Now you’ll be able to add printing, packing and shipping to your shopping list — thanks to FedEx.
The courier delivery company has announced plans to roll out 500 FedEx Office shops inside Walmart locations throughout the United States over the next two years, building on its partnership with the retail giant that pits it against rivals Amazon and Target yet again. The decision to upgrade its service follows company reports of a lucrative pilot program in 47 locations across six states.
“This strategic initiative between FedEx Office and Walmart builds on a shared goal of providing customers convenience and value so they can save both time and money,” said Brian Philips, CEO of Plano-based FedEx Office. “The growth of our store network … brings our brand even closer to busy consumers who have told us they are seeking secure, reliable options for packing, shipping and receiving packages.”
Customers who visit the Walmart-based FedEx Office posts will be able to perform the same tasks they do at one of the chain’s stores, including processing returns on the spot. They also have the option to get their deliveries sent to and held at the site for up to five business days — a convenient solution for homeowners concerned about package theft at their front doors.
“Our busy customers view our stores as a one-stop shop for all the products and services they are looking for,” said Daniel Eckert, SVP at Walmart Services and Digital Acceleration. “We know shipping and printing is one such service they want to access in our stores, so we’re thrilled to expand our relationship with FedEx so that even more of our busy customers can take advantage of their pickup, drop-off and printing services.”
Walmart’s expanding partnership with FedEx is just the latest punch in the battle for retail dominance among America’s biggest merchants. The announcement comes less than six weeks after news surfaced that Amazon was planning to launch a package delivery service that would directly compete with FedEx and UPS. The program, Shipping with Amazon, will cut out the middleman by sending drivers to warehouses and other retailers for package pickup, then couriering those orders to consumers in the 37 cities to which it delivers. The offering will reportedly kick off in Los Angeles and extend to other U.S. cities throughout the year. Target has also been working on the expansion of its curbside pickup program Drive Up following beta testing in Minnesota. Available through the program’s eponymous app, the service will become available in around 1,000 locations by the end of 2018.
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