What's happening with returns?

[Pheasantlysurprised]

I keep noticing when reading store returns info that they expect you to print out a QR code prior to returning an item. Often it states that if you do not have a printer, only 'select' post offices will do this for you.

With some stores, if neither of these are possible (so it's a post office lottery, essentially) you will have to hand write the returns address and then pay full price for sending it back - recorded delivery!

Im not sure how widespread this is, but more than enough stores I have looked at recently have this policy.

Does anyone have more info about this? Is it new, or have I been living under a rock?
I don't have a printer and certainly wont buy one for this, the days of excessive costs for shitty cartridges and perpetually malfunctioning devices are over for me!

Only choose retailers that use Hermes so you can print in store ! I don't print anything out ! I scan my codes at my local shop!
I use zara , mostly for this . Next I return to store and avoid other retailers that don't do Hermes .

I though all post offices would do it if that’s an option - not just select ones. I’ve never had a problem with a post office not being able to print the label when there’s a QR code. They’re just regular postal labels, just like the ones they’d print for anything else.

Ah, thank you very much. I am currently in a large town so might strike lucky with the PO.
I wanted to order a top from Jigsaw and saw the terms.

I always have issues when a store uses Royal Mail.

Most retailers are moving to paperless returns where you get a code scanned that you show on your phone and you log the return on a portal.

Which retailers are you having problems with? Most have multiple return options now.

Try ordering jigsaw through John Lewis or next for easier returns

Unfortunately you really need a printer to return to many stores these days.

If you do, many allow you to return free using Royal mail track my return service.

You don't even need to go to a post office the customer service point at the delivery office can scan it which helps if you keep office hours as its open late

You do need a printer though.

Cynical me thinks it's to discourage returns ... the days when you could expect a sticky pre printed returns label in every parcel seems an age ago

@gunnersgold

Try ordering jigsaw through John Lewis or next for easier returns

Nope. My last john lewis order didn't have a pre printed label on the note, just directions to their website to print your own.

It's a piece of cake to take it to somewhere with print in store. Lots of corner shops do it.

I have a John Lewis at home near me and you can return to Waitrose if you have one of them too for John Lewis

so why do they not just add the sticky label in the parcel anymore? In what way dies this improve business or the environment? Im certainly not about to believe they care about that....almost everything comes in a ton of plastic..

I use the qr codes to return stuff all the time. Even my tiny village PO prints the labels from them

@CloseYourEyesAndSee

It's a piece of cake to take it to somewhere with print in store. Lots of corner shops do it.

but how would I know beforehand that there was one where I live? I don't drive at the moment so this is doubly arsey.

@linerforlife

I use the qr codes to return stuff all the time. Even my tiny village PO prints the labels from them

sounds promising, I will ask at my nearest:)

When they put the slip in the box, they don't know what's coming back, many people don't fill out the reason code so they don't know what's wrong with the items and they are trying to reduce the paper - that's why digital returns portals are now more popular.

I don't have a printer and I return frequently.

I work in this area 😀

You can search in Royal Mail website for a post office near you that prints QR codes. If you live in a city you will be fine. Even in my rural location ours does it. But as I'm housebound it's not much help! But I have a printer especially to print postage labels

Thank you, both, this is really helpful. I will check the website regarding QR codes at my local shops/PO.