Use this FAQ to help answer some common questions around billing and reimbursements at Route.
I thought Route shipping protection was free for me. Why am I being charged?
Offering Route Shipping Protection on your online store is free for you, and completely optional for your customers to purchase. When customers add Route to their orders, you collect the small amount they pay for shipping protection at checkout, and then transfer the funds to us on a weekly basis. These weekly transactions aren’t charging you for our service, but rather transferring the premiums you collect on our behalf temporarily.
In other words: Your customers pay for it. You hold onto it. We transfer it from your account to our account.
Learn more about why we need your banking information.
Note: Merchants on a full coverage or hybrid pricing model are responsible for shipping protection premiums.
Do I have to add my Payment and Receivables Account information?
Yes. Setting up your Payment and Receivables Accounts is mandatory. You will be unable to offer Route Shipping Protection on your online store without first adding this information. Please use these resources to assist you in the setup process:
What does the billing cycle look like?
Route works on a Monday – Sunday billing period. You will be billed each week for all Shipping Protection fees you collected from your customers the week prior. On Mondays you will receive the invoice for last week’s premiums, and on Wednesdays you will be charged. Read more about the billing cycle.
I received an email about unpaid balances. Why do I owe route money?
As a reminder, billing and payments is just how we collect our fees for the Shipping Protection your customers add to their orders. If you received an email from Route about an outstanding balance, a missing payment method, or a declined charge, it likely means that you haven’t set up your Payment Account in the Merchant Portal, or that the information is outdated and we were unable to transfer the Shipping Protection premiums from your account to ours.
Can I be billed a different way?
Kindly note that we are unable to make exceptions to our billing process. Learn more about setting up your Payment Account here.
My bill looks incorrect. How do I reconcile it?
As a reminder, you are billed each week for all Shipping Protection premiums you collected from your customers the week prior. To review a detailed order-by-order accounting of any weekly billing period, please download the corresponding CSV file (spreadsheet) from the Payments page in the Finance tab in the Merchant Portal.
If you notice orders that should not be on your bill, or that your premium amount is incorrect, please reach out to our team via the blue Support Chat button on the bottom right of the Merchant Portal.
Where can I see a list of the Route-protected orders I am being billed for?
You can find the total number of protected orders and the amount your customers paid for each billing cycle on the Payments page in the Finance tab of the Merchant Portal. For a more detailed breakdown, download the corresponding CSV file.
How does Route handle shipping protection fees on canceled orders?
If an order is canceled before it is fulfilled, you will either receive a credit on a future invoice or not be billed for it all, depending on when it was canceled. If the order is canceled after it has been fulfilled, Route Shipping Protection is active and cannot be refunded. Please read more about how canceled orders are reflected in billing.
Where can I download my billing or reimbursement invoice?
You can download PDF invoices in the Finance tab of the Merchant Portal. Find your weekly reimbursement invoices on the Reimbursements page and your weekly billing invoices on the Payments page. For a more detailed breakdown of your weekly payments, download the CSV file (spreadsheet).
Why do I receive reimbursements from Route?
The reimbursement process is how Route pays you back for any customer refunds or replacements that are first funded through your online store. The following week, we tally up the cost of all the refunds and replacements made, and reimburse you in a lump sum.
In other words: Your customers request it. Your store funds it. We pay you back.
What does the reimbursement cycle look like?
Route works on a Monday – Sunday reimbursements period. You will be reimbursed each week for the value of the refunds and replacement orders issued the week prior. On Mondays Route tallies up all the reimbursements you’re owed and creates the invoice. On Fridays, Route initiates a deposit into your Receivables Account. Within 3 business days, the funds will be deposited to your account. Read more about the reimbursement cycle.
Why is my reimbursement less than what shows in the Merchant Portal?
There are several reasons you may notice a discrepancy in your reimbursement amount. These include small transaction and/or currency exchange fees, delayed reimbursements due to missing payment or receivables account information, and more.
How do I add another contact email to our billing emails?
Kindly note that you are unable to add more than one billing contact in the Merchant Portal. If you would like multiple addresses to receive these emails, we suggest setting up email forwarding according to your email provider.
For any additional questions, please use the blue Support Chat button in the Merchant Portal.