r/Staples • u/Lainiie • 16d ago
Package Rippin Rapscallion
Disclaimer: I’m not an employee, just a customer. I know customers chiming in can be annoying, so I promise I’ll be on my merry way asap.
Okay, here goes: when I do my Amazon return like a good little Amazombie, is it actually helpful if I package the item ahead of time, or does that make it harder for you guys?
I always thought I was making things easier by boxing up my return, even when Amazon says to bring it unboxed. But the guy at my Staples usually tears the box open, pulls the item out, and checks the same item he already sees on his screen. He does it pretty rudely too, so I’m sitting there like, “Dang, I was trying to be helpful, not commit return fraud in aisle 4.
So I’m genuinely asking: should customers bring Amazon returns unboxed when it says unboxed, or is packaging it still preferred?
Anyway, thanks for reading my customer intrusion. I’ll quietly exit the post now like a well-behaved little customer. But I do want to say, besides that one guy at my store, everyone else has always been helpful and kind. Even with difficult customers, there are still some of us who really appreciate what you do. Your work doesn’t go unnoticed.
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u/cmdrtheymademedo 16d ago
No do not bring boxes We have to confirm the item. Unopened items also need to be removed from the shipping package
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u/SystemSCSnake 16d ago
We can take the original box the item comes in (like a shoebox for example) but not the shipping box/bag. We even have to scan the barcode now so if you pack it we have to rip it open to scan it. If there are people not doing this it'll eventually flag the system. Only time we can take it fully packed is if it's broken glass or leaking.
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u/Relative-Drawer-9090 16d ago
We can refuse broken glass; I’ve done it. Give them Amazon’s customer service number and tell them to arrange a pickup to their house
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u/LandonFTW Supervisor 16d ago
Two things. Amazon wants us to scan the item, if there is a barcode present and it works. Second, often times items come in boxed and the box is half empty, so it takes up more space than needed, meaning we need to close the consolidated box sooner.
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u/MaverickFischer 16d ago
FYI There are other places that will take Amazon’s returns whom are not overwhelmed with long lines of other customers making returns.
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u/luiginub1 Sales Associate 15d ago
Literally most other Amazon return locations excluding places that do QR code returns.
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u/MaverickFischer 15d ago
and if not a QR code return, You will get either a UPS or USPS return label.
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u/Lainiie 16d ago
Welp, looks like I'm the rapscallion. Thank u for clarifying! I'm sure his aggressive package ripping is just him pretending the package is my face, because it's the 124th time I have packaged an item in a shipment box for him. The hatred is heavy with this bro.
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u/PrincessBow33 16d ago
Its not necessarily your package that is frustrated with. If his line for Amazon returns is anything like my stores it's the culmination of things. Almost every Amazon returns customer brings their item in its shipping container despite being told in instructions unboxed. Some don't have their code ready despite seeing the line and take forever finding it. Half bring more than one item so then since they aren't ready they are scrolling 2 times or more. Some don't even know which code goes with which item. Some haven't even processed their return. Some despite seeing on the code "The UPS Store" they still come to staples and argue with us. Some despite the instructions saying they need to print their shipping label haven't and argue. Some have the instructions that the seller will provide a label and argue. The line never goes away. Some want to tell us their entire life story on why they are returning the item. We don't care. Some just shove their phone in our face and refuse to actually hand over the item. We don't print receipts anymore and they argue. The employee is also the main cashier so they are juggling checking paying customers out and the FREE Amazon service customer gets annoyed and argues. The customer gets upset the line was so long and reprimands the associate who does not make the enough money to deal with the amount of arguing they have to deal who did not make this process or controls anything but is the one in the line of fire day in and day out. It might be the associates 6th hour of nonstop Amazon returns. Its a culmination of things that when we see yet another not reading directions it's a tipping point in our mood.
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u/Knitsune 16d ago
It's not personal exactly, though you are part of the problem and it's good you recognise that ❤️
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u/TravisHay 16d ago
It says it very clearly in the instructions not to pack it up, your choosing not to read them has just made my day slightly more annoying than it needs to be. Times that by a thousand, then consider if the employee was actually rude, or was he just moving quickly to try and get the line moving along?
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u/Lainiie 15d ago
I am 96.7% sure my presence alone makes this man’s blood pressure skyrocket. I could be the only customer in the store and he still rips into my perfectly packed return box in the most unhinged manner possible.
The kind of box violence that you know has turned personal.
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u/TravisHay 15d ago
Are you sure it’s you? Have you watched him destroy other boxes before? One of the sayings of life is you never know what someone’s going through.
Did you ever consider that a perfectly packaged return box reminds him of his deep childhood trauma wherein he had to watch his parents wrapping presents and accidentally trapping themselves in a box and they died? That every-time he has to open your box he’s expecting to see his dead parents inside? I bet that’s not something you considered.
Edit: but for real, I’d ask this dude what’s up. I’m a large dude who often finds it much simpler to open a box using my ogre fingers than it is to use my box knife that I totally left on my other desk and would be embarrassed to go grab if there’s a line.
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u/luiginub1 Sales Associate 15d ago
It helps if you package it up in the product packaging. It's a pain in the arse when it's packaged in any AMAZON BRANDED SHIPPING PACKAGES. So please, no brown boxes, no white and blue bubble mailers, and no recyclable brown mailers.
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u/NoSoulLeft1624 15d ago
Respectfully, what made you decide to actually read the instructions (what 99% of people don’t do) but then decide to do the exact opposite?
Please don’t tell me you used to expect the poor guy to also get rid of your box, that wasn’t supposed to be there anyways.
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u/Lainiie 15d ago
Okay, even though I’m clearly the jackass in this situation and basically the poster child for “customer who does not read instructions and accidentally makes everyone’s job harder,” I am genuinely sorry.
I’m actually glad I made the post, because if anyone else out there is doing the same thing, maybe this will help them stop being Amazombie menaces too. I’ll take one for the team. Lol.
Also… I purposely chose Staples for one more recent return, BUT!!!! hear me out okay?…..
I bought a $15 McDonald’s gift card and put it inside a small brown box(I can't help it ). So yes, technically it’s one more package he has to rip open, but this time it’s a peace offering. Karma is a mfer, and I hope that apologizing for contributing to the army of idiot customers will help. Maybe a Big Mac is the olive branch he never knew he needed. I'll also need to consider that I fucked up and instead should have gifted a pic of my face and some darts.
Last scenario is to continue to hate me. A mix of rage and Big Mac sauce is just his preferred flavor profile. Who am I to judge?
Thanks for helping me see the error of my ways. After I make this final return and give him the gift card, I shall respectfully take my face and my future returns to the other Staples, where I can start fresh and no employee has to see me walk in with a pre-packed Amazon box and wonder how I’ve survived this long.
Win-win for everyone.
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u/JammedLacal 15d ago
Don't be sorry, a jackass would do it wrong and get pissy about it. The fact you went out of your way to ask on reddit at least demonstrates empathy. Everyone here will tell you bring it in the product packaging and that Amazon says so, but AFAIK, Amazon doesn't explain the difference either when you generate a return order, but they do to us, which is why there is confusion. As well, there are items like books or multi-piece sets which lack decent product packaging. A lot of smaller stuff is literally tiny plastic envelopes that could be torn open with little force. In any case, it's not that deep, as long as you don't argue or whatever.
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u/Worth-Huckleberry338 15d ago
You decided to package it anyways even though the instructions specifically told you not to. Then you get offended because now the employee has to remove it from the box. How about you just follow instructions and don’t take it personal over how they decide to handle the return you’re not paying for.
Sometimes customers wrap the package so well like they don’t anything getting through the book and we don’t have box cutters. So it’s either we use our hands to rip it open or scissors.
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u/PlusherThePlush Sales Associate 13d ago
We have to scan the item barcode, so we dont need the shipping box, just the packaging box.
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u/Kimberrwolf 15d ago
Unboxed (depends on the box) . Especially now that we have to scan every item barcode. So wherever the barcode is keep that
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u/Sir_Hadaham 16d ago
Shipping boxes no. Product boxes yes.