I went to return an old modem to Spectrum in the Central Coast, CA a few weeks ago. I showed up to the store with it all packed up nice and ready to go. Employees there directed me to a tablet on a stand at the entrance and told me to enter my name into the waiting list. I told them I was just dropping off the box. Nope. gotta sign in.

Ok... one hour later they finally call me up (I have my infant baby in a stroller with me, luckily she didn't get fussy). Dude literally scanned the box with a barcode scanner, said thank you, and sent me on my way. Took less than 30 seconds. It was hard not to interpret this is an ISP power move. If I could go anywhere else I would.

They allow e-check in... Except for equipment return...

At least they print a receipt with the unit MAC/serial as proof it's been returned.

When I turned in a modem and set-top box to Comcast, they just chucked it into a bin behind the desk and said that was it. No scanning or otherwise recording any of it. I demanded they fish it all back out so they could write me up a receipt, because I don't trust those bastards to claim I never returned that stuff.

To the workers credit, he did do that. Albeit with an incredible eyeroll.