Glossary
RTO — Return to Origin
RTO vs RVP — the routine confusion
Both RTO and RVP (Return Vendor Pickup, sometimes Reverse Vendor Pickup) involve a parcel travelling from the customer side to the seller, but they are separate operational events with different cost profiles:
| Field | RTO | RVP |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Failed delivery (refused, address bad, recipient unreachable) | Customer initiated a return after delivery |
| Buyer accepted parcel? | No | Yes (then changed mind / found defect) |
| Sale recognised? | No (never converted) | Yes, then reversed |
| Cost driver | Round-trip freight + courier RTO surcharge | Reverse freight + QC + refund processing |
Common reasons for RTO
- Customer not reachable / unavailable on delivery attempts
- Customer refused the parcel (changed mind, expectation mismatch)
- Incorrect / incomplete address
- Pincode unserviceable on the day of attempt
- COD amount disputed or unavailable at delivery
- Multiple failed delivery attempts past courier's NDR window