Prospecting: Key Moves from National Retail Brands.
This summer, FedEx will roll out FedEx Easy Returns, a box- and label-free service supported by about 3,000 drop-off locations including FedEx Offices and Kohl’s stores. The service, powered by Blue Yonder, is designed to streamline the returns process, enhance customer convenience and reduce waste.
Amazon will spread its Prime Day sales event over four days this year, making it the longest in the event’s history, according to internal communications to third-party sellers. U.S. shoppers spent a record $14.2 billion over 48 hours during last year’s event. The extension is designed to give customers more time to shop and counter competing sales events from other retailers, and sellers will be able to offer various Prime-exclusive promotions.
Vera Wang has designed a jewelry line called “Vow” that will be exclusive to Jared Jewelers. The collection includes engagement and anniversary rings, as well as wedding bands, all featuring diamonds set in 14-karat gold and selling for between $900 to $8,800. The launch marks an expansion of Wang’s business with Jared.
Walmart’s Easter 2025 meal kit, which is priced lower than last year’s at under $6 per person, features popular holiday items like ham, potatoes, corn and cream cake, but it excludes eggs due to high prices and shortages. The kit serves eight people and last year’s kit, which included eggs, cost about $2 more per person.
Dutch Bros is getting even more bullish on store expansion. It’s also entering the consumer packaged goods market. The fast-growing drive-thru coffee chain, which unveiled its 1,000th outpost in February, says its goal is to reach 2,029 shops in 2029. Dutch Bros now sees the potential for 7,000-plus locations nationwide, up from its previous estimate of 4,000 shops. In February, the company said it expected to open “at least” 160 new shops in 2025.
Lululemon Athletica reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and revenue but provided a disappointing outlook as economic concerns weigh on customers. On the earnings call, CEO Calvin McDonald said growth in North America would be “modest.” He cited a survey that the company recently conducted in conjunction with Ipsos, which found that consumers are spending less due to increased concerns about inflation and the economy.
GameStop continues to shrink its store footprint. The video game retailer disclosed in a filing with the SEC that it anticipates closing a “significant number” of additional stores in fiscal 2025 as part of its ongoing store portfolio optimization review. “This review, among other things, resulted in the closure of 590 stores in the United States in fiscal 2024,” GameStop stated in the filing. “While this review is ongoing and a specific set of stores has not been identified for closure, we anticipate closing a significant number of additional stores in fiscal 2025.” GameStop has been exiting some markets completely. As of Feb. 1, the company had total of 3,203 stores across all of its segments, with 2,325 in the U.S.
