In the global marketplace, a sale is never truly final until the return window closes. For modern retailers and B2B distributors, product returns are no longer just a cost of doing business; they are a critical component of the customer experience. Failing to optimize your reverse logistics supply chain can severely erode your profit margins and damage your brand's reputation. Handling a domestic return is straightforward, but executing international return shipping introduces complex customs barriers, unpredictable freight costs, and logistical friction. Here is the strategic framework for building robust e-commerce returns solutions that protect your bottom line while keeping your international buyers satisfied.
Chantal has been writing about logistics topics for almost two decades and has worked for major international carriers.
When a customer or B2B partner needs to return parcel from abroad, the operational friction multiplies. You are not just paying for the freight back to your warehouse; you are also dealing with cross-border transit times, potential restriping of inventory, and the risk of paying import duties twice on the same product.
To build cost-effective e-commerce returns solutions, businesses must automate the return initiation process. Instead of leaving the buyer to figure out how to ship the item back, proactive businesses use centralized shipping tools like the MyParcelParcel shipping platform to generate and email return labels instantly. By controlling the carrier selection and the service level (e.g., standard economy vs. express), you control the exact cost of the return.
One of the most efficient ways to manage global returns is by leveraging established express networks. For instance, knowing how to create return label DHL allows you to seamlessly facilitate pickups from almost anywhere in the world.
When you authorize a return via a premium carrier:
Digital Label Generation: You can generate a return airway bill (AWB) digitally and email it directly to your international client. They simply print it and attach it to the box.
Scheduled Pickups: Top-tier DHL courier services allow the customer to schedule a courier pickup from their office or home, eliminating the need for them to visit a local post office.
End-to-End Tracking: Your warehouse team gains immediate visibility into the incoming return, allowing them to prepare for inspection and fast-track the customer's refund or replacement.
The biggest hurdle in international return shipping is customs. If you export a commercial product and it is later returned, your local customs authority might treat the incoming package as a brand-new import, charging you duties and VAT all over again.
To prevent double taxation during your custom duty clearance, you must claim "Returned Goods Relief" (RGR).
The return shipment must be accompanied by the original export commercial invoice and a specific declaration stating that the items are being returned unaltered.
The items generally must be returned within a specific timeframe (often 3 years) to qualify for duty relief.
Expert Insight: Properly documenting reverse logistics is mandatory to claim duty exemptions. You can find the official legal requirements and conditions for claiming Returned Goods Relief within the European Union directly on the European Commission - Returned Goods Customs Procedures portal.
Reverse logistics refers to the supply chain process of moving goods from their final destination back to the seller or manufacturer. In e-commerce, this primarily involves managing customer returns, handling defective products, and processing international return shipping efficiently.
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To avoid paying import duties twice, you must claim Returned Goods Relief (RGR) during customs clearance. You need to provide proof of the original export (the original commercial invoice) and clearly mark the new customs documentation as "Returned Goods - Out for Return to Sender."
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Using an integrated B2B shipping platform, businesses can create return label DHL digitally by reversing the origin and destination addresses. The generated PDF label and customs documents are then emailed to the international client to print and attach to the return package.
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Dedicated e-commerce returns solutions automate the return process, providing customers with pre-paid labels and easy drop-off options. For the business, it controls return freight costs, provides inventory tracking, and ensures correct customs documentation is generated automatically.
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It can be, depending on the country of origin. Some local carriers charge premium import rates to send packages back to Europe or the US. By generating the return label yourself through a global corporate courier account, you can secure much lower, predictable B2B import rates.
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You can instantly check the shipping costs through our rate calculator. Enter the weight, dimensions, and destination country of your shipment, and you will see all available shipping options along with their respective delivery times. The calculator can be used to compare shipping rates for both export and import shipments.
If you need help calculating a shipping rate, watch the video below. Click on the 
button to play the video and the 
icon to view the video in fullscreen.
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Shipping costs are calculated based on dimensions (LxWxH in cm), weight (in kg), and the destination country. Both the actual weight (as shown on the scale) and the volumetric weight are considered.
The volumetric weight is the weight calculated based on the space your shipment occupies in the plane. The higher of the two weights (volumetric or actual weight) is used to calculate the shipping rate. You don't need to calculate this yourself; our calculator does it for you.
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You can use the discount code PP10 for 10% discount on the transportation costs of your first shipment. You can apply the discount code during the checkout process (instructions).
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Whether additional costs apply depends on whether your shipment stays within the European Union or is sent to/from a country outside the European Union. Below, you can see the additional costs for each situation.
Within the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to Italy (within the EU), there will be an additional 21% VAT on the shipping costs.
Furthermore, if your shipment stays within the European Union, you won't have to deal with any import duties or customs clearance fees because your shipment doesn't go through customs. Please note that the European Union is not the same as Europe.
View here all the countries that are part of the European Union. For example, Switzerland is part of Europe but not part of the European Union.
Outside the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to the United States, there will be no VAT (0%) applied to the displayed shipping rates.
However, there might be import duties levied by customs in the destination country if you send a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union. Typically, customs costs are charged to the recipient. This is known as Delivered At Place (DAP) in logistics terminology.
Customs is a government agency that levies import duties in certain cases to protect the local market. As a company, you can also ship using Delivered Duty Paid (DDP), which means any customs costs will be charged to you as the sender.
If you have any questions about this topic, feel free to contact us. Additionally, you can read everything about import duties, VAT, and the customs clearance process in this blog.
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A customs invoice is a form where all the goods you want to ship are specified. This invoice includes an English description of the goods, along with their corresponding value and weight.
The contents of your shipment must be specified per type of product you're sending to avoid delays at customs. A customs invoice is always prepared in quadruplicate in accordance with customs guidelines.
When is a customs invoice required?
A customs invoice is only required for shipments to/from countries outside the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - United States). If your shipment stays within the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - Italy), your shipment will not go through customs, and therefore, a customs invoice is not required.
Additionally, document shipments are not subject to customs, so if you're sending a document to a country within/outside the European Union, no customs invoice is needed.
Please note that not all goods can be shipped to every country. You can find a list of goods that cannot be sent via ParcelParcel on this page.
Do I need to create a customs invoice myself?
If you're sending a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union, it's mandatory to include a customs invoice with the shipment. We provide free support in creating a customs invoice.
You can easily generate a customs invoice through our shipping platform. The customs invoice will be automatically generated based on the content you specified during your booking.
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You can import just as easily as export via ParcelParcel.
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You can find a list of goods that cannot be shipped via ParcelParcel on this page.
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