To dispute a double RTO shipping deduction, match the order ID across your settlement reports, confirm the same charge appears twice with the same reference, collect the shipment status and your agreed terms, then raise a ticket with the marketplace seller support or account manager. Quote both deduction dates and amounts, ask for a reversal, and track the case until the credit appears in a settlement.
What a double RTO deduction looks like
A return-to-origin (RTO) happens when a shipment cannot be delivered and comes back to you. The marketplace or its logistics partner may charge you for this under your seller agreement. A double deduction is when that charge hits your account more than once for the same shipment.
It usually shows up in one of these ways:
- The same order ID appears twice in the settlement with an identical RTO or reverse shipping line.
- The charge is taken in one settlement cycle and again in a later cycle as an adjustment.
- An RTO fee is charged along with a customer-return fee for a single shipment that only came back once.
Because settlements are often summarised, these entries get buried in a net payout figure. You will rarely notice them unless you compare line by line.
Confirm it is a true duplicate first
Before you raise a dispute, rule out charges that look similar but are legitimately separate. A marketplace will reject a claim quickly if you cannot show the duplicate.
- Match the order and shipment IDs. Same order ID with different shipment IDs may mean a reattempt or reshipment, each with its own charge.
- Check the charge type. Forward shipping, RTO shipping, reverse pickup and handling are different heads. Read the label in the settlement report.
- Compare against your rate card. Find the applicable charge in your seller agreement or the current rate card in your seller panel. Confirm the latest terms before you quote them.
- Check the dates. Note the settlement cycle in which each deduction was taken.
- Look for a reversal. A later credit may already have corrected the first deduction.
If the same order, same shipment, same charge head and same amount appear twice with no reversal, you have a strong case.
Evidence to gather before you raise the ticket
Support teams respond faster to a short, well-documented claim. Collect the following for each affected order:
- Settlement or payment report rows showing both deductions, with dates and reference numbers.
- Order report row showing the final status as RTO or returned.
- Courier tracking history showing a single return movement.
- The clause or rate card page that sets the RTO charge.
- Any earlier ticket or email on the same order.
Keep the files in one folder per dispute batch, named by order ID. If you have many cases, group them in a single sheet with order ID, shipment ID, charge head, amount, both deduction dates and the excess amount claimed.
How to raise the dispute step by step
- Check the dispute window. Your seller agreement or seller panel policy will say how long you have to raise a settlement or charge dispute. Confirm the latest terms, as they can change.
- Use the official channel. Raise it through the seller support ticketing system or the dispute option in your seller panel. Copy your key account manager if you have one.
- State the issue plainly. For example: the RTO shipping charge for order X was deducted on two dates; please reverse the second deduction.
- Attach the evidence sheet and screenshots. Give the excess amount, not just the total charge.
- Ask for a specific outcome. Request reversal in the next settlement cycle and a written confirmation.
- Record the ticket number and set a follow-up date.
- Escalate in sequence if there is no useful reply, first to your account manager, then to the escalation matrix in your seller agreement.
Avoid bundling a double deduction with unrelated disputes such as weight discrepancies. Separate issues get resolved faster.
Common causes and what to check
| Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|
| Charge posted in two settlement cycles | Order ID and charge reference in both cycles |
| RTO and return fee both applied | Whether tracking shows one return movement or two |
| Correction entry without reversal | Adjustment lines and credit notes after the first charge |
| Reattempt treated as new shipment | Shipment IDs and delivery attempt history |
| Charge differs from agreed terms | Rate card or agreement clause for the relevant period |
Track recovery and stop repeat leakage
Winning one dispute is useful, but the real gain is catching duplicates every cycle. Review RTO charge lines each time a settlement lands, and sort by order ID to find repeats. Log each case with its status: raised, acknowledged, reversed or rejected. Verify that the credit actually appears in a later settlement, because an acknowledged ticket is not a recovery.
If you sell at volume, doing this by hand in spreadsheets becomes hard. MarketplaceMetrics by Fundle reconciles marketplace sales and settlements, checks fees against agreed terms, and tracks returns and recovery cases. Myntra Excel reports are reviewed today, and other marketplaces are in scope discussion. Whatever tool you use, keep the same discipline: order-level matching, terms on file and a dated follow-up for each open case.
Worked example
Illustrative example only. Figures are not real marketplace rates.
A brand ships an order with a customer price of ₹1,499. The delivery fails and the parcel returns to origin. The agreed RTO shipping charge on the rate card is assumed to be ₹90 for this illustration.
| Settlement date | Order ID | Charge head | Amount deducted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | ORD-1001 | RTO shipping | ₹90 |
| 19th | ORD-1001 | RTO shipping | ₹90 |
Tracking shows one return movement and there is no reversal line. The excess claimed is ₹90 (plus any tax shown on the line, as per the settlement report; confirm tax treatment with your tax adviser). If the brand sees 40 such cases in a quarter, the claim would be ₹3,600 in this illustration, which is why a batch sheet is worth maintaining.
Questions and answers
How long do I have to dispute a double RTO deduction?
It depends on your seller agreement and the marketplace's current policy. Check the dispute or claims clause and your seller panel help pages, and confirm the latest terms with your account manager. Raise duplicates as soon as you spot them, since delay can weaken a claim.
Can I claim the GST on the duplicate charge too?
Claim the full amount deducted as shown in the settlement report, and ask for the corresponding tax entry to be corrected as well. How the tax is treated in your books depends on your circumstances, so confirm with your tax adviser.
What if the marketplace rejects my dispute?
Ask for the reason in writing, compare it with your agreement and evidence, then reply with the missing proof. If it is still rejected, escalate through the matrix in your seller agreement, using your account manager where available.
How do I know the credit actually came back?
Look for a reversal or credit line against the same order ID in a later settlement report. Do not treat ticket closure as recovery. Record the credit date and amount against your dispute log, and reopen the case if it is missing.