Returns have always had a friction problem. A customer wants to send something back, but before they can even start, they need a printer for the label and something to pack the item in. Most shoppers don’t have a printer at home. Hunting down a box or envelope just to make a return is the kind of friction that kills follow-through \u2014 and when customers abandon a return, merchants lose the item, the goodwill, and often the repeat purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ShipStation is the first shipping platform<\/a>, in collaboration with UPS<\/a>, to offer discounted No Box No Box or Label with UPS removes both barriers at once. Customers get a digital barcode sent to their phone, walk into the nearest The UPS\u00ae Store location, and hand the item to a staff member. This barcode returns shipping experience helps to eliminate prep entirely \u2013 no printing, no packaging, no prep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The standard return process puts the work on the customer. They need to download or print a label, find appropriate packaging, tape it up, and get to a drop-off point. Each of those steps is a place where a return can stall. A customer who can’t print or doesn’t have a box nearby will often just give up \u2014 which means the customer leaves with a frustrating experience they’ll remember.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That last part matters more than ever. As highlighted at The Delivery Conference 2026<\/a>, the return experience isn\u2019t just an operational step \u2014 it\u2019s a defining customer moment. A difficult return doesn\u2019t just end a transaction, it often ends the relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
or Label with UPS in a dedicated returns portal\u2014bringing a new level of convenience to merchants and their customers. This innovative solution lets shoppers complete returns without packaging or label, items with nothing but their phone\u2014no printer, box, or packaging required.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe problem with traditional returns (and why printer-free returns matter)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n