If your returns and exchanges usually move straight to Incoming, but you're noticing some landing in Request Submitted instead, this guide will help you figure out why, and how to fix it.

This guide answers: "Why are my requests ending up in Request Submitted instead of Incoming?"

When a return or exchange sits in Request Submitted, it means the request hasn't been automatically approved yet. Normally, if your automation settings are configured correctly, requests move directly to Incoming once a shipping label has been generated. When a request stays in Request Submitted, something in your setup is stopping that automatic approval or label generation from happening.

Below are the most common reasons this happens, and how to check each one.

Requests need a few settings working together to move automatically to Incoming. If even one is missing, the request will stay in Request Submitted.

Here's what to check:

If any of these were switched off, turn them on and save your changes. New requests should now move to Incoming automatically.

Even if your general settings are correct, a request can get stuck if you don't have a shipping carrier activated for the specific country the customer is returning from.

To check this:

For a full walkthrough of how country rules work, see: How to Set Up Country Rules for Shipping Carriers in Returbo.

Sometimes a shipping carrier will flag that an address is invalid or incomplete. When this happens, label generation fails, and the request stays in Request Submitted rather than moving to Incoming.

If you suspect this is the issue, go into Returbo and update the customer's address on the request. Once the address is corrected, the label can be generated and the request should move forward as expected.

For step-by-step instructions, see: How to Change the Customer Address on a Return Request in Returbo.

Some or all of the items in the order may be missing a weight in Shopify. Several shipping carriers require that items have a weight before a return shipping label can be generated. If a request is missing weight, it will stay in Request Submitted instead of moving to Incoming.

If a return already failed due to missing weight, you can fix it directly in Returbo.

When the information is correct:

To prevent this from happening on future orders, make sure your products have a weight set in Shopify from the start. Here's a guide on how to do that: How to Add Weight to a Product.

If you're receiving a return that requires a proforma, but the tracking information or shipping carrier information is missing in Shopify, Returbo has a safeguard in place. It will hold the request in Request Submitted and ask you to fill in this information directly in Returbo.

This safeguard exists to protect you. Sending a return with an incomplete proforma can lead to admin fees from the customs office, so Returbo flags it before that can happen.

For more on how proforma works, see: How Does Proforma Work?.

When you activate a shipping carrier in Returbo, we show all the potential countries that carrier's product may be used in, based on their documentation. However, depending on your individual contract with the carrier, you may not actually have access to every market shown.

For example, Returbo might show that DHL Express is available for a return from Ireland, but if that market hasn't been turned on within your own DHL Express contract, the label still won't generate. When this happens, the request will stay in Request Submitted.

If you suspect this is the issue, contact your DHL Express (or other carrier) sales representative. They can help you gain access to the market you need.

If you've checked all three of these and your requests are still landing in Request Submitted, reach out to the Returbo support team. They can take a closer look at your specific setup and help get things moving again.