FedEx has introduced FedEx Easy Returns, a box- and label-free returns solution supported by approximately 3,000 brick-and-mortar dropoff locations that include FedEx Office and Kohl’s stores. When the program, powered by Blue Yonder, officially begins this summer, it will route returned items through a reverse logistics facility for optimal recovery, helping retailers ensure accuracy and speed and potentially reducing waste.
In December 2024, the NRF forecast that total returns for the year would reach $890 billion, up 19.8% from the $743 billion returned in 2023, and all indications are that these numbers will continue to climb in 2025.
“Returns are a critical part of the customer experience, and present a significant challenge to retailers, which is why we are excited to support FedEx with the new service to make returns more efficient,” said Tim Robinson, VP, Returns for Blue Yonder in a statement. “Blue Yonder’s robust technology will be the driving force, allowing FedEx to power more retail counters and return processing centers across the U.S., further enhancing the convenience of the service.”
FedEx Faces Off Against Amazon, UPS
The inclusion of Kohl’s as a dropoff site for the new FedEx program comes as the department store retailer, which has had a long-time partnership with Amazon to accept returns in its stores, has reportedly stopped accepting them in some locations. This change is a result of the company “conducting a test,” according to USA Today.
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FedEx, which delivers 15 million packages worldwide every day, is seeking to make supply chains “smarter for everyone,” said President and CEO Raj Subramanian at the NRF Big Show in January 2024. However, it is facing a strong competitor in Happy Returns, owned by FedEx rival UPS, which uses robotics in its three returns processing facilities that process millions of returns every month.
