Amazon returns to UPS store - ripoff & annoying

[Donald]

Drove to the UPS store today and for one item they said the bar code had printed too big. Needed to come back with the bar code from wife's phone.

The other two items they made some lame excuse why I had to by a $3.00 (worth $0.25) bag for one item and a $5.00 (worth $0.50) for the other for them to put a return label on. They put all items in a big box and send one box of returns a day.

So annoying and a ripoff.

Like the UPS store was coming up with reasons why I had to buy two overpriced bags.

 

[Pablo]

I go to the UPS store all the way in Bham to drop off some UPS international packages (only place in the county now) and line out the door down the mini-mall front on the Guide. WTAF??? ALL people returning Amazon garbage. Finally barged passed all the zombies and dropped the packages off.

OH and BTW heads up! UPS stores now charge $3 per package to drop off USPS packages. Used to be free, saved a separate stop.

LetterLock in Sumas used to take all carriers, flooded, out of business for now.

 

[JHZR2]

Cant say Ive had those issues at UPS store, but I now drop stuff at whole foods because I dont even need to box it... Super easy. My wife likes to do it at Kohls because it is also super easy/free and they give her coupons...

 

[kschachn]

Is that your only option for an Amazon drop off? Here they have partnered with Kohl's Department Store, you just walk in with no box or anything and they take it for return. It's almost so easy I'm wondering if they will discontinue the option because people are returning too much stuff. Do you have anything like that in your area?

JHZR2 beat me to it... plus I forgot about the $5 coupon @ Kohl's.

 

[dareo]

Drove to the UPS store today and for one item they said the bar code had printed too big. Needed to come back with the bar code from wife's phone.

The other two items they made some lame excuse why I had to by a $3.00 (worth $0.25) bag for one item and a $5.00 (worth $0.50) for the other for them to put a return label on. They put all items in a big box and send one box of returns a day.

So annoying and a ripoff.

Like the UPS store was coming up with reasons why I had to buy two overpriced bags.

The UPS Store is almost certainly a small privately owned business. When i ship UPS they get a small credit for each box they receive and send on. One person told me its $1 a box credited to that store. I might drop off 200lbs of shipments and they will get $5 for dealing with it all. Reasonable.

The $3 bag? It's like popcorn at the theater. They have limited amounts of revenue yet still have labor, real estate, ect to pay for. So your bag costs $3 if you don't have it.

The return rules are probably cast down upon them by Lord Bezos of Amazon and not up to them.

 

[Big E]

I've never had that experience with the local UPS store on Amazon returns.

I just bring them the item boxed up or not, they scan the code from my phone, done...

Usually get the refund credited to my account the same day.

Of course if that changes, I may have to look at going to Kohl's. (Not so local for me)

 

[bdcardinal]

I ship a fair amount of stuff to family using my work UPS account. My mom drops it off no issue at the UPS store. But then again they are all in boxes. I can also leave them on my retail counter at work and UPS will pick up.

 

[Donald]

I was not commenting on bringing things to do normal UPS shipping, just on Amazon returns.

I have not had the issues before today at this UPS store.

 

[JC1]

I was not commenting on bringing things to do normal UPS shipping, just on Amazon returns.

I have not had the issues before today at this UPS store.

Sounds like a scam to me. I would try to call other UPS Stores to see if that's a rule or they are just gaming the system. UPS store up here in Canada doesn't do that. Just print the Amazon return label and tape it to the package/box and they scan it and give you a receipt if you want.

 

[HankHill]

I have a package store right down the road.. I've used their computer and printer before (behind the desk, their own personal computer) to print out labels I've forgotten. Too bad UPS stores are fuccing useless. Always a line, trying to upsell you services, etc...

 

[SubLGT]

No problems at all doing free Amazon returns at my local UPS Store.

 

[Aredeeem]

The UPS Store is almost certainly a small privately owned business. When i ship UPS they get a small credit for each box they receive and send on. One person told me its $1 a box credited to that store. I might drop off 200lbs of shipments and they will get $5 for dealing with it all. Reasonable.

The $3 bag? It's like popcorn at the theater. They have limited amounts of revenue yet still have labor, real estate, ect to pay for. So your bag costs $3 if you don't have it.

The return rules are probably cast down upon them by Lord Bezos of Amazon and not up to them.

Never a problem at my local UPS store with returns. Typical Jersey. Get the impression they could not care less about up selling anything. “Here’s your receipt, get the heck out..NEXT..!

 

[Hermann]

I've never had that experience with the local UPS store on Amazon returns.

I just bring them the item boxed up or not, they scan the code from my phone, done...

Usually get the refund credited to my account the same day.

Of course if that changes, I may have to look at going to Kohl's. (Not so local for me)

The UPS Store that I frequent is always busy, always friendly, never have to wait more than a minute or so. They will fix your package if it looks suspect. Then again I usually go between 9-11am after the initial rush for the day. One of the few places I tip people because they go above and beyond.

Unlike the people who expect a tip for surly, slow and incomplete service. Not from me.

 

[Hall]

So annoying and a ripoff.

This is unique to the specific UPS store you went to

 

[tom slick]

My last return at The UPS Store was a 30 second transaction and most of that was me finding the return barcode on my phone. I did have the stuff in the same box it shipped in so there was no packaging issue to deal with.

 

[wemay]

We use both Amazon and UPS often and never had an experience like yours. I'm sorry to hear it.

 

[Andrew1972]

Dread UPS returns for Amazon as Kohl’s easier. That being said they are fine when I have had to return items.

 

[Dave Hess]

Cant say Ive had those issues at UPS store, but I now drop stuff at whole foods because I dont even need to box it... Super easy. My wife likes to do it at Kohls because it is also super easy/free and they give her coupons...

I was buying a belt at Kohls and it seemed like lots of people were walking into the store was asking security guard where do they return their Amazon purchases. I saw someone returning a table.

 

[Carmudgeon]

I have a UPS store about 5 min away, so all but one AMZ return I've made has been dropped off at that store.

Box it up, print return label and attach. At the store, put it on the scale, receipt prints, and finito. Never more than 30 sec max, not counting the time if there's a line.

At some point, AMZ dropped the packaging requirement; just drop off bare item like at Kohl's. They adopted the same mass binned approach with the UPS stores, so hence the change in requirements. In the past, returns could be individually tracked all the way back to the warehouse, but now, the tracking number dead ends after the dropoff, and never updates.

Kohl's isn't convenient for me, and the one time I tried that route, it took longer to process the return.

As a cynic, I'll still box returns up whether it's required or not, to reduce the risk of shenanigans.

The OP's UPS store seems to be taking advantage of the situation, and AMZ should be notified of their practices.