There’s an odd phenomenon happening right now in the brick
and mortar retail world, and it has to do with returns. Once upon a time,
retailers cringed at the thought of returns and did their best to discourage
them. Now not only are they encouraging them, but they are also going out of
their way to accept returns from other retailers. Probably the most significant
example of this trend is the Amazon/Kohl’s partnership. Did you buy something
from Amazon recently and later decided to return it? The only problem is you
already trashed the box? No problem! Take it back to Kohl’s to return it. This
partnership launched a trial run program back in 2017 when select stores in Los
Angeles, Chicago, and Milwaukee started to accept these Amazon returns. Now in
2019, the program has spread to all of the 1100+ Kohl’s locations. Nordstrom is
the most recent retailer to get in on the accepting returns game. Earlier this
week they announced plans to start accepting returns from Kohls and Macy’s at
their Nordstrom Local locations. These Nordstrom Local locations are smaller
footprint stores geared towards services like style consultation, custom
tailoring, shoe repair, etc. see our
blog for more information.
Now to some, this may seem like retailers taking on a lot of
extra work for little or no reward. In actuality, it’s a play to bring a
distracted consumer back into the brick and mortar world.
Kohl’s test run back in 2017 demonstrated the potential
advantages of accepting Amazon’s returns when it realized that the Chicago
locations that were part of the test program saw increased sales well above the
retailer’s national average. When you think about it for a minute, it seems
perfectly logical. In a retail environment where consumers seem to be
abandoning the physical retailer in droves for the ease of shopping online, why
not offer them an excellent reason to come back in? The customer walks in with
an Amazon return and walks out a few minutes later with a Kohl’s shopping bag
in hand instead.
Online and physical retail is starting to realize that one
will not exist without the other and that neither are going to be disappearing
anytime soon. They are instead learning to live and work together in a mutually
beneficial manner. What does this mean
for independent retailers? Easier returns mean more goods in the secondary
market that’s where Foxliquidation comes in offering you the best products from
the best retailers that you know you can profit from.