCreate Shipping Rule form with Direction set to Outbound and the inbound-for-returns description

Direction — Outbound for regular shipments, inbound for returns

1

Set Direction to Inbound (Return)

The description under Direction is Outbound for regular shipments, inbound for returns. Switching to Inbound (Return) filters Product to return products.
2

Choose carrier and return product

Example: GLS Denmark → GLS ShopReturn (drop-off at a ParcelShop) or GLS Pick&Return (carrier collects at the customer). Other carriers expose their own return products.
3

Choose the receiver address

Address is your warehouse — the parcel is coming to you. Use an address that includes the Return type (see below).
4

Set receiving countries and save

Receiving Countries is still required. Name the rule so you can find it on the outbound rule (GLS ShopReturn – DK).
Create Shipping Rule with Direction Inbound (Return), GLS Denmark, and GLS ShopReturn / GLS Pick&Return in the product listCreate Shipping Rule with Direction Inbound (Return), GLS Denmark, and GLS ShopReturn / GLS Pick&Return in the product list

Inbound (Return) filters products to return services such as GLS ShopReturn

Condition fields, hard limits, and Test are the same as outbound rules — do not duplicate that here; see Shipping rules.

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2. Attach it to the outbound rule

Open the outbound rule shoppers (or you) already use. Scroll to Return Shipping.
Return Shipping section with Return Shipping Rule set to None, below Automatic PrintingReturn Shipping section with Return Shipping Rule set to None, below Automatic Printing

Return Shipping — pick the inbound rule; Auto-create appears after you select one

  • Return Shipping Rule — Select a shipping rule to use for return shipments. The dropdown lists inbound rules. None means Zippendo will not offer Create Return Shipment.
  • Auto-create return on dispatch — Automatically create and send a return shipment when the outbound shipment is dispatched. This checkbox only appears after you pick a return rule.
Use auto-create when every outbound label should include a return label at send time. Leave it off when returns are the exception and you will click the button per shipment.

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3. Create the return shipment

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From a dispatched outbound shipment

Open the outbound shipment (Overview). When the conditions above are met, the header action is Create Return Shipment. That calls POST /orgs/:orgId/shipments/:shipmentId/create-return: create the inbound shipment, swap parties, and send it.
Shipment NL-202609-0142 overview, dispatched outbound, with no Create Return Shipment actionShipment NL-202609-0142 overview, dispatched outbound, with no Create Return Shipment action

Dispatched outbound shipment — Create Return Shipment appears only after a return rule is attached

On the order, open the Shipments tab. The same conditions unlock Create Return on that shipment card.
Order Shipments tab with a dispatched outbound shipment card and DetailsOrder Shipments tab with a dispatched outbound shipment card and Details

Order Shipments tab — Create Return is on the card when a return rule is configured

The new shipment: Print the inbound label the same way as any other shipment — Labels and printing.

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Manual inbound shipment

If there is no outbound shipment to clone from (warranty, unsolicited return, sample coming back), create one yourself. Shipments → Create shipment. Set Type to Inbound. The address field becomes Receiver Address (your warehouse). Pick an inbound product.
Create shipment form with Type Inbound and Receiver AddressCreate shipment form with Type Inbound and Receiver Address

Create shipment with Type Inbound — Receiver Address is your warehouse

The full form (parcels, parties, send): Create a shipment — section Outbound vs inbound (returns). Do not re-document every field here.

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Return addresses

Manage → Addresses. Mark the warehouse as Return (you can keep Sender on the same row). Inbound rules and inbound create-shipment only offer addresses with that type.
Addresses table with Sender and Return type badgesAddresses table with Sender and Return type badges

Addresses — Nordlys Lager – Nordhavn is both Sender and Return

Open the address. Address Types is Select one or more types for this address: Sender, Pickup, Return.
Edit Address with Address Types Sender, Pickup, and Return, Return selectedEdit Address with Address Types Sender, Pickup, and Return, Return selected

Edit Address — tick Return on the warehouse

Pickup here is carrier collection from your site, not a shopper parcel shop.

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What Zippendo does not do

  • No return portal — shoppers cannot open a Zippendo URL to book a return.
  • No in-app QR / return email composer — use a carrier service that already does that (ShopReturnMail, ShopReturnQR, and similar) if you need the shopper to print at home.
  • Automations → action.shipment.create-return is a stub in the product today. Do not rely on it to create returns; use Auto-create return on dispatch or Create Return Shipment.

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Checklist

You are set up for returns when (1) an inbound rule exists with a return product and a Return address, and (2) the outbound rule you ship with points Return Shipping Rule at it.

Shipping rules

Direction, products, and the rest of the rule form.

Create a shipment

Manual inbound labels and sending the shipment.

Labels and printing

Print the inbound label after it is booked.

Getting started

Addresses, carriers, and the rest of first-run setup.
Field-level: Inbound and returns · Shipping rule fields