Zombie Brands: Bed Bath & Beyond’s Digital Resurrection! 💀🛏️✨

TL;DR: Overstock.com acquires Bed Bath & Beyond, ditches its own name, relaunches as BedBathandBeyond.com, and pumps the site full of goodies. The iconic blue coupon? It’s gone, but there’s an app for that! 📲

Ah, the 21st-century phoenix story! A month after becoming a mere memory in the retail world, Bed Bath & Beyond pops back to life in a digital-only avatar, thanks to Overstock.com. But here’s the twist: Overstock threw its own name in the bin, choosing instead to don the BBB robe. 🎭

“Welcome to a bigger, better beyond” – Overstock’s website booms with this fresh welcome message. Talk about a grand re-entry! And with an extra 15%-20% off bedding, bath, and furniture items, who could resist a quick browse? 🛍️🚀

Jonathan Johnson, CEO of (formerly known as) Overstock, spills the beans, saying, “Since this deal was announced, we have added over 600,000 new products to the site.” Half of us are thinking, ‘That’s a lot of retail therapy potential’, while the other half: ‘How much of it can I fit in my studio apartment?’ 🏢🤔

But don’t expect a walk down memory lane with everything. Those nostalgia-inducing “Big Blue” 20% off coupons aren’t making a comeback. However, the new BBB mobile app promises a warm welcome. Special deals, promotions, and a delightful 25% off coupon for downloading and making purchases – kinda feels like they’re bribing us, right? But hey, who’s complaining? 😉📱

Previous Overstock.com loyalists aren’t left out in the cold either. They’ll receive a 20% off coupon and have their memberships shifted to the rebranded loyalty platform. And good news for old BBB faithfuls: up to $50 in unused loyalty rewards points that went POOF during the bankruptcy? They’re being revived! 👻💵

Physical stores, however, remain in the crypt. “Never say never,” Johnson hints, but makes it clear that they’re not on the horizon just yet. The focus is on a seamless transition and embracing their asset-light business model. Which leaves us wondering: Is the future of retail strictly online? And if it is, are dressing rooms going extinct? 👗🌐

The company is also reevaluating its ticker symbol game. With Overstock and the ticker ‘OSTK’ now seeming out of place, they’re searching for the right fit. But they’re wary about inheriting the “BBBY” label – who wants the ghost of a meme stock gone bankrupt haunting them?

So, amidst all the digital excitement, a lesson in retail resilience emerges. Brands might tumble, but with the right strategies (and maybe some mergers), they can dust themselves off and return. After all, just last month, Babies R Us made its own grand return at the American Dream Mall in New Jersey. Makes you wonder, which brand is next in line for a rebirth? And more importantly, which defunct brand do you want back? 🤷🔄🔥

So here’s our parting question for you: In an era where brick and mortar seems to be fading and online is all the rage, how do you envision the future of shopping? Digital carts over real ones? 🛒🔮