Want to know if Amazon is sending you already-returned items in the mail? According to a TikToker named Rachel (@rachelasamom), there’s a surefire way to tell.
It all boils down to three specific letters placed in a specific order on a barcode. Well, it could also be the fact they come in a clear plastic back without any branding, too.
In a viral TikTok that’s garnered over 168,000 views, Rachel shows off the packaging she was talking about.
“Here’s a quick PSA. If you get a package in a green and clear bag with an LPN barcode,” she says. The TIkToker holds up the coded sticker to the camera so folks can see what she’s referring to. It reads: “LPN PM BH923 997.”
Rachel says that if your item arrives in this specific packaging, it’s bad news. “I just got one of those. And the t-shirts that I ordered had clearly been used,” she says. “They smelled like laundry detergent and had deodorant on them. So, if you see anything in this bag with the LPN barcode number, that item has been returned.
Does an LPN barcode mean the item is used?
Does an LPN barcode necessarily mean that an Amazon product is used, however? There are several online resources that says Amazon defines LPN’s as “License Plate Numbers.”
For instance, this Amazon Seller Central user wrote that they “help track inventory and shipments.” The commenter remarked that folks “might find this label on a return item.”
Additionally, the same seller says folks returning items can use their corresponding LPNs to find more info. Hardware solutions company Tritonstore also penned a blog on LPNs. Its description of an LPN seems to perfectly match the bag in Rachel’s TikTok.
This Redditor had also mentioned the LPN correlation to used items. Frustratingly, they said that although they ordered new items, LPN-stickered ones would arrive at their home.
@rachelasamom Attention EVERYONE📣 Want to know how to spot an item that has been returned to Amazon before you got it??? Here’s how🙌🏻 Let me know if you found this helpful! I sure did! #amazon #amazonhacks #amazonreturns #amazonreturn #lifehacks #momhacks ♬ Funny video “Carmen Prelude” Arranging weakness(836530) – yo suzuki(akisai)
Are used or refurbished items bad?
Some would argue that purchasing renewed or refurbished products through Amazon is more advantageous than new. According to Amazon, all of its renewed products come with 90-day limited warranties. What’s more, is that customers generally get to return renewed products for any reason within this period.
Furthermore, Amazon also offers Renewed Premium plans—an extended warranty for 1 year on refurbished items. Further incentivizing customers to opt for renewed offerings over brand news, Amazon promises “quick support for claims.”
It would make sense for the massive mega corporation to try and squeeze as much value out of refunds as possible. For one, it solves a massive waste issue. CNBC reports that in 2021 alone, “$761 billion of merchandise was returned.” 3rd-party sellers who spoke with the news outlet revealed that around 1/3rd of all returned items end up in the trash.
Moreover, Amazon and Amazon sellers can mitigate potential losses on returned items. Arguably, customers benefit, too, with heavily discounted prices.
Customers criticize Amazon’s returns
In the comments section, one person said they thought its troubling to purchase items from the online retailer these days. “Amazon is a gamble now,” they wrote.
Someone else concurred: “Anything with LPN is returned.”
Another replied that they attempted to buy the same new product twice. On each occasion, they had used items delivered to their address. “Mine didn’t have that but it was a clearly used keyboard missing charger,” they said. “Ordered again and AGAIN a used keyboard but this time with charger. $59 is too much for used stuff I have to go return!”
However, there was one person in the comments section that said LPNs don’t necessarily mean returns. “That’s not true. If packaging was damaged but the item was still good, I was required to put it in a bag like this and attach a label to send it out,” they said.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Amazon via email and Rachel via TikTok comment for further information.
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