New USPS offering helps shippers with return processes

Jeff Berman, Senior Editor -- Logistics Management, 3/30/2006

WASHINGTON—A new offering recently rolled out by the United States Postal Service (USPS) provides shippers a convenient and cost-effective method for returning merchandise through the mail.

Dubbed Parcel Return Service (PRS), this new program will go into effect on April 2. USPS spokesperson Bob Anderson told Logistics Management that PRS is a program designed primarily for high volume shippers, such as Nordstrom or JC Penny, who experience annual return volumes of 50,000 or more parcels from their customers. He added that qualified shippers can register to be PRS participants.

In order to qualify, shippers need to go to the USPS Web site to fill out the enrollment form or they can make arrangements through Newgistics, an Austin, Texas-based USPS-approved third-party logistics provider (3PL), as well as other 3PLs. PRS is also available as an added feature through the USPS’ Parcel Select Program, which delivers packages to customers.

PRS allows approved merchants or their parcel consolidators to obtain items their customers choose to return at a Post Office delivery unit or Bulk Mail Center. Customers place the pre-printed, postage-paid label (either included in the original package or downloaded from the Internet) on the package to be returned, give it to a letter carrier, drop it in a collection box, or bring it to a Post Office.

As an example of how the new PRS works, Anderson used home shopping retailer QVC as an example.

“If QVC wants to make it convenient for a customers to return something they don’t like within 30 days, the PRS has an enclosed return printed label they slap on the package [with postage] and return it,” said Armstrong. “It can be picked up by a carrier or it can be dropped off a postal office.”

The PRS was originally launched as a two-year pilot program beginning in October 2003.

For more information on the PRS, click here.