Distribution

The world's largest retailer is throwing a counterpunch to Amazon's Prime service.    Walmart is offering a free 30-day trial of its ShippingPass program, which offers consumers  unlimited, two-day free shipping for a year.  Normally, the service costs $49 per year.   (So as not to feel left out, existing ShippingPass members will receive a free month of the service).  

Nordstrom Inc. plans to more closely align operations of its omnichannel Trunk Club business with the rest of the enterprise.   The luxury retailer plans to close the dedicated Trunk Club fulfillment center located on Goose Island in Chicago. With the closure, Trunk Club will integrate its operations into the Nordstrom network of fulfillment and distribution centers located across the U.S. The Goose Island facility will transition to its close by August 2017.  

Men’s apparel retailer Destination XL Group Inc. (DXL) is trying to make sure customers are satisfied at the very beginning of the fulfillment process.   DXL is utilizing the EZ-Ship Scan/Pack solution from supply chain management technology provider NGC Software. DXL will use EZ-Ship to reduce chargebacks and packing errors by validating the contents of each carton and shipment sent from its factories.  

The nation’s largest specialty pet supplies retailer is upping its store growth this year.   PetSmart said it expects to open approximately 80 net new stores in fiscal 2016, up from 50 locations in fiscal 2015.     PetSmart is on its way to meeting its goal, having opened 12 net new stores in the United States and Canada during the quarter ended May 1, 2016. The new locations average over 12,000 sq. ft., and include service offerings such as grooming and pet training.  

The latest planned fulfillment center for Amazon.com will have a big impact on operations in the South.   The e-tail giant will open a new 600,000-sq.-ft. facility in Braselton, Georgia. When opened, it will create more than 500 new full-time jobs. Amazon currently has more than 1,500 full-time employees at its existing facilities in the state.   Employees at the Braselton center will pick, pack and ship large items for customers like household décor items, sporting equipment and gardening tools.

Meijer is on the move again.   The company on Tuesday opened a 192,000-sq-.ft. supercenters in Flossmoor and Round Lake Beach, Illinois.      The two new stores are part of an investment of more than $400 million in new and remodeled stores that Meijer is making this year, which is creating 3,000 new jobs across the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer's six-state foot print.    

Five Below is adding two more stores to its already considerable Texas portfolio.    The fast-growing extreme-value retailer will open two stores in the Rio Grande section of Texas, in the towns of Brownsville and Mission, on June 24, 2016, giving it a total of 53 locations in the state.    The Rio Grande area stores are two of approximately 85 new Five Below stores is opening in 2016,  on top of  71 new stores it opened in 2015.  

In a big step to grow its business in China, Walmart has entered into an agreement to acquire a 5% stake in JD.com, China’s second largest e-commerce company. 

Nordstrom Inc. has re-evaluated its near-term needs for e-commerce infrastructure.   The luxury retailer has decided to postpone the planned opening of a West Coast fulfillment center dedicated to fulfilling digital orders until 2020 or later.  

Amazon.com is reportedly going to make it easier for third-party sellers on its Marketplace platform to sell certain items.