Scottsdale, Arizona-based supply chain management company Blue Yonder announced Wednesday that it has acquired full ownership of Inmar Post-Purchase Solutions (IPPS) and will continue to support FedEx Easy Returns.
In a news release emailed to FreightWaves, Blue Yonder stated that its subsidiary Doddle helped acquire the post-purchase solutions company and will offer FedEx customers access to its low-cost, package-and label-free returns solution.
Blue Yonder said its purchase of the remaining 51% of IPPS adds to Doddle’s previously owned 49% of the company since March 2022.
According to the release, FedEx Easy Returns is currently available at around 3,000 drop-off locations in FedEx offices and Kohl’s stores across the U.S. – with plans for rapid growth.
The company and its subsidiary, under the new name Blue Yonder Reverse Retail Operations LLC, will continue to help streamline the returns process for retailers with its Returns Management solution. This returns management system allows consumers to return items without needing to print labels or have packaging, all while streamlining the returns process for retailers.
“According to our consumer retail returns survey, consumers are more likely to use third-party returns services if they have convenient drop-off locations (60%) and offer faster refund processing (47%), so efficient returns are absolutely critical for improving consumer experiences while optimizing costs for retailers,” said Duncan Angove, CEO of Blue Yonder, in the release. “The volume of consumer returns is growing exponentially, but the disparate elements of the reverse logistics process make it hard to keep up. Through the acquisition, we will continue making returns convenient and hassle-free for retailers and consumers.”
“The physical movement of returned items is a major supply chain challenge, yet drop-off locations, transport services, downstream processing tasks and SKU ownership remain siloed,” added Tim Robinson, corporate vice president of returns for Blue Yonder. “With Blue Yonder Returns Management, retailers can optimize their returns process, enhancing speed, sustainability and cost effectiveness while simplifying the returns process for consumers.”
