If we were to name the main professionals in the logistics sector
One of the main actors in the complex management of the distribution chain is logistics. Companies are constantly looking for the most effective ways to optimise their logistics processes with the goal of guaranteeing a low-cost supply chain that is also efficient and sustainable.
In recent years, more and more importance is being given to “reverse logistics” .
This term indicates all the processes aimed at managing the return of products and goods from the point of arrival to the point of departure (for example, returns for repairs, replacements, disposal, recycling, etc.).
Why is reverse logistics becoming more and more important?
The data speaks for itself: for goods purchased online, the return rate is about 30% more, or three times more, than what is recorded for physical stores (where returns are about 8.89% of the products purchased).
Therefore, with the emergence of e-commerce, effective reverse logistics has become an essential component, capable of determining the success or failure of a company.
Returns have become one of the biggest supply challenges for businesses today. A good reverse logistics strategy is therefore critical to maintaining effective inventory management practices and regulating operating expenses.
Furthermore, for those who have an online store, it is extremely important to understand the dynamic behaviour of consumers in order to understand their purchasing behaviour and increase customer satisfaction: each return must also be seen as an opportunity to obtain useful information that helps to improve future sales.
Collaboration with suppliers is essential for a good inverse logistics strategy: adequate agreements between merchants, suppliers and sellers can help to better estimate the total cost of returns and reduce risks.
Furthermore, to gain a competitive advantage over other online stores, a company's return policies must be focused on the customer (who wants efficient, fast and free returns) without losing sight of the company's resources and capabilities.
The health emergency has also inevitably caused an economic crisis that has affected many sectors and has had negative effects on the entire global supply chain.
At the start of the pandemic, consumption of all non-essential items plummeted, leading to huge stockpiles in warehouses.
However, as the pandemic continued, people changed their shopping habits: buying online became a safe alternative that allowed them to receive what they needed without having to leave the house or go to crowded stores.
In this way, even people who were previously the most reluctant to buy online have become accustomed to buying on the internet, which they continue to do even after the emergency is over. This leads to an inevitable, further expansion of e-commerce and, consequently, reverse logistics plays an even more decisive role.
This is the best time for companies to implement significant changes that allow them to plan a holistic strategy that also helps them identify production and transport.
You cannot lose sight of customer expectations: more and more people want easy and pleasant shopping experiences in all its aspects, so companies should work on network consolidation and use cross-channel returns strategies.
With the centralisation of data, then, consumer behaviours can be measured and used to improve the shopping experience and, in turn, sales.
