Options for Returning Online Purchases Without a Car
Online shopping has become incredibly popular in recent years, with more and more people choosing to shop from the comfort of their homes. While buying things online is very convenient, returns and exchanges can pose some challenges, especially for those without access to a vehicle. If you need to return or exchange an online purchase but don’t have a car, here are some tips to make the process easier:
Take Advantage of Pickup Services
Many major delivery companies such as UPS, FedEx, and USPS offer pickup services that allow you to schedule a driver to come to your home or office to retrieve return packages. This is often the easiest option if you bought the item from a retailer that provides free return shipping labels. Even if the retailer charges for returns, paying for a pickup may still be cheaper than taking a taxi or rideshare service to a shipping location.
Pickups from UPS cost $8.00 if you plan in advance and schedule a pickup for a future day. Same-day pickups cost $13.00. FedEx pickups cost a bit less at $4.00.
A package pickup from USPS is free. To take advantage of this, you may be able to ask the retailer you purchased from to change the carrier for the return to USPS. They may be able to provide you with a new return shipping label. Another option is you provide your own USPS postage. It may end up being cheaper than the cost of a UPS pickup, especially if you buy discounted postage from a place like Stamps.com (they are also providing $40 worth of postage credits using the coupon code below).
Use a service like DoorDash or Uber Connect
DoorDash and Uber both provide a package pickup service cheaper than UPS and a similar cost as FedEx. Drivers will come to your door and take your package to your specified drop-off point. You’ll need to have the package properly sealed with a postage label, then just request the delivery on one of the apps. The app will ask you to fill in delivery details and then you’ll need to wait for the driver to arrive.
Each of these apps use independent contractors for deliveries, so you may experience different levels of service. For instance with DoorDash you’re supposed receive a a photo of the receipt when the driver completes the drop-off, but as this service is fairly new, you might get a driver who isn’t as familiar with the process and miss a photo. Once the package is delivered to the shipping center, you’ll receive a notification of successful delivery.
For DoorDash, each delivery request must be limited to a single drop-off point, but you may send up to 5 packages, so to get your money’s worth, batch your returns and save some money per parcel. In the event of an incident where your Package Pickup was not successfully delivered to a UPS, FedEx or a UPS, you may request a reimbursement up to the $500 per order reimbursement limit.
Look for Nearby Drop-Off Locations
If the delivery company used for your purchase doesn’t offer pickups at your home, check to see if there is a drop-off location within walking distance. UPS, FedEx, and USPS all have authorized drop-off centers in shopping centers, copy shops, grocery stores, and other retail outlets. Use the company’s website to find one close by.
You might be pleasantly surprised at the retail locations currently accepting packages. UPS offers drop-offs from retailers like CVS Pharmacies, Michaels and Advance Auto Parts stores. UPS also has authorized access points that your local retailers can sign up for. For instance, you can drop off packages at this cheese cake bakery in San Diego.
FedEx is also expanding its list of drop-off locations to include lots of retailers and supermarkets including Walgreens, Walmart, Safeway, Albertsons, and more.
For retailers like Amazon, they have return counters and lockers known as Amazon Hubs, which include locations like Kohl’s or Whole Foods where you can drop off returns.
Take Public Transportation
For large cities, consider taking public transportation to get to a customer service location. While this will take more time than driving, it’s often cheaper than a taxi or Uber, especially during off-peak hours. Plan your route in advance, and make sure to package returns securely so they don’t get damaged during the commute.
Walk or Ride a Bike
If you live or work near a UPS, FedEx, or post office location, determine if it’s walkable while carrying the package. Traveling on foot or by bike gives you maximum flexibility without relying on or paying for rides. This option works best for smaller, lightweight items that are easy to transport.
Request a Pickup from the Retailer
If the cost of returning a package is prohibitively expensive, reach out to the online retailer’s customer service before purchasing a return label. Many companies will arrange a free pickup or provide a prepaid return label when asked. This takes the burden off you for getting the item back to them.
Use Return Lockers
In some urban areas, major delivery companies have self-service return lockers in publicly accessible locations. After repackaging and applying the prepaid label, simply drop the parcel in a locker. This streamlines returns without having to take it to a staffed location. These can be be useful because they are often open 24 hours a day.
Drop it off at work
If you work at a place that has regular deliveries, the delivery person may be happy to pick up your package for you at no charge.
Recruit a Friend or Neighbor
Ask a friend or neighbor if they’d be willing to either take the package to a drop-off point for you or let the delivery service pick it up from their home instead. Offer to pay them for their time and convenience to incentive helping you out.
Wait Until You Have Several Returns
If you only have one small return, it might make more sense to wait until you have multiple packages before worrying about getting them sent back. You can request pickup for several packages at once instead of making multiple trips.
Refund it and Donate Item Instead
For inexpensive items, consider foregoing the return process and asking for just a refund, then donate the unwanted item to charity. While you’ll lose out on the money spent to ship it initially, at least you won’t have to pay for return postage.
As e-commerce grows, delivery companies are expanding services to make returns more accessible. But even without a car, you shouldn’t have much difficulty exchanging online purchases as long as you plan ahead and take advantage of pickup and drop-off options in your area. Just be sure to check return policies closely so you can initiate returns in a timely fashion.