News Briefs

A leading discount retailer’s Car Seat Trade-In program has reached a milestone.

From April 19 to May 2, Target shoppers will have the opportunity to trade in an old, expired or damaged car seat and earn a 20% Target Circle Bonus toward a new car seat or baby gear purchase. For the 10th anniversary of the program, the retailer is expanding the value beyond just baby gear, offering savings across toys, food and beverage, and apparel.

Over the last decade, Target says its Car Seat Trade-In program has helped keep more than 58 million pounds of materials out of landfills. Recycled resin from discarded car seats into more than 690,000 Brightroom and Room Essentials private label products, according to the retailer.

“Families trust Target to be there for them during life’s biggest milestones,” said Amanda Nusz, senior VP of merchandising, essentials and beauty at Target. “With Car Seat Trade-In, we’re making it easier for busy parents to get high-quality, thoughtfully designed products for their little ones while easily recycling what they no longer need and saving on what comes next.”

On April 25 and 26, select Target stores will have giveaways, samples and opportunities for families to connect and discover what’s new. It also marks the first Car Seat Trade-In event with the newly announced Baby Boutique experience, now live in nearly 200 stores, transforming the traditional baby aisle into a hands-on discovery space. Throughout the boutique experience, families can see, touch and test over 2,000 new items from premium brands.

[READ MORE: Target reveals turnaround plan — investing $6B in stores, tech and workers]

Minneapolis-based Target Corp. operates nearly 2,000 stores nationwide in addition to its e-commerce site.

Amazon will reportedly deliver fewer packages via the U.S. Postal Service, but the reduction is not as severe as expected.

The online giant and USPS have reached an agreement that will see Amazon deliver about 20% fewer packages through the mail then it does currently, according to Reuters. However, previous media reports had indicated Amazon and the USPS might reach a deal where the volume of the retailer’s mail shipments could be cut by two-thirds.

USPS has long struggled with its operational costs and told Congress in March it could be out of funds by October 2026. As part of this agreement, Reuters reports Amazon will continue efforts to develop its own proprietary delivery network, but not to the point it would threaten the existence of the Post Office.

[READ MORE: Amazon investing more than $4B in rural delivery]

Amazon’s business reportedly contributes about $6 billion in annual revenue to USPS, which has a yearly operating budget of roughly $80 billion. 

"We're pleased to have ​reached a new agreement with USPS that furthers our longstanding partnership and will let us continue supporting our customers and communities together," Amazon said in a statement to Reuters. USPS has not yet publicly commented on the deal.

The current agreement between the two parties expires in October 2026. Postmaster General David Steiner had reportedly planned to hold a reverse auction in early 2026 that might create more competition within the Post Office for Amazon's business by offering access to postal facilities to the highest bidder, rather than directly to Amazon. It would make the company compete with national retail brands and regional shipping firms.

A fast-casual artisan pizza chain is streamlining the process of disputing third-party delivery losses and reclaiming recoverable funds.

Mod Pizza, which operates 450 locations across North America, is deploying the Par Technology Ops recovery solution to aid in management of delivery loss claims from third-party platforms and the reconciliation of revenue from those providers. The platform works 24/7 behind the scenes to identify and dispute recoverable losses and connects with all major delivery platforms. 

The retailer is building on an existing Par Technology stack that includes POS, operations management and loyalty management solutions, and is also deploying delivery management technology from Par.

“Our journey with Par Technology has been instrumental in Mod Pizza’s growth and ability to deliver exceptional experiences to our guests,” said Tia Wolfe, director of restaurant marketing at Mod Pizza. “We value the reliability and innovation Par brings to the table, and we’re excited to continue our partnership as we look ahead to the next chapter.”

In addition to providing its own proprietary online delivery service, Mod Pizza partners with third-party platforms including DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub.

[READ MORE: Mod Pizza acquired by Los Angeles-based restaurant group]

"Mod Pizza understands that great guest experiences start with strong operations," said Savneet Singh, CEO of Par Technology. "By expanding with recovery and delivery operations, they’re deepening their use of a unified Par platform to run their business more effectively. Bringing our solutions together gives Mod the consistency and visibility needed to perform better every day, and we’re proud to support them as they continue to scale."

Nordstrom is growing its footprint in the Golden State.

The retailer will open two additional Nordstrom Local service hubs in San Diego and Danville, Calif. The 1,190-sq.-ft. Nordstrom Local One Paseo will open June 4 in San Diego, and the 1,214-sq.-ft. Nordstrom Local Danville will open on June 18 in Danville, which is an inland city in the Bay Area.

At Nordstrom Local, customers have access to online order pick and return services, along with alterations and gift box services. Guests can also donate gently-used clothing and shoes at the hubs.

Nordstrom Local One Paseo and Nordstrom Local Danville will be the fifth and sixth Nordstrom Local in the state of California, joining Nordstrom Local Brentwood, Newport Beach, Manhattan Beach and Fillmore.

[READ MORE: Nordstrom Rack adds Michigan store to 2027 lineup]

"We're excited to bring these new Nordstrom Local service hubs to San Diego and Danville, expanding our commitment to serving customers across California," said Fanya Chandler, president of Nordstrom stores. “Northern and Southern California represent two of our most significant markets, and these new locations reflect our continued focus on evolving alongside our customers. By extending our presence closer to where our customers live and work, we believe Nordstrom Locals will offer greater convenience, broader access to what they need, and a more personalized experience.”

The Nordstrom Local expansion comes as the retailer has a host of store openings planned for the near future. Nordstrom will open more than 20 Rack locations this year, with new stores planned in major markets such as Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa and several East Coast cities.

Headquartered in Seattle, Nordstrom Inc. operates nearly 400 Nordstrom, Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom Rack locations nationwide.

A direct-to-consumer shaving brand is expanding its product offerings.

Dollar Shave Club is launching a line of razors and shaving accessories for women – a first for the brand which launched in 2011. Priced from $5-$10, the women’s line features a “high-performance” collection of razors and handles, along with shave aids, including argan oil, hyaluronic acid and shea.

"For over a decade, we've cut out the unnecessary fluff that's been upsold to dudes. Now, we're excited to be doing the exact same thing for women," said Larry Bodner, CEO at Dollar Shave Club. "We aren't here to tell you how to shave, where to shave, or even if you should shave. That's your business. Our business is providing high-performance tools that get the job done at a price that respects your wallet."

Highlights of the new collection include the following:

Razors:  

•Women's 6-Blade Razor ($10 for 4ct Refill)

•Wavy Grip Handle ($7)

•Shower Hanger ($5)

Shave Aids:

•Sugar Scrub ($10)

•Shave Butter ($8 for 6oz / $6 for 3oz)

•Shave Oil ($9): 

•Post Shave Body Balm ($9)

Bundles:

•No Frills Starter Set ($4.99): Handle, 6-Blade Razor, 3oz Shave Butter.

•The Glide & Glisten Bundle ($14.99): Handle, 6-Blade Razors 4ct, 6oz Post Shave Body Balm, 8oz Shave Oil.

•Fully Loaded Starter Set ($19.99): Handle, 6-Blade Razors 6ct, Shower Hanger, 6oz Sugar Scrub, 8oz Shave Oil.

[READ MORE: Men’s grooming brand Manscaped rolls out loyalty program]

The Dollar Shave Club women's line is available now at dollarshaveclub.com and on Amazon.

[READ MORE: Retailers 'stuck' in exploring, planning phases of AI integration]