Does a customer really care who handles their purchases, customer service questions or returns so long as it’s fast and convenient? Is a unified back-end process managed by a single entity the key determinant of loyalty in 2022?
Having recently purchased an item from Walmart.com and returning it to a FedEx office closer to my home than the nearest Walmart store, I’d say no to each of these questions. Walmart’s willingness to “farm out” this aspect of product returns points to an opportunity that goes beyond traditional operating models.
