Wal-Mart uses FedEx to expand urban push - Post and Parcel
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is experimenting with allowing customers to buy merchandise online and have it delivered free to urban FedEx Corp. locations, a bid to boost sales in big cities where the retailer has little to no store presence.
The tests, which started this summer in Los Angeles and Boston, allow customers to send direct purchases made on Walmart.com to FedEx Office outlets at no cost, mimicking a Wal-Mart offering called Site to Store that lets online buyers send items to the retailer’s stores free, reports The Wall Street Journal.
“We fully expect other large retailers to take advantage of this,” said Randy Scarborough, vice president of marketing for FedEx Office. He said the shipping giant recently began a new store-pickup service from FedEx Ground that previously had been available only on faster shipments from FedEx Express. FedEx has 1,800 U.S. locations that can serve as pickup spots. He declined to name other retailers.
“We are planning our physical network to accommodate this because we do anticipate additional demand.”
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is experimenting with allowing customers to buy merchandise online and have it delivered free to urban FedEx Corp. locations, a bid to boost sales in big cities where the retailer has little to no store presence.
The tests, which started this summer in Los Angeles and Boston, allow customers to send direct purchases made on Walmart.com to FedEx Office outlets at no cost, mimicking a Wal-Mart offering called Site to Store that lets online buyers send items to the retailer’s stores free, reports The Wall Street Journal.
“We fully expect other large retailers to take advantage of this,” said Randy Scarborough, vice president of marketing for FedEx Office. He said the shipping giant recently began a new store-pickup service from FedEx Ground that previously had been available only on faster shipments from FedEx Express. FedEx has 1,800 U.S. locations that can serve as pickup spots. He declined to name other retailers.
“We are planning our physical network to accommodate this because we do anticipate additional demand.”
