RTO vs customer return on Meesho: what each one costs you

What the two terms mean

RTO (return to origin) is when the parcel could not be delivered and is sent back to you, for example the buyer refused it or could not be reached. A customer return is when the buyer received the parcel and then sent it back.

In the Orders report Meesho lists these as separate statuses, such as RTO complete and RTO locked for RTO. Omjaniva groups them as returns so you can see them together, and still keeps the status.

What it costs

In the files we have looked at, a returned order is not paid as a sale. Instead the settlement shows the sale and its reversal, and the fees Meesho still charged, most often shipping and return shipping. That is the loss on the order. Because the goods come back, the product cost does not count, as long as the goods are in a sellable state.

That last point is the real risk: a return that comes back damaged, wrong or not at all. Then you have lost the product as well as the fees.

How to keep the loss down

Find which products return most. A product with a high return rate costs you in fees on every return, so fixing its photos, size chart or description pays for itself.

Check what really arrives. Scan returns when they reach your warehouse and compare with what Meesho says was delivered to you.

Follow up the ones that are overdue. A return that is late or never arrives is the one you can claim for.

What Omjaniva shows

The Returns screen lists every returned order with its status and the money lost on it, lets you scan arrivals, and lists returns that are overdue. The product table shows the return rate for each SKU.