How to Set Up Branded Return Tracking Page

Overview

AfterShip now allows merchants to create a branded return tracking page for shoppers to track their return shipments. Once a shopper sends back their return item, they can view the shipping status through a merchant-branded tracking interface instead of a carrier website.

Benefits

• Brand consistency: Maintain full control over your customer experience, including the return journey.
• Time savings: Reduce support workload by directing shoppers to real-time return tracking.
• Enhanced shopper experience: Shoppers no longer need to visit external carrier sites to track returns.

What you'll learn

• Prerequisites
• Set up process
• Shopper experience
• FAQs
• Troubleshooting tips
• Key takeaways

Prerequisites

1. Subscribe to an AfterShip plan

• The merchant must subscribe to AfterShip Tracking and set up a branded tracking page before enabling the return tracking page feature.
• This is necessary because AfterShip Returns will direct shoppers to a dedicated shipment page for return shipment tracking.

2. Enable the return tracking feature

• The merchant must enable the Return tracking feature to set up the return tracking page.
• Enabling the Return tracking feature ensures that return shipments created under return requests are synced into the merchant’s tracking organization.

Set up process

Step 1: Add the AfterShip Tracking widget to the return page

There are two methods to start the configuration:

Method 1

• Go to Customization > Returns page in your AfterShip Returns admin. 
• Click Edit to access the returns page editor.
• In the returns page dropdown, select Check request details.
• Move to the Widgets icon in the sidebar, click +Add widget, click AfterShip Tracking widget in the returns page editor.
• Edit the button text. (e.g., Your package is on its way to us)

Method 2

• Go to Returns tracking under Ship and track in your AfterShip Returns admin.
• Click Edit returns page to add tracking widget to your returns page.
• The AfterShip Tracking widget will auto-install on the returns page immediately.

Step 2: Set up your branded returns tracking page

• If you haven’t setup a branded return tracking page in AfterShip Tracking already, once the AfterShip Tracking widget is added, you’ll be prompted to configure it. Select the AfterShip Tracking page where you want to enable the return shipment tracking capability. This is the page where your customers will be taken from the returns page to track their return shipments.

1. Click Enable and you will be redirected to the AfterShip Tracking admin's Branded tracking page editor.
2. The Return shipment tracking page will be auto-set up with a default layout. You can customize it or use the default the one.
3. Click Save to implement the change.

• When setting up a branded tracking page, the merchant must also enable the return shipment service type in order to direct shoppers to a returns page dedicated to return shipment tracking.

1. Go to Settings tab in the branded tracking page editor.
2. Select Return shipment under Tracking options to allow customers to be able to track return shipments using this page.

Follow the guide to set up branded tracking page in AfterShip Tracking. 

Step 3: Select the tracking page

If you have already set up the return tracking page and have enabled the return shipment service type, you will be able to select the tracking page where you would like to direct your shoppers to view return shipment tracking information.

Shopper experience

• Once tracking number is generated for the return shipment, AfterShip begins tracking the shipment.
• When the shopper hands over the return package to the carrier, the shipment status will be updated to "In Transit".
• Shopper will see a Track shipment button when they log into their return request page again.
• Clicking the Track shipment button shows the live tracking status on the merchant’s branded tracking page.

FAQs

1. Do I need AfterShip Returns AND AfterShip Tracking to use this?

Yes. AfterShip Tracking is required to enable the return shipment tracking capability on your branded tracking page.

2. Can I customize the appearance of the return shipment tracking page?

Absolutely! You can fully brand the return shipment tracking page with your brand logo, color palette, messaging, and more directly on the AfterShip branded tracking page editor.

3. What if I already use a branded tracking page?

Ensure that the service type is enabled and the returns shipment tracking page is set up. Then you can link your returns page to it directly.

4. Is this available on all AfterShip plans?

This feature is available only for Pro, Premium, and Enterprise plans.

Troubleshooting tips

Key takeaways

• Merchants can now provide customers with the ability to track their return shipments on a page that is fully branded to their store, eliminating the need for shoppers to visit external carrier websites.
• This feature is available exclusively for merchants on the Pro, Premium, and Enterprise AfterShip plans.
• To enable this functionality, merchants must be subscribed to both AfterShip Tracking and AfterShip Returns.
• To set up the return tracking page, merchants should:

a. Activate the return tracking feature within the admin settings.

b. Configure the branded returns tracking page and ensure the return shipments option is enabled.

• The tracking widget can be added to the returns page using two methods – Returns tracking settings and Branded returns page editor.
• Once a return is scanned by the carrier, customers will be able to see a Track shipment button when checking their return status. Clicking the button will redirect them to the branded tracking page, displaying live tracking updates on the return shipment’s progress.

Updated on: 24/07/2025