Imagine you ordered or shipped something via UPS, and now for some reason, you need to refuse/cancel the delivery and get the payment.
In UPS shipment 2 scenarios can occur:
The package has already left the location
It wasn’t shipped, still in a facility
Now, is there any way that I can cancel a UPS shipment and get a refund in both scenarios? The answer is both yes, and no.
In today’s blog post, we’re going to cover every aspect of UPS shipment cancellation and all its limitations, so next time you won’t waste a single second getting your parcel back!
Let’s get straight into it…
Table of Contents
What Is Shipment Voiding, And Its Limitations?
In UPS, the term “void” is used rather than “avoid”, both means the same but take it as a headsup so you won’t get confused later on.
No matter which UPS shipping system you use, voiding an unshipped package is piece of cake. Simply put, the parcel won’t be delivered to the customer.
UPS will not just release the shipment automatically unless it is cleared by the shipper (meaning the sender). Usually, done by filing a claim with UPS or the carrier.
We’ll talk about 5 ways to cancel in a minute but read the below limitations first…
UPS Void Shipment Limitation
If you decided to void your shipment within 90 days of creating your shipping label, it can easily be done.
But again, another requirement is that packages will be voided only if they were created or charged via a UPS shipping account number.
Keep in mind, if 90+ days have passed, you must contact UPS to request a void. There’s no other way. And if you crossed 180+ days, there’s no way left.
Seeing Cancelling An UPS Shipment From 2 Perspectives
From Sender Side:
If you’ve sent a shipment and paid for it, then yes you can stop it and have it returned to you. How? Just follow the below steps:
Click the intercept shipment option or directly call UPS
Now, if the package hasn’t been delivered yet, on the next scan the package movement will pause, and UPS will generate a new label for you (same tracking number) to send the package back.
But that’s not free. You would pay for the stop shipment, plus the return shipping cost from the point of intercept location.
Again, it’s hard to tell how much fees it would be. It all depends on the situation.
From Receiver Side:
From the receiver’s side of the story is quite simple, just refuse the package when it reaches you. Or you can even go one step further if you know the tracking number.
Straight away call UPS, and see if they can stop the delivery before it gets to your house. It’ll save a little hassle. And by this, it would automatically get redirected back to the sender without ever reaching your house.
5 Ways To Initiate UPS Shipment Cancellation
#1 To void via UPS account, follow the below steps:
Log In to your UPS account, and go to Shipping History
Select Actions from the menu
Select “Void“
If a red dot starts appearing next to the package voided column, consider it done and wait for it to return.
#2 To void via CampusShip, follow the below steps:
Select the Shipping tab
Select Actions from the menu
Select “Void“
Again, to know if the action was successful, you will start seeing your package in a voided column as we did in the first method.
#3 To void via WorldShip, follow the below steps:
Go to the shipping page, select “Void” from the menu
Go to pickup log, select the package to void
Select “Void” again
Now, the page will redirect you to their own UPS void shipment tool to complete the process. And NO, WorldShip won’t automatically mark packages voided for you. You’ve to do that separately.
#4 Voiding With the Original Company
Say you bought an item off eBay or Etsy website, you can still stop the order from ever going through to the UPS shipping.
Because you placed an order online, you can cancel it easily but if you missed the cancellation window, and the package has already been picked up by UPS, now you will need to contact UPS instead.
Surely, it will take time and cause frustration. Just reach them via phone or online for the fastest feedback.
Customer service is normally available between 6-1 AM EST, daily. The below table will help you find the right guys:
| UPS Customer Service Number | 1-800-742-5877 |
| UPS Support Email Form | Contact Form |
| UPS Online Cancellation | USPS Dashboard |
| UPS Cancellation FAQ | Help Page |
How Long Do I Have to Void a Shipment?
You may only void a shipment with UPS up to 90 days after a shipping label was created. This is for online voiding only.
You can still contact customer service and request a void up to 180 days after the creation of a label. Past 180 days, you can no longer cancel.
FYI:
The user interface keeps changing so, the only thing you need to note is that UPS uses the term “void” for canceling shipments. When you’re trying to find information on their site, be sure you navigate to the “Void a Shipment” page.
How Do Refunds Work On UPS Cancelled Shipments?
No, currently UPS refunds for canceled shipments. On cancelation, UPS won’t refund automatically.
But in your case, the situation can be different so, just ask them for a refund from the same customer support helpline given in the above table.
Or you can also use 2 other methods that we’ve found helpful:
Call 1-800-PICK-UPS (1-800-742-5877) and say “Refund”.
Or sign in to the UPS Billing Center and select request a Refund.
Keep in mind, the billing department opens at 8 AM EST. Call by then. Ideally, it would take 1-2 weeks for UPS to process a refund request.
Why Discarding Unused UPS Shipping Labels Online Important?
If you don’t know already, UPS charges for each shipping label generated on your UPS account. Therefore just double check if there are any unused UPS shipping labels that should be voided too.
FYI: Even when a 3rd party creates an unused label billed to your UPS account, you are bound to pay for the label.
This is only the sender/shipper’s responsibility to void the label. Fortunately, most UPS labels can be voided before they are charged.
To remove unused labels, submit a void claim for a shipping label online via self-help services on UPS within 90 days.
Although, after 180 days, a void will not be possible at all.
Steps To Follow:
Login to your UPS account
Go to “void a shipment”
Enter the tracking number of the shipment
Select the package to void
Confirm the void claim
Confirm the refund credit
Now, you’ve to repeat the above steps for each of your unused generated labels.
Limitations:
If you meet the below requirements, please call 1-800-811-1648 to void these shipments manually because you can’t do it yourself at this point:
A Request exceeds the 20 package limit.
The request exceeds the 90 day void eligibility period.
The package is a 3rd party billing shipment.
After labels claim, a refund gets credited to the UPS account directly, which is automatically applied to future UPS invoices.
Lastly, UPS will place a few of the void credits in the “Adjustments” category of your next UPS invoice. So, don’t get confused.
If you want to track your UPS package, make sure to use our tracking tool for the right information.
Final Words On “Can I Cancel A UPS Shipment”
Sometimes things strike your head when the parcel is already halfway across the state but UPS lets your hands back to it in 5 ways as we discussed!!
Canceling a UPS shipment with each method has its limitations, and if it’s already out of the facility then you’re going to get charged, TWICE!
But if you claim your parcel before it leaves for delivery from the facility you can get it as soon as possible if you file a cancelation.
And even if you’re okay being charged, you won’t ever know the time it would take or how exactly this cancelation package refund works.
By reading this blog post, you’ll get to know all the ways and their limitation plus, all the steps to do it yourself making this article a literal tutorial for newbies.
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