Tips for the most cost effective and straight forward ways to return parcels to QVC.

After months of purchasing and never returning anything I have a couple of items to return to QVC before the end of the week. I remember a discussion on another thread discussing costs of returning via different methods and someone also mentioning that they return more than one item in a parcel. Is this allowed? Is there risk that they may only credit for one item?

Any opinions on reliability of the parcel being refunded?

I could really do with getting my head around this so that I no longer just keep things that I'm not completely happy with.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

I send a few back at a time with Hermes. I always put as many order numbers as I can on the reference. I usually get 3 on, minus the last digit! I then write on the note inside the order numbers and item numbers being returned. So far so good!

I would never return more than one item in the same parcel. I have returned two parcels, but have notified the Q separately, and packaged them individually. As long as the Q is aware you are returning both, you may be okay, but I still would want two separate POPs so would, consequently, box them separately. Peace of mind.

For safety I'd always send items separately. If QVC only credited one of the items sent back, you wouldn't really have any way to prove you'd sent more items with it. Especially with them being busier for the seasonal rush.

As for cost effective, that really depends what it is you're sending back. If it's likely to be heavier than 2Kg or larger than a small parcel (by Royal Mail standards) you might be best using the service that QVC have with Myhermes. It costs £3.65 up to 15Kg to drop off at a Parcelshop, or £3.95 if you have it collected. You will need access to a printer but, if you have, it really is quite simple to do - http://www.qvcuk.com/CustomerCareRe...-_-Footerlinks-_-CustomerService_ReturnPolicy

As an example, a parcel I dropped off for £3.65 would have cost almost £12 if sent via Royal Mail!

I have returned two items in one package but packaged them up separately within a bigger parcel.

I didn't have a problem ,it was Royal Mail,but it could have been a problem if Q only scanned one in.I didn't think about it at the time.

These days I don't purchase a lot so not sure what the most cost effective return is other than a returns label from Q....

ParcelForce Consignment if you return 4 or more parcels

If you have 4 or more parcels to return I recommend ParcelForce Consignment which gives fully trackable 48 hour guaranteed delivery and tends to be around £12* for any number of packages going to the same address (max 15). I tend to go through phases of ordering a lot (and regretting it) so this works for me. In the past, I've returned 13 parcels for £12 in the past (a personal best or worst depending how you see it!). Coupled with cancelling the orders under DSR I "lost" less than a quid per parcel.

*The consignment price is calculated by adding together all the parcel weights so my combination of garment, cheap jewellery and beauty stuff has never pushed the cost over £12. The service is better, in terms of the level of trackability, than 1st class signed for and you can set the level of insurance (I opt for £100) but if you were returning say 5 items of fine jewellery you could set a higher level of cover and it would be cheaper than RM Special Delivery for each parcel separately (£6.22 each whether it's a small parcel or a large letter).

Few Post Office staff offer this as an alternative unless you ask for it my name: "ParcelForce Consignment" If you have more than 8 parcels they can accommodate them under the same consignment number even though their menu only has space for 8 items on their first dialogue page on the post office terminal. So don't let them fob you off; they can take 15 parcels per consignment! I'd be lost if my little local PO ever closed down, they're more clued up than the main office in town!

I always opt for £100 cover for the consignment (I know it's probably less than the total returns' worth.) If you're returning a couple of Lulu Guinness bags, a South Sea Pearl item and a Perricone TSV you can pay for higher cover. But the fact that your sack of goodies is fully trackable from Post Office to QVC depot, means I'm prepared to risk it. If you can show via tracking that QVC have had the consignment received at their end you'd have proof that your 6 parcels had arrived back and QVC should refund on that basis so you wouldn't have to claim against Parcel Force. Each parcel within the consignment has it's own unique ParcelForce barcode label attached by the PO.