To counter the author’s experience, just last week I brought an Amazon return to the UPS store, they scanned the QR code from the email Amazon sent and I was on my way in less than a minute.
That's because you did most of the work of setting up the return at home, including putting the item back in its original packaging, packaging it for shipping, and initiating the return through the app or online. Not sure how it works where you are, but there's also an additional step of printing a shipping label where I am.
For my last several Amazon returns I did not have to use the original (or any) packaging, nor did I have to print a label. I did have to initiate the return through the app and take it to a UPS Store, where they took the unpackaged item, scanned the provided QR code on my phone, and gave me a receipt.
I'm not the person you are replying to, but I happened to do an Amazon return at the UPS store in the last month and it didn't require a shipping label.
It was actually a super clean process on my end, couple of clicks on Amazon, they emailed me a QR code, I walked into the UPS store, flashed the QR code to them on my phone which they scanned, put the item on the desk and walked out.
Literally was in and out of the UPS store in less than a minute.
I have a lot of qualms about modern Amazon, mostly related to how value from Prime is continually diminishing in the form of things like ads in Prime Video, etc, but I have no convenience-related complaints about the return process I recently experienced.
Returned many items through my UPS Store without needed to put it in a box or apply a label. Just walk in with the item, they scan the QR code and give me a receipt. Usually done in 30 seconds or less.
Meanwhile returns through Whole Foods are a shit show. They can't give me a receipt for the return. "Just wait here and make sure you get an email confirming the return." Amazon claimed they never got one of my returns despite me having that email receipt. Had to fight it three damn times before they stopped pulling back my refund.
Unfortunately they force me to use Whole Foods (or maybe some other worse options) for any return with a lithium battery in it.
I very rarely return items, but received some DOA batteries from Amazon recently (for an Eve contact sensor - 1/2 AA batteries are a real pain to source).
I found the return process to be wildly low friction. I didn't have to print or package anything. I initiated the return, and the next day an Amazon delivery driver came to my door and I handed them the unlabelled pack of batteries.
I have specifically asked Amazon customer support if they could do this (pick up the return) for my elderly parents who have Prime. They never agree and insist on printing a label. They don't have a printer. I have asked them about this at least five times.
