Whether you’re lazy or in a panicked state because you need to make an Amazon return and you (or someone in your household) threw away your item’s packaging, fret not: You have plenty of options for returning your Amazon purchases, and you might not even need the original shipping box to send an unwanted item back.
Once you’ve started the return process for any eligible item, you’ll eventually click through to a “How will you mail your return?” screen. When there, click on the little option in the bottom-left that says “See more return options.”
You should see a number of options, including:
Kohls
Whole Foods Market
The UPS Store
Amazon
UPS Drop-off Points
Amazon Locker
UPS Pick up
Don’t just pick whichever one is nearest your location, as each has different requirements for your return. And depending where you pick, you might be able to just stroll up with the to-be-returned item in-hand—no box or shipping label necessary, which will save you a lot of grief if you don’t have the former or have no way to print the latter.
Assuming your item is eligible for a no-box return—which should be most items sold on Amazon—here are the following combinations you’ll likely encounter. Note that some of them also include a supplemental shipping cost, so be careful about what you’re picking. Don’t take money out of your refund if you can avoid it.
Kohl’s: No box required, no label required (no extra shipping cost)
Whole Foods Market: No box required, no label required (no extra shipping cost)
The UPS Store: No box required, no label required
Amazon: No box required, no label required, since you’ll be dropping it off at an Amazon store (no extra shipping cost)
UPS Drop-off Points: Box and label required (with extra shipping cost)
Amazon Locker: Box and label required (with extra shipping cost)
UPS Pick up: Box required, no label required (with extra shipping cost–the most expensive option)
Were I you, I’d opt for the Kohl’s/Whole Foods/UPS Store/Amazon Store route. Odds are good that you live at least near one of these. And as long as you mask up and keep it quick, you can literally just hand your item off to the customer service desk (or wherever), get your return receipt, and be on your way. I’ve done it, and it couldn’t be any easier. Otherwise, a regular UPS drop-off point is likely your next best option, but you’ll have to pay a little bit for the shipping label.
This story was originally published in July 2019 by David Murphy. He updated it in December 2020 with new images and information related to all of Amazon’s return options. Updated 3/4/22 with new details.