Blue Yonder, a company specialising in digital supply chain transformation, has announced the acquisition of full ownership of Inmar Post-Purchase Solutions (IPPS) through its subsidiary, Doddle Inc. According to the company’s statement, this move completes Blue Yonder’s control after previously holding a 49% stake since March 2022. The business unit has been renamed Blue Yonder Reverse Retail Operations LLC and will continue to manage FedEx Easy Returns, a service providing customers with a package- and label-free returns process. The returns service operates at about 3,000 drop-off points across FedEx Office and Kohl’s stores in the United States, with plans for expansion.
The company claims that its Blue Yonder Returns Management solution enhances the returns experience by allowing consumers to return items conveniently without labels or packaging, while also helping retailers improve reverse logistics efficiency. Blue Yonder highlights several benefits of the solution, including better visibility and tracking of returns for retailers, reduced logistics costs by consolidating returns shipments, improved consumer convenience with widespread drop-off locations, increased sustainability through reduced packaging and transport emissions, and faster processing of returned goods back into inventory.
Duncan Angove, CEO of Blue Yonder, said in the company release that their survey showed consumers value convenient drop-off locations and speedy refunds, reinforcing the importance of efficient returns for retailers and customers alike. Tim Robinson, corporate vice president of Returns at Blue Yonder, emphasized that returns are a fragmented supply chain challenge and that this solution aims to optimise speed, cost, and environmental impact while simplifying the consumer experience.
This acquisition and ongoing expansion come amid a broader industry focus on improving the reverse logistics process, especially given the exponential growth in online shopping returns. For instance, the original joint venture between Doddle and Inmar had recently expanded its return drop-off network with FedEx Office by nearly 2,000 locations. This move similarly aimed to reduce friction in the returns process and improve customer satisfaction—a critical issue, as surveys suggest that 60% of consumers would stop shopping with a retailer after a single poor returns experience.
The wider returns management ecosystem is also attracting other significant moves. Separately, DHL Supply Chain recently acquired Inmar Supply Chain Solutions, a related but distinct division of Inmar Intelligence, to become the largest provider of reverse logistics services in North America. This deal underscores the increasing importance of efficient returns infrastructure across the retail supply chain, where quick, cost-effective, and sustainable returns processing can offer strategic advantages.
Moreover, partnerships such as the one between Inmar Post-Purchase Solutions and OneRail reflect growing efforts to integrate omnichannel fulfilment and sustainability goals into returns logistics. By leveraging courier networks and returns processing facilities, these collaborations aim to keep returned goods in commerce longer and reduce unnecessary transportation emissions.
While Blue Yonder’s acquisition positions it to strengthen its footprint in this space, the complexity of the returns supply chain and intense competition suggest that continuous innovation and network expansion will be required for retailers to effectively meet evolving consumer expectations and sustainability standards.
Source: Noah Wire Services
