Has this return issue ever happened to anyone else before?

So basically, I ordered an iPhone as a gift on the 15th and received it on the 17th with no issues at all.

Then, on the 20th, I decided to return it. I misclicked and selected a shipping return instead of an in-store return, since I can’t print labels at home.

I called Apple Support and explained that I wanted to cancel the return label because I planned to go to the nearest store to drop it off and get a refund. They said okay, canceled the return, and then, a few minutes later, realized and explained to me that I couldn’t return the phone in store because it was an online purchase.

I was confused because this wasn’t mentioned immediately, and they didn’t stop me from canceling the return. I then asked if it was possible to create a new return so I could send it back the regular way, and they managed to set it up again.

Since I didn’t want to waste time, I went to a local repair shop where they could print the label for me. I attached it to the package and dropped it off in a UPS storage box where UPS picks up shipments.

Fast forward to the 22nd: UPS calls me. The lovely delivery guy who usually delivers my packages tells me he has a shipping label for me. I’m confused and tell him it must be related to my return, which I already shipped via the storage box. So he leaves, and I don’t take the label.

Now it’s the 25th, Merry Christmas everyone, and I check the status of my return. To my surprise, the status page says “Return label left with customer.”

I’m confused again, so I look up the tracking numbers to see if they match. I check the tracking for the package I dropped off, and I see that it arrived in the Netherlands (Apple’s EU warehouse) on the 24th and was delivered. However, the tracking number shown on the refund status page doesn’t reflect that.

So it seems my return is now associated with two different tracking numbers, and only the incorrect one is linked to the actual refund status. I’ll have to wait until a business day to call support, but I’m a bit anxious about this situation.