Tendered To Returns Agent: USPS Tracking Guide

Let’s assume that you have ordered something from an e-commerce website and USPS is your delivery partner. While tracking your package delivery via USPS, you could come across a message that says “ tendered to returns agent”. Often, it can leave you in a state of perplexion. One will not be sure how to proceed or what to make of this statement. Now, in the following article, we will explore it and answer the questions that follow it.

1. Introduction

Tendered to returns agent is one of the updates that can sometimes flash on the tracking interface of USPS. It signifies that the package is being returned back to the sender and has been handed over to the returns agent, who is the carrier responsible for delivering the package to its original location. Often, delivery companies like USPS are not responsible for a direct delivery back to the sender. It is either a third-party company or another delivery agent that is responsible to get back the package to the sender. In a nutshell, we can say that “tendered to returns agent” signifies the parcel getting back to the sender and will not be delivered to the receiver.

It is important to understand this update, both for the senders and receivers primarily because it mentions that the senders can expect their package to be returned. On the other hand, it also informs the receivers that they shouldn’t be expecting a delivery of the same at their place because the package is being handed back to the sender. If you believe there has been a mistake, then it can be resolved by directly contacting USPS. However, before that, we would understand some of the reasons why the status of “tendered to returns agent” has been issued.

2. Possible reasons for the return of the package

There can be more than one reason why a “tendered to returns agent” has been issued. Some of the reasons have been explained below-

The Sender had called back the goods

One of the primary reasons why a package may be tender to a returns agent has been issued would be because the goods have been recalled by the shipper themselves. Here, there is no role of the receiver themselves but they must understand that the package wouldn’t be delivered to their place even after it has been dispatched.
A package may be recalled by the shipper themselves because, for multiple reasons, the sender would have mistakenly sent the wrong package or would have sent it to the wrong address. Hence, these are the reasons why the return may be issued back to the sender.

Unable to be delivered

One of the reasons why the package will be delivered back to the sender could be because the package couldn’t be somehow delivered to the receiver. Under such circumstances, the package will be returned back to the sender within just two weeks or even before that if the notices are disregarded. Some of the other reasons are mentioned below-

• Unable to deliver the package due to physical barriers such as gates, security, bad weather, or wrong\ inadequate address.
• In case the receiver has opted for a self-pickup service from the pickup station but never went to pick it up and hence a return to the sender will be issued.
• The package was severely damaged during transit.
• The person to whom the order belonged is not an inhabitant of the place or else the package has been rejected at the door.
• The barcode was damaged and hence the essential details couldn’t be accessed.
• Some of the packages may require signatures but there was no one at home to provide the signatures.

The package refused at the door

Lastly, people may sometimes refuse a package at their doors. This also can be because of a myriad of reasons. Sometimes, the customers no longer want to receive a product and they hence decide to refuse the product because they no longer want to pay for the return of the shipment back to the sender. However, this is not the only reason and sometimes the package may be damaged or they genuinely wouldn’t have ordered any product.

3. I am the recipient and I didn’t request a return

It may happen that you may not have issued or asked for a return but still, the status being displayed is “tendered to returns agent”, in such a situation it is understandable to be disappointed. However, in such a situation, the return may be issued by the sender themselves and can be primarily because of the following reasons-

• The sender may have mistakenly sent the wrong defective item and they would have issued a return themselves.
• When the item is dispatched to the destination location, there is a mis-scan at the facility or by the USPS driver, due to which the package could not be delivered to the destination location.
• Due to a problem finding the target address, USPS has started the process of sending the package back to the sender.

Overall, we can say that this request has been initiated by the sender themselves and there is no role of the receiver per se. The receiver can try to contact the sender for cross-examination. If this return hasn’t been initiated by the sender then one must try contacting either USPS directly or else the return agent (who is responsible for delivering the package to the original location, since the package would have been handed off to the returns agent).

Apart from that, you can also contact the customer service of USPS since they would be able to take immediate action so that the package can be delivered to you as soon as possible. Calls and emails can be some of the ways through which the receiver can make sure whether the returns request has been verified by the shipper themselves or not.

If you would contact USPS then they would, for instance, be able to get in touch with the courier and arrange for return delivery to your location. As an alternative, they might decide to send you a new item before they receive the returned item back from you. They ought to be able to at least clarify the reason for the return of the item and provide additional information to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

All you can do is wait for the item to return to the sender if the package you were anticipating was not an online order but rather came from a friend or family member, for example. You may also ask them to reship if at all feasible using a different shipping service just in case, as this.

4. I Am the Sender and tracking is struck on “tendered to returns agent”

It can often happen that the senders may be equally perplexed as the receiver in the case of “tendered to returns agent”. Sometimes, it is not the sender, who may request the return but it may automatically happen. Apart from that, while tracking the package, the sender may observe that the tracking status is struck at “tenders to return agent”. One thing that can be inferred from the same is that the delivery of the package is no longer the responsibility of USPS instead it is the returns agent who is responsible.

If the sender witnesses this then, it signifies a delay, on the part of the return by the agent. This agent would not be USPS themselves rather it would be the carrier who is responsible for delivering the package to the original place. This problem can only be solved by directly contacting the returns agent so that they can route the package to you. This status can be continually displayed till the package is delivered and this delay can be due to a myriad of reasons such as technical issues, transit, logistics problem, or being struck in the facility.

One can do away with all these issues by contacting the returns agent or else talking to the delivery agent such as USPS. Check your initial monitoring page as well, and take care of any problems the courier pointed out. As an illustration, if USPS listed “addressee unknown,” make sure the package is addressed to a person who is known to reside at that address.

5. What happens after the update?

If the tracking page displays the status of “tendered to returns agent” then the shipper can soon expect their products to be delivered to their address. However, this service will not be provided by the USPS or the delivery agent but by the returns agent ( which can either be another delivery partner or a third-party delivery company).
Hence, if the process flows as expected then, the package will be delivered to the sender, but sometimes it can get delayed due to technical or logistical errors.

However, you can expect that the package will be delivered to the sender. This process can be completed either by the local postal services or the original carrier, however, it increasingly depends upon the nature of the services that are being availed by the sender.
There will need to be queries made if the return was started unintentionally or if the tracking becomes became stuck. If not, the object should be returned to the sender in a period of time consistent with the initial service speed.

6. Roles and responsibilities of returners agent

Here, the role of the returns agent is extremely important and they must constantly keep themselves in contact with the sender, that is to whom they are obliged to deliver the package. Apart from that, they must also take care of the package to ensure its safe and timely delivery. Also, they must constantly update the tracking bar.

Some of the returns agents also keep themselves in direct contact with the delivery companies (USPS in this case), so that they can keep their customers well informed. Any delays caused due to technical or logistics or insufficient address must be prevented at any cost to ensure the ease and flow of delivery to its original place.

7. Conclusion

In this article, we came to know about the meaning of the tracking status of “tendered to returns agent’’. It simply signifies that the product has to be out for delivery directly to the sender or shipper themselves.

This return can be called out by the shipper themselves due to multiple reasons. This can either be due to a wrong address, a mis-scan at the facility or by the delivery agent, or an inability to physically deliver the package at the required address. Apart from that it can also be that the package was refused at door or the signatures were not given on the required packages.

On the other hand, it can also happen that the return hasn’t been manually issued by the sender themselves and they may be confused about the same. Also, it can often happen that the tracking status is struck on being “tendered to the returns agent”.

This can primarily be because of these reasons such as the sender may have sent the incorrect defective item by error, in which case they would have issued their own return, a mis-scan at the facility or by the USPS driver prevents the package from being delivered to the target location when it is dispatched to that location.

The carrier in charge of getting the package back to its initial location (to the sender), not USPS, would act as this agent. To resolve this issue and have the package delivered to you, you must speak with the returns agent personally.

However, you can anticipate that the sender will receive the delivery. Although it increasingly depends on the type of services being used by the sender, this procedure can be finished by either the local postal services or the original carrier.

Overall, it can be summed up that the package is eventually under safe hands and will be soon delivered to the sender and would be re-routed to the receiver on their intervention with the company (here USPS).