What is an RTS (Return to Sender)?
📦 Return to Sender (RTS)
A Return to Sender (RTS) occurs when a package cannot be delivered to the recipient and is automatically routed back to the original sender. This process is initiated by the carrier when the shipment is undeliverable for any of the following reasons:
🏠 Invalid or incomplete address
🚫 Refused by the recipient
📬 Failed delivery attempts or package not picked up
🛑 Delivery restrictions at the destination (e.g., gated access or denied entry)
When a package is returned to sender, it may incur additional fees depending on the carrier and service level — including return postage, handling surcharges, or restocking costs.
🧠 Address Validation Prevents Most RTS Issues
One of the most effective ways to avoid Return to Sender shipments is to validate the delivery address before you ship. Address validation ensures:
✅ Address is correctly formatted and deliverable
✅ Residential vs. commercial classification is accurate
✅ ZIP+4 or international postal standards are applied
✅ Missing fields (like apartment numbers) are flagged
At ShipGenius, our address_validation query can be used to proactively clean and confirm addresses before rating or label generation — saving you money and customer frustration.
🚫 ShipGenius Policy on RTS Shipments
Important: If a package is returned to sender, ShipGenius will not pay to resend or reattempt delivery. Once a shipment is marked RTS, the cost of reshipping is the responsibility of the sender.
This includes cases where:
The customer entered an invalid address
The recipient was unavailable or refused the shipment
The package was not retrieved from a pickup location in time
To avoid this, we strongly recommend:
Always validating addresses before you ship
Notifying recipients when shipments are en route
Using delivery confirmation or signature-required services for high-value items