If you think the "Amazombies" are bad now, just wait...

Here's My Thought

Hey Friends,

I want to dig into something that came across my feed this week. First of all, and maybe most importantly, “Amazombies” is not my term. Likely a little harsh, but does paint the narrative in a tangible way. A few weeks back, Caroline O’Donovan wrote a phenomenal article, Returns of the ‘Amazombies’: Unwanted packages are a retail nightmare, where she discusses the challenges faced by retail employees at Staples, Kohl's, and the UPS Store due to the influx of Amazon customers returning packages.

Ironically, as I write this, Amazon has launched a program allowing sellers using its fulfillment services to issue product refunds without customers returning the item.

Referred to as "Amazombies", these customers, who return large numbers of items, have turned what was supposed to be a mutually beneficial arrangement between Amazon and brick-and-mortar stores into a stressful situation for employees. While the partnership was intended to increase foot traffic and sales at these stores, workers report that it has instead resulted in long lines, increased workload, and customer frustration. She points out that some stores have even had to allocate additional staff to manage the volume of returns, and calls to action the environmental impact of the waste generated by these returns.

She captured employee frustration, as these associates are often the face of Amazon without proper support or communication from the company. And while the promise of increased revenue from in-store purchases has not materialized, some employees are feeling the pressure to convert Amazon returns into sales, sometimes under threat of termination. Activist investors have also questioned the profitability of these arrangements for retailers like Kohl's. The article highlights the broader issue of rampant consumerism and the environmental costs associated with the ease of returning online purchases.

But who’s fault is it in reality and is the devil you know, better than the devil you don’t? Let’s take a deeper look…….