Return Bar returns
One of the most delightful ways to return items. Happy Returns’ network of Return Bars allows shoppers to easily return and exchange items without printing or packaging — helping to reduce waste and impact on the planet.
How Return Bars work
1. Shopper begins a return online
Before visiting a Return Bar, the shopper begins their return through the merchant-branded Return Portal using their order number or email address to authenticate. If they choose to make an in-person return at a Return Bar, shoppers receive a unique QR code via email to use at the Return Bar. IOS users can save their QR code to their Apple Wallet for convenient access when they’re making the return.
2. Shopper selects a Return Bar
Once the shopper selects an in-person return with Happy Returns, the nearest Return Bar location(s) are presented, along with a link to locate other Return Bars depending on shopper preference. A shopper’s QR code can be used at any Return Bar.
3. Shopper brings items to a Return Bar
Shoppers bring their items —without labels or packaging— to their preferred Return Bar location. To initiate the Return Bar process, the Return Bar associate scans the shopper’s QR code and the QR code on the Happy Returns polybag that they will use to pack the items ahead of placing them in the Happy Returns reusable totes.
4. Return Bar associate verifies items
The shopper’s QR code brings up the returnable items in the app that Return Bar associates use. The associate scans each item barcode to ensure it matches. If a barcode is missing or incorrect, they are prompted to verify the item using a series of product photos. Once each item is verified and placed in the Happy Returns polybag, the associate finalizes the return, and the refund is initiated instantly.
5. Return Bar associate packs items into reusable totes
Items are packed into a pre-labeled polybag, which is scanned by the Return Bar associate ahead of verifying the shopper’s returned items, which links the items and the return in our portal. Once the polybag and items are scanned and the polybag is sealed, it is placed in Happy Returns’ cardboard-free reusable totes. That same tote is used to aggregate other returns at that Return Bar. Once the tote is full, it is shipped to one of our Return Hubs. Consolidating these shipments to the Hub helps to reduce costs and cardboard waste. On average, 17 items are placed into a Happy Returns reusable tote. This means on average, there is only 1 shipment made for 17 returned items.
6. Items are shipped to a Happy Returns Hub
The reusable totes are picked up and shipped to one of our three Return Hubs, where the items are scanned and sorted by-retailer, and then packed and shipped in bulk back to your warehouse or 3PL where the items can be fully processed by your teams.
Plans and pricing
Eligibility
Return Bars are available for Happy Returns Enterprise, Pro, and Plus retailers across the United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico). For international retailers, Happy Returns offers returns by-mail and return-to-your-store solutions to accommodate shoppers globally.
To begin offering Return Bars to your customers, we need to ensure a good fit, both to ensure your items fit into our reusable totes and are approved for shipment by the Department of Transportation. For details on Return Bar item eligibility please see Return items restrictions page here.
Interested in getting started with Return Bars? Have more questions about whether your items are a good fit? A member of our Happy Returns team would be happy to help.
Pricing
Pricing varies by volume and product type. For more information on Return Bar pricing, please contact the Happy Returns sales team.
Analytics and reporting
Return Bar analytics can be found across three pages in the Retailer Dashboard:
- Analytics & Reports > Dashboard offers metrics on Return Bar usage. Learn more.
- Analytics & Reports > Customer Feedback shows your Return Bar Net Promoter Score (NPS) results. Learn More.
- Analytics & Reports > Reports is where you can download raw CSV reports for analysis. Learn More.
Why choose Return Bars?
Lower costs
Aggregating Return Bar returns and shipping them in bulk to Happy Returns’ Return Hubs helps to reduce shipping costs, which are passed onto merchants.
Delight shoppers
Shoppers want fast, easy, and local returns. With 87% of the US population living within 10 miles of a Return Bar location1, shoppers can easily find a Return Bar, complete a box-free, printer-free return in less than a minute, and have their refund initiated instantly.
Reduce waste
We package all Return Bar returns into Happy Returns reusable totes, reducing cardboard packaging waste for all shipments from our Return Bars to our processing Hubs.
Return Bar FAQs
After the shopper has started their return online, they can change their return method (Return Bar, return to your store, or by mail) by opening their return confirmation email and clicking “Change your selected return method.”
If the shopper needs to change their refund method (refund, store credit, exchange, or replacement), they will need to contact your support team to make those changes in the
Retailer Dashboard using the Admin Portal.
If a shopper decides to keep the items and not complete a return, great! Even if they already started their return online, they don’t have to take any other actions to cancel their return. On the Retailer Dashboard, the return status will remain as “Started” if a return is not completed.
Shoppers need a QR code to begin their return at the Return Bar. If they haven’t started the online return process, there will be will signage and instructions on how to start their return from their smartphone at the Return Bar.
Return Bar associates visually verify that the correct items and quantity are being returned. All items are sent back to your warehouse or 3PL for final inspection.
If the shopper brings fewer items than what they initially selected for the return, the Return Bar associate will select and complete a return for only the items that the shopper physically brought with them.
On your dashboard, if only some items in the return were dropped off, the return status will be "Partial."
Later, the shopper can still choose to return any items they did not drop off using the same QR code – as long as it’s within 30 days of generating the QR code. After 30 days, returns that have not been dropped off will expire, and the shopper will have to start a new return within the portal to get a new code. The shopper can also choose to generate a mail return label to use for the remaining items. Once all items in a return are dropped off, the return status will be "Complete."
If the shopper brings more items than what they initially selected for the return, they’ll need to start a separate return online from their smartphone and use that QR code to complete the return for those additional items.
We send Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys to shoppers following every Return Bar visit, but not more than once every 90 days.
No, returns that are dropped off at Return Bars are always approved instantly. This applies to all returns, regardless of refund type (refund, store credit, exchange, or replacement).
On average, it takes 14 business days for items to go from a Return Bar to our Hub for aggregation, and back to your warehouse or 3PL, but this depends on your return volume and shipment preferences.
Citations
1. Source: Internal analysis based on the 2020 Census population figures and Return Bar locations, 2023.
2. Based on Happy Returns Internal data, 2022.
Don’t see the answer to your question?
Item Limits
To decrease costs for merchants and streamline operations at Return Bars, there is a maximum item limit of 9 items per return. For returns with 10 or more items, the return can be sent back via mail or can be dropped off at the merchant's physical store if available.