Authentication Locations and Return Addresses

Authentication Locations are the physical places where you receive, verify, and store goods that sellers ship in. Trusted Seller Return Addresses tell Zelph where to send returns when a Trusted Seller has shipped direct to a customer.

Both live under Settings > Seller Network. They’re part of the Zelph Seller Network, available on the Consignment plan.

Authentication Locations

Every workspace that accepts seller stock needs at least one authentication location. You can configure multiple if you operate across cities or warehouses.

How to configure a location

1. Open Settings > Seller Network.
2. Under Authentication locations, click Add Location.
3. Fill in:
   • Location — pick one of your Shopify-imported locations.
   • Acceptance Method — how sellers can deliver to this location (see below).
   • Contact Email — used on shipping labels and in seller notifications.
   • Contact Phone — also used on shipping labels.
4. Click Save.

You can add additional locations with the same form. To remove one, click the bin icon next to it.

Acceptance Methods explained

The Acceptance Method tells your sellers how this location accepts inbound goods. Pick the one that matches your operations:

• Ship & Drop-off — sellers can either send goods via courier or bring them in person. The flexible default; suits most warehouses with a reception desk.
• Ship only — sellers must use a courier. No walk-ins. Suits central warehouses or fulfilment centres where you don’t want foot traffic.
• Drop-off only — sellers must come in person. Suits retail counters, pop-ups, or appointment-only authentication studios.

The method shown to a seller drives the instructions they see when shipping or dropping off stock, and which authentication location they can pick on the Inventory Review flow.

Why contact email and phone matter

The email and phone you set per location appear on shipping labels for stock destined for that location. They’re also used in confirmation emails sent to sellers — so they know who to contact if a delivery goes sideways.

Use real, monitored contacts. A stale email here means a stuck shipment.

Trusted Seller Return Address

When a Trusted Seller ships an item directly to a customer (instead of to your warehouse), Zelph still needs a return address to put on the label. That’s where the Trusted Seller Return Address comes in.

Open Settings > Seller Network > Trusted Seller Return Address and pick a Default Return Location. Options are limited to your authentication locations.

From that point on:

• Every Trusted-Seller-shipped order’s label has this address in the “return to” slot.
• If the customer ever returns the package, it goes here — to your location, not the seller’s.
• You can then handle the return on the seller’s behalf or coordinate with them.

Choosing a Default Return Location

Pick a location that’s:

• Staffed (mail needs to be opened and logged).
• Stable (don’t pick a pop-up that closes in three months).
• Equipped to inspect returned items (most authentication locations already are).

For most networks, the busiest authentication location is the right pick.

Multiple Authentication Locations: tips

• Add a separate location for each city/region you operate in so sellers see the closest option.
• Use distinct contact emails per location for clearer routing.
• If you have a Ship-only central warehouse and a Drop-off-only studio, configure both — sellers will pick the right one for their inbound shipment.
• Sellers see the matching acceptance method when they create an Inventory Review submission.

Related guides

• Selling Methods — how Ship-to-Warehouse and Remote Sell use these locations.
• Authenticating Inbound Shipments — verifying goods that arrive here.
• Automatic Label Generation — how labels include these contact details.