So my Lumia 800 phone isn't charging properly and I went through the call center and then filled in the forms so I could send it in to nokia care for assessment.

The instructions told me to take the phone to any NZ Post outlet, buy specific packaging, stick the barcode to it and send it away.



So I get to NZ Post, ask for the packaging specified - VC Box 90010 and Satchel liner 45888 - and am met with blank stares.  I look at the shelves and, sure enough, nothing seems to match.

OK, so now I ring the Nokia Care 0800 number to find out what to do, only the person on the phone makes me go through the whole re-diagnosis process of the phone fault instead of listening to me tell him I already went through that and have their tracking number.  When I finally get to the end of all that and he tells me to return in, I ask about the packaging and he tells me that NZ Post should have it and if not can I go to another branch.  I suggested that another branch might not be handy so he tells me to ask for the manager of the outlet.

So I went back to the counter, told them what i'd been told and asked if they (NZ Post outlet) had an internal help desk they could call to find out if there was any info on nokia returns.  That was fruitless and also confirmed that the product codes mentioned above did not exist at other NZ post branches.

The NZ Post rep then called the same nokia care line and eventually was told to 'disregard' the packaging instructions, so I bought alternative packaging and some bubble wrap and sent it off with the bar code.  I hope the T&Cs I signed didn't include an in-transit damage waiver for not using the recommended packaging....

Back in the office now, I used the powers of google to determine that the product codes belong to Australia Post, not NZ post!  See them here: http://auspost.com.au/business/bulk-discounts.html

Long story short, it took me 40 minutes to do something that should have taken 2 minutes if Nokia had provided the correct instructions in the first place :/