Innovel tracking

What is Innovel?

Innovel Solutions is an American third-party logistics company specializing in the final-mile delivery of large, heavy consumer goods, a segment the industry refers to as "big-and-bulky." The company's core business involves transporting major appliances, furniture, mattresses, large televisions, fitness equipment, grills, patio furniture, and wine cellars from fulfillment centers directly into customers' homes. This type of delivery requires specialized vehicles, trained two-person crews, and the ability to navigate residential environments that standard parcel carriers are not equipped to handle.

The origins of Innovel Solutions trace back to approximately 1939 to 1940, when Sears, Roebuck and Co. established an internal logistics arm known as Sears Logistics to support its appliance and home goods delivery network. For decades, this operation served as the backbone of Sears' distribution system, one of the largest appliance delivery networks in the country given Sears' dominant position in that market. As Sears Holdings Corporation, the parent entity formed from the merger of Sears and Kmart, entered financial difficulty and filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2018, the logistics arm was separated as a distinct operating entity and rebranded as Innovel Solutions.

Following the Sears bankruptcy, the reorganized retail business became Transform Holdco, LLC, and Innovel operated as its subsidiary. This period saw the company expand its third-party client base, though Costco had already been a customer since 2015, well before the rebranding. Innovel also developed its warehouse infrastructure during this period, investing in automated conveyable facilities designed for small-parcel direct-to-consumer fulfillment alongside its traditional big-and-bulky operations. The defining event came on March 17, 2020, when Costco Wholesale Corporation completed the acquisition of Innovel Solutions from Transform Holdco for exactly one billion dollars in cash, financed from Costco's existing cash balances without taking on any debt.

• Full legal name: Innovel Solutions, Inc.
• Also known as: Sears Logistics (before 2018), Costco Logistics (after the 2020 acquisition)
• Type: Third-party logistics provider (3PL) and final-mile carrier
• Country: United States
• Headquarters: Hoffman Estates, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago
• Origins: Internal logistics arm of Sears, Roebuck and Co., active since approximately 1939 to 1940
• Rebranded as Innovel Solutions: 2018, following the restructuring of Sears Holdings Corporation
• Acquisition: March 17, 2020, by Costco Wholesale Corporation for one billion dollars in cash
• Post-acquisition brand: Costco Logistics
• Notable clients (pre-acquisition): Costco (since 2015), Sears, Kmart, U.S. Air Force Exchange, U.S. Navy Exchange, and Lands' End

Before the acquisition, Innovel had built a network reaching nearly 90% of the U.S. population and 100% of continental U.S. ZIP codes. The company consistently ranked in the top quartile of customer satisfaction scores within the last-mile delivery industry, a distinction cited explicitly by Costco CEO Craig Jelinek in the acquisition announcement. Post-acquisition, the combined operation fulfilled approximately 85% of Costco's big-and-bulky home deliveries, and annual delivery volume grew 22% year-over-year. The Innovel Solutions brand has since been fully absorbed into Costco Logistics.

Which countries does Innovel deliver to?

Innovel Solutions operated exclusively within the United States. The company's network was built to serve domestic retail clients and their customers, with no documented international shipping capability. Its strength lay in the depth and density of its U.S. coverage rather than any cross-border reach, reflecting the inherently domestic nature of the big-and-bulky residential delivery model it was built around.

Within the United States, Innovel's footprint was notable for its breadth. The carrier could reach 100% of continental U.S. ZIP codes and covered approximately 90% of the U.S. population at the time of acquisition. Beyond the contiguous 48 states, the network extended to Puerto Rico, Anchorage in Alaska, and Oahu in Hawaii, a domestic reach that few specialized large-item carriers could match at the time.

• Continental United States: Complete ZIP code coverage across all 48 contiguous states
• Hawaii: Service available to Oahu
• Alaska: Service available to Anchorage
• Puerto Rico: Full delivery coverage included within the national network
• International destinations: Not available; Innovel operated as a domestic U.S. carrier only

The company's infrastructure was distributed to minimize distance between inventory and the end customer. Innovel maintained a network of large regional distribution centers alongside over 100 final-mile cross-dock facilities positioned across the country. This configuration allowed the carrier to offer 24-to-48-hour delivery capability to approximately 85% of U.S. households, covering 93% of orders, a significant competitive differentiator in the large-item delivery segment where two-person crews and scheduled appointments introduce complexity that most standard carriers are not built to manage.

What are the Innovel services and delivery times?

The central service Innovel built its business around was final-mile delivery for large, heavy consumer goods. A standard delivery involved two trained crew members, a vehicle capable of handling oversized freight, and the physical work of transporting items such as refrigerators, washers, sofas, or large-screen televisions from a regional cross-dock facility to the customer's address. This was distinct from standard parcel delivery in nearly every practical respect, since the crew was required to manage weight, bulk, staircases, and doorways that a single delivery driver with a standard van cannot accommodate.

White glove delivery represented the premium tier within Innovel's service model. Under this option, the delivery crew brought the item into the specific room requested by the customer rather than leaving it at the threshold or garage. Installation services were offered alongside delivery, covering professional assembly and setup of products such as major appliances requiring water, gas, or electrical connections, as well as furniture and fitness equipment requiring assembly. Haul-away of old units was also part of the full-service model, allowing customers receiving a new appliance to have their old unit removed at the same appointment.

• Final-mile delivery: Two-person residential or business delivery of large, heavy goods using specialized vehicles and equipment
• White glove delivery: In-home, room-of-choice placement with careful handling to avoid damage to floors, walls, and doorframes
• Installation services: Professional assembly and connection of appliances requiring water, gas, or electrical hookups, and of furniture or fitness equipment requiring assembly
• Haul-away: Removal of old units at the time a replacement appliance or item is delivered
• Warehousing and fulfillment: Inventory storage and order fulfillment at regional distribution centers for retail clients
• Transportation and freight management: Movement of goods from manufacturer or port of entry through the supply chain toward the final delivery point
• Small-parcel direct-to-consumer fulfillment: Enabled by automated conveyable warehouse facilities operating alongside the core big-and-bulky infrastructure

For delivery speed, Innovel's network was engineered to achieve a 24-to-48-hour delivery window for approximately 85% of U.S. households, covering 93% of orders. This was a benchmark figure for the specialized large-item segment, where many competitors could not match this speed due to the complexity of scheduling two-person crews with appropriate equipment. White glove and installation deliveries required appointment coordination with the customer, which could add scheduling lead time beyond the 24-to-48-hour in-network capability depending on the customer's availability and delivery density in a given area.

What are the Innovel rates and maximum dimensions accepted?

Innovel Solutions did not publish a public rate card or standard pricing schedule. As a 3PL serving large retail clients under commercial contracts, the company's pricing was negotiated on a client-by-client basis rather than made available for direct consumer lookup. Costco, Sears, Kmart, the U.S. Air Force Exchange, the U.S. Navy Exchange, and Lands' End all contracted with Innovel under arrangements specific to their respective logistics needs and volumes.

The items handled by Innovel spanned a wide range of sizes and weights, from small-parcel conveyable goods processed through automated warehouse facilities up to large appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, oversized furniture, and heavy fitness equipment. These categories carry dramatically different cost profiles based on weight, dimensions, crew requirements, and the service tier selected. No specific weight or dimensional limits for accepted items were found in publicly available sources, which reflects the company's orientation toward retailer contracts rather than direct consumer pricing.

• Pricing structure: Commercial contracts between Innovel and its retail clients; no public consumer rate card was published
• Item types handled: Small parcels through large appliances, furniture, mattresses, large televisions, fitness equipment, grills, and patio furniture
• Weight limits: No specific documented limit; the network was built for major household appliances and other oversized freight
• Dimensional limits: Not publicly documented; infrastructure was designed specifically for big-and-bulky freight not handled by standard parcel carriers

What are the Innovel delivery options?

Innovel's service model was built around scheduled, appointment-based home delivery rather than unattended drop-off. Because the items delivered typically required two people to carry and place, a recipient was required to be present at the address to receive the goods, grant access for room-of-choice placement, and authorize any installation work. This appointment structure was a fundamental feature of the type of delivery Innovel handled rather than an optional add-on.

The available service tiers moved along a spectrum from threshold delivery, where goods were left at the entrance of the residence, through white glove delivery, where the crew brought the item to the specific room requested by the customer. Installation services extended the process further, with crew members performing assembly, connection, and testing of delivered appliances or furniture. Haul-away of old units could be included in the same appointment when a replacement appliance was being delivered. No locker delivery, pickup point, or alternative reception option was documented for Innovel's services, which is consistent with the nature of the goods involved since large appliances and furniture cannot practically be retrieved from a pickup location without additional transport.

• Threshold delivery: Item left at the entrance to the delivery address without entry into the home
• White glove delivery: Room-of-choice placement inside the home, with careful handling of walls, floors, and doorframes during transit through the residence
• Installation: Professional connection and setup of appliances or assembly of furniture and fitness equipment, requiring a responsible adult to be present and authorize the work
• Haul-away: Simultaneous removal of old units at the time of delivery of a replacement item
• Scheduled appointments: All white glove and installation deliveries required coordination with the customer to confirm a delivery window

What should I do if my Innovel parcel is lost or damaged?

Innovel Solutions was primarily a business-to-business logistics provider, meaning its relationships with end consumers were typically mediated through the retail clients that contracted its services. In practice, a customer receiving a Costco order fulfilled by Innovel would contact the retailer directly to report damage or a delivery issue, and the retailer would then handle the claim through its commercial arrangement with Innovel. The direct consumer-facing claims process was not publicly documented in detail.

For customers who needed to contact Innovel directly, the company maintained a customer service phone line at +1 888-803-3459. Innovel also held a profile with the Better Business Bureau under its Hoffman Estates, Illinois location, which provided an additional channel for escalating unresolved complaints. Following the March 2020 acquisition by Costco, the Innovel brand was absorbed into Costco Logistics, and claims related to deliveries handled after that point are processed through Costco's own member service channels.

• Primary contact method: Customer service phone at +1 888-803-3459
• BBB profile: Filed under Hoffman Estates, Illinois, BBB ID 0654-90004929, for escalated complaints
• Retail client channel: Customers who ordered through a retailer such as Costco should contact that retailer directly to initiate a damage or loss claim
• Post-acquisition claims: Following the 2020 rebrand to Costco Logistics, member service claims are handled through Costco's own support channels

Does Innovel handle international shipments and customs formalities?

Innovel Solutions did not offer international shipping services. The company's operations were defined entirely within the United States, covering the continental 48 states, Puerto Rico, Anchorage in Alaska, and Oahu in Hawaii. No cross-border logistics, customs clearance handling, or international freight services were part of Innovel's documented service offering at any point in its history under that name.

This domestic focus reflected the company's specialization. The big-and-bulky final-mile delivery model is built around residential delivery infrastructure that is country-specific, requiring local knowledge of addresses, crew dispatch logistics, and building access conditions. Expanding this model internationally would require building equivalent infrastructure in each target country, which was not part of Innovel's strategy before its acquisition and integration into Costco Logistics. Customers needing international shipping for large goods would require a separate carrier with documented cross-border capabilities, as Innovel's network had no presence outside U.S. territory.