No printer. No problem. Why label-less returns are the future of urban e-commerce

The return problem we all pretend isn’t one

What if the biggest roadblock to customer loyalty isn't price, product, or speed, but a sheet of paper?

Urban e-commerce is booming. But with that growth comes a hidden operational headache: returns. An estimated 30–40% of online purchases in Europe are sent back, more than double the rate in physical retail. In crowded cities, this isn’t just costly. It’s logistically chaotic.

Add to that a startling insight: 86% of online shoppers say a bad returns experience would stop them from buying again. The humble return label, it turns out, is a loyalty killer.

What if removing one of the most annoying elements of the returns process could also improve customer satisfaction, cut emissions, and streamline operations?

Label-less. A psychological upgrade

Imagine you're 27, living in Copenhagen, working long hours, and your apartment doesn't even have a kitchen table, let alone a printer. You order two jackets to try on. One's going back. But printing a label? That means finding a cyber café or begging a coworker. You give up. And you don’t buy from that brand again.

44% of 18–34 year-olds in Europe don’t have access to a printer at home. Why design a returns experience around a piece of tech your customers don’t use?

Label-less returns flip the script. With nShift’s QR-code-powered system, customers initiate the return through a branded portal, receive a scannable code on their phone, and simply hand the parcel over at a drop-off point. In Denmark, carriers like DAO even accept a handwritten code on the box.

No printer. No hassle. No reason not to return.

So if convenience is so obvious, why aren’t all returns label-less?

nShift Returns

A seamless returns management solution that makes the returns process painless for both retailers and shoppers. nShift Returns allows you to offer self-service returns (with printable labels or QR codes), track returns in transit, and even incentivize exchanges instead of refunds. In fact, nShift users have managed to convert up to 30% of returns into exchanges – saving the sale and delighting the customer in the process.

Ideal for: Retailers looking to turn the returns process into a competitive advantage.

What happens behind the curtain

For the customer, it's magic. For the retailer, it’s smart engineering.

nShift integrates with 1,000+ carriers, from Royal Mail to PostNord to DHL. This network ensures that the QR code the customer receives is instantly recognised by any participating drop-off location. That code triggers a label to be printed at the store, locker, or kiosk.

No physical label from the customer, yet full traceability for the retailer. Each scan populates nShift’s dashboard with real-time tracking. Refunds can even be triggered immediately upon carrier scan, not warehouse arrival.

In Stockholm, London, or Oslo, it works the same way. The experience is consistent, which is key to customer confidence. That raises an interesting question:

If your customers can return something as easily as they bought it, what else changes?

From return friction to brand affection

One could argue that value isn’t objective. It's perceived. And perceived ease can be more powerful than actual cost savings.

In one trial, 95% of shoppers opted for a label-less return when given the option. That isn’t about utility. That’s about friction removal. It's about reducing cognitive load.

ReBound found that 30% of customers using paperless returns dropped off their item the same day they initiated the return. That’s not just good CX. That’s inventory speed.

Why does this matter? Because returns are no longer just a cost center. They're a loyalty lever. 76% of consumers say the ease of returns determines if they’ll shop with a brand again.

Can the same system that boosts loyalty also cut emissions?

The unexpected sustainability dividend

Retailers love talking about green logistics. But how often is it more than a checkbox?

Label-less returns offer a measurable environmental upside. ZigZag helped UK fashion giant New Look eliminate paper return slips, saving 37 tons of CO₂ per year. That’s not a theoretical offset. That’s real paper, real trucks, and real emissions avoided.

Even better, label-less returns often route parcels to consolidated drop-off locations like lockers or partner stores. That means fewer courier trips to individual homes, fewer miles driven, and lower urban congestion.

And because digital returns let customers skip using their own ink, paper, or packaging, it’s one of the few sustainability efforts that saves money and improves customer satisfaction.

But if everyone is doing it now, is there still a competitive edge?

When everyone offers label-less, who wins?

Let’s be clear: this is no longer a novelty. It’s a movement.

ReBound, ZigZag, Returnista, and even legacy carriers like DHL and Royal Mail now support QR-code returns. Each has its own flavor, but the story is the same: label-less is becoming the standard.

So how does nShift stand out? By depth, not just breadth.

Our integrations across Europe’s carrier networks, especially in the Nordics where 77% of consumers expect flexible return options, are best-in-class. nShift's ability to embed QR-code workflows within omnichannel portals allows returns to be managed, refunded, and restocked with minimal manual touch.

In other words, it's not just a convenience feature: it’s reverse logistics infrastructure.

And that raises one final question:

Are returns still a cost, or a strategic asset?

If you can get a returned item back in stock faster, save money on paper and transport, and make your customer feel respected in the process... is that a cost or a value driver?

As urban e-commerce accelerates, the businesses that will win are those who treat returns as seriously as delivery. Label-less returns aren’t just a tactical upgrade. They’re a strategic unlock.

nShift's solution proves this: better logistics can start at the end of the customer journey, and loop right back into loyalty.

So, which label are you willing to drop first: the paper one, or the outdated thinking?

Strategic questions for internal review

Sources:

1. Profit in reverse: The mid-year insight no European e-commerce leader can ignore (3/3)
2. InPost launches label-free returns service
3. Latest Returns Statistics | Ecommerce Business
4. How to use labelless shipments – nShift
5. nShift Returns - Branded, Self-service Experiences
6. Retail’s Success Strategies: A New Look Interview
7. Ditching the Paper: How Paperless Returns Can Revolutionize Your Brand's Return Experience - ReBound Returns
8. 60% of consumers seek sustainable shopping
9. Scalable Logistics | ReBound
10. E-commerce scaleup Returnista aims for worldwide success by turning returns into opportunities - Silicon Canals
11. Profit in reverse: The mid-year insight no European e-commerce leader can ignore (3/3)
12. InPost launches label-free returns service
13. Retail’s Success Strategies: A New Look Interview