OVERVIEW

Loop supports the generation of cross-border labels by way of generating customs forms for shoppers shipping to a return address in a different country. This article covers the setup of cross-border labels, explains the shopper experience, and shows supported carriers and countries.

To support cross border labels, merchants must fill out the requisite customs information in Shopify and update the return policy in Loop.

To add the necessary information in Shopify:

1. On the left, click on Products.

   

2. Click on the product.

3. Go to the variant being returned.

4. Scroll down to the customs information. 

5. Fill out the fields listed below.
   Important: This information must be present for all products! If this information is not present, the label will fail to create.

   • Harmonized system, or harmonization (HS) code

   • Country of origin

   • Product weights

     

6. Click Save.

Note: If there are any non-physical products available in the store (i.e., package protection), those products need to either a) have the HS code and country of origin fields applied, or b) have the requires_shipping field in Shopify set to "False".

To continue setup in the Loop admin:

1. Go to Returns management > Policy Settings > Return Policies.

2. Click Create return policy for a new policy, or click Edit to update an existing policy.

   

3. In the "Policy Zone" section, set the countries or regions for the "Returning from" field.

   

4. Select the relevant destinations. 

   

   Note: If the destinations are in a different country than the "returning from" countries, the following message will appear: 

   

5. Ensure that EasyPost labels are enabled.

   

6. Fill out the Return Outcomes and Return Instructions sections.

7. Click Save.

Important: As a final step, lease send the following customs information to your Merchant Success Manager or support@loopreturns.com so that Loop can include it in label creation from the back end. The Customs Signer is typically someone involved in the warehouse or fulfillment who Customs or the carrier could contact should they have a question about or an issue with a parcel.

• Customs Signer (their name)

• Customs Signer Email

• Customs Signer Phone

Once the merchant enters all products' customs information and configures the international policy properly, then international labels will begin to generate in the portal. The shopper experience is essentially the same as a domestic return with a label, and the shopper need not take any additional steps. If everything is in order, the labels will have customs forms on them similar to this example:

The highest volume of supported cross-border label generation through EasyPost is with the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. However, Loop is not limited to these country combinations, so if the merchant wants cross-border label generation for a country combination not listed in the chart below, please reach out to your Merchant Success Manager or support@loopreturns.com. Then, Loop can confirm whether or not that border is supported and which carriers have supported that border successfully in tests.

Note: Merchants always receive an electronic commercial invoice if the parcel crosses borders. To avoid paying customs and duties on the parcel's way back, however, merchants must ensure that their settings allow for the creation of return labels. In most cases, Loop has already ensured carrier setup with return labels (for FedEx labels, please refer to the FAQs below). For help with commercial invoices or return label setup, please contact support@loopreturns.com.

For the chart below: the top row indicates returns coming from a country and the far left column indicates the country the return is being shipped to.

Note: Australia Post is not available for returns coming from Australia to somewhere else. This is due to a requirement for an Australia business address in order to get an Australia Post API key.

Important: If using UPS, more configuration is needed for successful cross-border shipments. In the Loop admin:

1. Go to Shipping > Shipping services.

2. Next to the EasyPost option, click Manage Integration.

3. Scroll down to the UPS account and click Edit Carrier.

4. Enter the merchant address on the UPS edit page under the 'Account address with carrier' section. This address must match the address on file with UPS.

To manage carriers, please refer to the EasyPost Shipping Labels article. 

What Loop plan is this functionality available on? Cross-border shipping is available on all Loop plans. Setting up a second return policy specific to a cross border scenario will still require a Pro, Plus, or Advanced plan. You can double-check your plan here.

What happens if there is insufficient information within Shopify to generate a customs form? If customs information is not entered in Shopify, then the label will fail.

Why don't I see customs information on my FedEx label? FedEx uses ETD (Electronic Trade Documents) for customs information, so this will not appear on the printed label.

What about duties and fees? Duties and fees are paid by the merchant or shopper (depending on your setup in Shopify) at the time of original purchase. Loop flags return packages as returned goods. Most countries waive duties for returned items that have not increased in value.

Why was I charged customs and duties on my FedEx return? If using your own FedEx account through EasyPost, and you are still being charged customs and duties on a return, please:

• Contact support@loopreturns.com for help checking back-end return labels settings.

• Reach out to your FedEx representative to ensure they support negotiated rates for return labels.

Are there any limits or constraints on cross-border returns? Packages entering the US must be worth less than $2500. Shipments over this value require an added layer of customs information and are not supported at this time. If the value of the return package is above this threshold, the label will fail.

Do I need multiple return policies to enable cross-border? No. You are able to set up returns from multiple countries on the same policy. Merchants at the Essential or Basic level will not be able to create a return policy specific to each country, they will need to be combined on the same policy.

Can labels be generated for APO, FPO, or DPO addresses? Yes, via USPS labels can be generated for APO/FPO addresses. All information needed for a cross-border return is required (per above). Military Bases also need to be added to the "Returning From" section of your return policy.

Please reach out to support@loopreturns.com with any additional questions.