Logistics

Between buyer’s remorse, relaxed return policies and the substantial increase in online purchases (which come with an average return rate of 12%-15%), 3.5 billion items are returned to retailers each year. This adds up to around $260 billion of merchandise.

Atlanta -- The Home Depot announced it has completed its $1.625 billion acquisition of Interline Brands.

The home improvement giant has previously announced agreement to acquire Interline, a national distributor and direct marketer of broad-line maintenance, repair and operations products, on July 22, 2015.

Seattle – Texas is known for its wide open spaces, and Amazon.com Inc. is slowly filling them in with distribution centers. Amazon plans to open a fifth Texas fulfillment center in San Marcos.

Amazon employees at the 855,000 sq.-ft. San Marcos fulfillment center will pick, pack, and ship smaller customer items, such as books, electronics and toys.

Amazon.com is planning to open a fifth fulfillment center in the state of Texas.

In Texas, Amazon currently employs more than 3,500 full-time associates, has invested more than $400 million in the state and continues to grow its operations to meet customer demand. Amazon’s other Lone Star State fulfillment centers are located in Schertz, Coppell, and Haslet, with a fourth facility under construction in Dallas.

Lexington, Ky. – Papa John’s Pizza is getting ready for mobile communications. The pizza chain has selected the Red e App mobile communications platform to increase operational efficiency across its organization.

Red e App will give Papa John’s a dedicated channel to communicate and share files with corporate managers in more than 600 locations using a private, mobile-centric platform. Papa John’s is also planning to expand the service to franchise owners and operators in the future.

Jericho, N.Y. - Online shoppers in the U.S. and Canada are willing to sacrifice delivery speed for a lower shipping cost. According to a survey of U.S. and Canadian shoppers conducted by Purolator International, the cost of shipping was identified most often as the single most important concern in terms of the delivery of their purchases.

Kroger is thinking big in Texas with a three year, $1.2 billion investment plan and just created a new senior leadership structure to execute the growth strategy.

Kroger’s growth aspirations in Texas will be overseen by two key executives tasked with leading newly created divisions. The retailer created a new Dallas division and a Houston division. The stores in both areas were previously part of the company’s 214 unit Southwest division.

Cincinnati - The Kroger Co.is establishing two new supermarket divisions in Texas -- a Dallas division and a Houston division. Previously, both markets were served as part of Kroger's Southwest division.