Amazon adds FedEx Office to growing returns network
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
Amazon is adding FedEx Office locations to its growing returns network, giving shoppers another place to make returns without a box, tape or printed label.
Why it matters: Returns are one of the biggest friction points in online shopping, and Amazon is expanding where — and how easily — customers can make them.
- The move also reflects Amazon's push to control more of the post-purchase experience by leaning on a wide network of retail partners.
The big picture: More than 1,500 FedEx Office locations are joining Amazon's returns network, which now spans more than 10,000 drop-off points across the U.S., according to the company.
- FedEx Office joins a growing list of Amazon return partners, including Whole Foods Market stores, The UPS Store, Kohl's and Staples.
Between the lines: The returns expansion comes as Amazon is reworking its broader logistics strategy.
- The company plans to cut deliveries through the U.S. Postal Service by as much as two-thirds, signaling a shift away from traditional carriers and toward a mix of in-house logistics and partner networks.
- Amazon has been inching in this direction for years, including charging a small fee in some cases for UPS returns when a free option is closer, as it looks to balance convenience with cost.
What they're saying: "Convenience doesn't end once you place your order," Gopal Pillai, Amazon's vice president of returns and recommerce, said in a statement, calling the expansion part of a push to make returns more seamless.
What we're watching: Whether Amazon expands returns beyond FedEx Office to other FedEx drop-off points, like Walgreens.
- For now, it's limited to FedEx Office — not Walgreens — Amazon confirmed to Axios.
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