Metrics
What is RTO (Return to Origin)?
RTO, or return to origin, is when an ecommerce shipment that could not be delivered is sent back to the seller's warehouse.
Also called: return to origin, RTO rate
An RTO usually follows one or more failed delivery attempts (NDRs) and is concentrated in cash-on-delivery orders, where the customer has nothing at stake. For the brand it costs forward shipping, return shipping and packaging, and it locks up inventory in transit for days or weeks, sometimes bringing it back damaged. Indian D2C brands watch RTO rate closely because on COD orders it can wipe out the margin entirely.
Reducing RTO is mostly about intervening earlier: confirming COD orders before dispatch and resolving NDRs before the courier gives up. Both are phone-heavy, time-sensitive tasks that support teams struggle to keep up with. Outpero can run COD confirmation and NDR calls in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and its other live languages, capturing each outcome as data, so fewer orders ever reach the RTO stage.
What is RTO (Return to Origin)?
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RTO, or return to origin, is when an ecommerce shipment that could not be delivered is sent back to the seller's warehouse. An RTO usually follows one or more failed delivery attempts (NDRs) and is concentrated in cash-on-delivery orders, where the customer has nothing at stake. For the brand it costs forward shipping, return shipping and packaging, and it locks up inventory in transit for days or weeks, sometimes bringing it back damaged. Indian D2C brands watch RTO rate closely because on COD orders it can wipe out the margin entirely.
Why does RTO (Return to Origin) matter?
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Reducing RTO is mostly about intervening earlier: confirming COD orders before dispatch and resolving NDRs before the courier gives up. Both are phone-heavy, time-sensitive tasks that support teams struggle to keep up with. Outpero can run COD confirmation and NDR calls in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and its other live languages, capturing each outcome as data, so fewer orders ever reach the RTO stage.
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