Guides, Insights, and Answers
Everything you need to know on how we support streamlining your remote offboarding and IT asset retrieval process.
The 2026 Offboarding Risk Brief
A practical guide to navigating workforce volatility, hidden asset liability, and the shift from "logistics" to" governance" in remote device recovery.
What You’ll Learn & Gain from This Research Brief:
- Labor and operating shifts driving continuous offboarding volume in 2026.
- Governance and compliance implications elevating retrieval from "logistics" to "risk control."
- Practical playbooks, checklists, and KPIs to operationalize immediately.
The brief ends where most offboarding programs do: with a device that has to come back from someone who no longer works for you. That is the one step we run. Put a real device through it and keep the record.
Additional Downloadable Resources
The IT Leader’s 10-Point Remote Offboarding Checklist
Here’s a blueprint for secure, scalable, and frictionless hardware recovery - covering key aspects of the digital perimeter, hardware and logistics, and reclamation and records.
"Sell Your Boss" Kit for Working with LaptopReturn
You see the value, but need to get your boss’ buy-in? We got you! Here’s a one sheet overview, email copy you can use, common objection responses, and a suggested internal pilot structure!
Articles and Insights for Remote Leaders
Featured
The "Shadow Workforce" Trap: Why Standard IT Policies Fail Contractors
Your full-time employee offboarding process probably works reasonably well. There's a checklist. HR owns the exit conversation. IT gets a ticket. A box ships. Most of the time, the device comes back. Now think about the last time a contractor's engagement ended…
The $2,000 Blind Spot: Why "Account Closed" Isn't Real Security
Most IT teams have a version of the same mental checklist for an employee exit. Disable the SSO. Revoke Active Directory access. Remove them from Slack. Deactivate the email. Archive the account. Check, check, check, check, check. Done. Offboarded…Except the laptop is still sitting in a closet in Portland…
Why Your Offboarding Spreadsheet Breaks in 2026
Spreadsheets are fine when offboarding is rare. A handful of exits a year, a few reminders, a couple of shipping labels, then done. But 2026 is not behaving like that. Across industries, offboarding is shifting from a “layoff event” to a continuous operational stream. People leave in smaller incr...
Want access to more resources?
The 10-point offboarding checklist and the 2026 Offboarding Risk Brief are both free, and neither asks for a credit card.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How much does a device return cost?
A: Our pricing is based on a flexible, pay-as-you-go credit system. The more credits you purchase, the lower the price for each return.
Our credits never expire. For a detailed breakdown of credit tiers and add-on costs, please see our Pricing page.
Q: Do the return credits ever expire?
A: No, our retrieval credits never expire. You can purchase them in bulk for volume discounts and use them as needed.
Q: Can you process returns outside of the USA?
A: Yes, we process returns for employees in both the United States and Canada. Canada returns are $145 per credit.
We also support other international locations, like the UK (starting at $250).
Q: What size devices fit in your return boxes?
A: Our laptop shipping boxes can accommodate most laptops up to 17” along with a charger and some small accessories.
Laptop Dimensions Guide: Accommodates laptops with dimensions up to 15.125" x 10.25" x 1" and minimum dimensions of 11.5'' x 7" x 0.5"
Our monitor boxes fit screens from 23"-27" (excluding curved screens).
Q: Can I purchase in bulk?
A: Yes. Our credit system is designed for bulk purchases, offering volume discounts (see our Pricing page).
We also specialize in managing large-scale project retrievals for RIFs, hardware refreshes, or office closures, which you can read about on our Services page.
Q: How do I submit return requests?
A: You can submit return requests one at a time or via a bulk upload within the LaptopReturn.com portal.
We also offer a free API to integrate with your existing systems.
Q: What notifications do employees receive?
A: We handle all professional follow-ups. Employees receive email and SMS notifications at key stages:
- When the empty return kit is shipped;
- When the kit is delivered;
- Regular reminders to ship their device;
- Confirmation that the device is in transit; and
- Confirmation that the device has been returned.
Q: What shipping carrier do you use?
A: We use a combination of USPS, UPS, and FedEx, depending on carrier timelines and employee locations.
Q: How do you process payment?
A: We process most orders via Credit Card. We also accept Wire Transfer or Check for bulk credit purchases.
Support & Integrations
Interested in integrating LaptopReturn with your existing HRIS or ITAM platform? Check out our API documentation.