Kohl’s has recently removed a popular Amazon perk from select US stores.
Store employees confirmed that locations in Massachusetts, Washington, Missouri, and Wisconsin are no longer accepting Amazon returns, according to Modern Retail.
An employee at a store in Massachusetts said the change went into effect on Tuesday at all locations across the state, while another worker said the retail chain is redirecting Amazon customers to The UPS Store.
Shoppers had been allowed to bring Amazon returns to all Kohl’s locations in US, except for its store in Anchorage, Alaska.
The retailer provided little details about the decision but confirmed the change was part of a test.
‘Kohl’s has been providing a service to customers by accepting returns from Amazon and select other third parties across our store fleet at our Return Drop for several years,’ a spokesperson told DailyMail.com.
‘To continue to learn from our customers, we are conducting a test in a handful of our stores where we will be temporarily discontinuing the third-party returns service.’
The process is part of its ‘test and learn culture,’ which is meant to improve store experience and understand shoppers’ ‘expectations and preferences.’
Kohl’s employees confirmed that locations in Massachusetts, Washington, Missouri, and Wisconsin are no longer accepting Amazon returns
Kohl’s and Amazon collaborated in 2017 to create the return program for stores in California and Wisconsin before its nationwide expansion in 2019.
The program was meant to help Kohl’s boost sales and increase its customers while providing a return option for Amazon shoppers.
‘We’re really going to just continue to be focused on all of our initiatives to drive traffic, and Amazon is obviously one of those key items, Sephora being another one,’ Kohl’s CFO Jill Timm said at the time.
Kohl’s customers who still have access to the perk can begin using it by accessing Amazon’s Online Return Center.
Customers must select the Kohl’s Drop-Off option.
Amazon will send the buyer a QR code via email and through the person’s Amazon account, which Kohl’s associates are required to check at a drop-off location.
Kohl’s will then pack, label, and ship the item free of charge.
The retailer confirmed it gained two million new customers after entering its partnership with Amazon during an earnings call in 2021.
Kohl’s introduced the returns option to select stores in California and Wisconsin after entering a partnership with Amazon
Shoppers still have an option to return Amazon orders at other Kohl’s stores throughout the US
Despite the program’s goal of boosting sales, Kohl’s has suffered a significant financial decline.
The retailer confirmed it was expecting to see a 5 to 7 percent sales decline, which caused its stock to drop by more than 26 percent on March 11.
The stock drop also came after Kohl’s confirmed it would close 27 stores in 15 states by April 1.
‘We always take these decisions very seriously,’ former CEO Tom Kingsbury said in a January press release.
‘As we continue to build on our long-term growth strategy, it is important that we also take difficult but necessary actions to support the health and future of our business for our customers and our teams.’
