Whether Onward generates return shipping labels automatically, or you handle return shipping yourself.
Where to find it
Settings > Returns > Shipping, under Return Shipping Settings.
[Screenshot: Shipping tab — Return label provider dropdown]
What this is
ShipSidekick — Onward generates a prepaid return label when a return is approved and emails it to the customer. A connected ShipSidekick account is required. Customers receive:
A prepaid label as a downloadable PDF
A QR code they can show at a carrier drop-off location, so no printer is needed
Automatic tracking, visible to both you and the customer
Automatic tracking is what enables shipping-triggered automations — auto-process and auto-restock both depend on it.
Manual — No label is generated. Choose this if you supply your own labels, use a different shipping provider, or have customers arrange their own shipping. In manual mode:
Use Post-submission return instructions to tell customers how to ship items back.
You can add a tracking number to a return from the return detail page.
Shipping-based automations won't fire on manually entered tracking numbers.
If you have custom integrations, additional options may be present as well.
Return label provider and Preferred returns carrier work in tandem, as the label provider dictates what carriers are available to create labels for.
Caveats
If ShipSidekick is selected but no label can be produced, the return is created as a manual shipment instead of failing. This most often happens in regions without a supported carrier — see Allow Returns by Region.
Related settings
Preferred returns carrier — which carrier is used when a label is generated
Label sponsor — who pays for it
Return destination — where the label sends the package