Return drop-off and label issues — Version History
Comparing v2 v3 +5 · −5
Updated by Julia
Published by Julia
Instructions +5 · −5
11 unchanged lines
This skill answers country-specific drop-off questions and troubleshoots label/QR issues at the drop-off point.
**The starting point**
When a customer registers their return, the portal shows which courier their label is for. Tell the customer to drop off at a location that supports that exact courier. Most return issues happen when a parcel goes to a courier that *looks similar* but isn't the right one — for example, DHL Express vs DHL Parcel are different services and only the correct one accepts the parcel.
**Per-country drop-off**
| Country | Return courier | Drop-off / home collection / paperless |
|---|---|---|
| Norway | Helthjem | Drop-off OR home collection. The collection vs drop-off rule matches the original delivery method — if the order was delivered to home, return is collected from home; if it was picked up at a parcel shop, return must be dropped off. |
−| Switzerland | Swiss Post | QR code only — no printed label. Drop-off at MyPost24 terminal, Swiss Post office, or partner shop. Customs paperwork is auto-generated; items in the parcel must match what was registered. |
+| Switzerland | Swiss Post | Drop-off at MyPost24 terminal, Swiss Post office, or partner shop. Printed label and paperless QR code options are both available. Customs paperwork is auto-generated; items in the parcel must match what was registered. |
| United Kingdom | UPS | UPS drop-off + home collection. If staff ask for a "commercial invoice" it's a UPS staff error — see the UK UPS section below. |
| Japan / Australia / New Zealand | DHL Express or UPS (matches original delivery courier) | Home collection only — no drop-off. Customer books via the courier's pickup portal. |
| Canada | Purolator | Drop-off + paperless QR available. |
| Estonia / Latvia / Lithuania | DHL via Smartposti | Smartposti locker drop-off, requires advance booking via Smartposti link with the DHL JJD tracking number. Customer gets a PIN code for a specific locker. |
−| Denmark | DHL or UPS (matches original) | Drop-off at courier locations. |
−| Finland | DHL or UPS (matches original) | Drop-off + paperless QR available. |
+| Denmark | Postnord | Drop-off at courier locations. |
+| Finland | Posti | Drop-off + paperless QR available. |
| Sweden | PostNord | Drop-off + paperless QR available. |
| Other supported EU (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia) | DHL Parcel or UPS EU | Drop-off at courier-specific locations. UPS has home collection in most countries. **DHL Parcel is drop-off only — we cannot organise a DHL Parcel collection.** |
−| USA | UPS, USPS, or FedEx | Drop-off. |
+| USA | UPS | Drop-off at courier locations. |
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For exact links, location finders, and step-by-step booking flows, the customer can use the courier links shown in their return confirmation email or on the return registration page.
**Excluded territories — we do NOT ship to or accept returns from**
These are inside otherwise-supported countries but are not served:
- Greenland (Denmark)
- Åland Islands (Finland)
- DOM-TOM territories (France)
- Svalbard (Norway)
- Channel Islands — Jersey, Guernsey (UK)
- Isle of Man (UK)
- Canary Islands (Spain)
- Azores (Portugal)
- Livigno, Campione d'Italia, San Marino (Italy)
- Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands (USA)
If the customer is in an excluded territory, we cannot accept their return through the normal flow — escalate so an agent can handle it manually.
**Lost label**
The fastest fix:
1. Go back to the return portal
2. Register the return again (or revisit the existing registration)
3. Download and print a fresh label
If the portal won't let them re-download, escalate so an agent can re-issue.
**Can't print the label**
Options to suggest:
- If the customer's country supports paperless QR (Canada, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, UK): the QR option avoids printing entirely — staff scan it and print the label for them.
- Print at a friend's or family member's home
- Print at a local library
- Print at a stationery / print shop
If none of these work, escalate so an agent can help.
**QR / barcode won't scan**
Quick fixes the customer can try at the drop-off point:
- Turn screen brightness up to maximum
- Enlarge or rotate the code on screen
- Ask staff to attempt a manual scan
- Try a different drop-off location nearby
If still no luck, escalate so an agent can issue a printable label as backup.
**Drop-off point won't accept the parcel**
Common issues + fixes:
- Staff trying to scan the wrong barcode → ask them to scan the one labelled "Scan Me" (DHL).
- Wrong courier — confirm the staff are the correct courier for the label (most issues happen when DHL Express vs DHL Parcel get confused — they're different services).
- Customer brought a parcel to a courier that doesn't match the label → they need to find the courier the label specifies. We cannot accept a different courier's drop-off.
**UK UPS asking for "commercial invoice"**
This is a known UPS staff error. The digital invoice exists — the label has "EDI" in the bottom right. Staff just need to press "Continue" or "Yes" on their device.
Reassure the customer; UPS is actively retraining UK staff. The customer should not add a paper "commercial invoice" inside the parcel — it's not needed.
**How to handle the conversation**
1. "Where do I drop off in [country]?" → consult the per-country table. Give the courier name + drop-off type.
2. "Can you collect from my home?" → only in countries where it's available (Norway based on original delivery, UPS in most EU, JP/AU/NZ via courier portal). For DHL Parcel: no, drop-off only.
−3. "I'm in Switzerland — what do I do exactly?" → walk through the QR-only flow + flag the customs match-registration requirement.
+3. "I'm in Switzerland — what do I do exactly?" → walk through their label option (printed or QR) + flag the customs match-registration requirement.
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4. "The Smartposti locker isn't accepting my parcel" → confirm they pre-booked a slot with their DHL JJD tracking number. If not, they need to book first.
5. "I lost my label" → re-register / re-download. Escalate if portal blocks it.
6. "I can't print" → list the options (paperless QR if supported, print elsewhere, escalate).
7. "The QR doesn't scan at the drop-off" → walk through brightness / enlarge / manual-scan workarounds. Escalate if no luck.
8. "The UK UPS staff want a commercial invoice" → reassure: it's a known UPS error, the digital invoice exists (EDI on label), staff press Continue. Stay calm — customer might be at the counter live.
9. "Staff says it's the wrong courier" → check what label they have and which courier. If genuinely wrong, escalate so we can re-issue.
10. Customer mentions they want to return from a country different from where they bought (cross-country) → don't try to answer here; escalate so cross-country eligibility can be checked properly.
11. Customer is in an excluded territory (Greenland, Åland, Svalbard, Channel Islands, Canary Islands, Azores, Livigno, Campione d'Italia, San Marino, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, etc.) → we don't accept returns from these territories through the normal flow; escalate.
**Escalate to a human agent when:**
- Customer's country isn't in the supported list, OR is in an excluded territory, and they need a manual return setup
- Portal won't let the customer re-download a label
- All printing/QR workarounds fail
- Drop-off point persistently refuses parcel after troubleshooting
- Customer is at the counter live and needs an agent's intervention now
- Customer is in a special edge case (forwarding service, military address, third-party shipping)
- Customer wants to return from a different country than the original delivery (cross-country) — agent confirms eligibility and issues new label
Guardrails unchanged
(no changes)