Tips and Trends for Every Step of the Returns Cycle

In today’s dynamic retail landscape, retailers, brands, and third-party logistics (3PL) providers face complex challenges, balancing economic upheaval with evolving consumer expectations. Amidst this complexity, sustainability has emerged as a strategic imperative, not just an ethical consideration. While many think about powering the circular economy through manufacturing practices, looking at returned inventory can offer a more effective, achievable path to sustainability. In this article, we take a look at how an RMS reduces operational waste — via the TIMWOODS framework — and drives profitability through sustainability.

Returns are an integral part of the retail industry, significantly impacting customer loyalty, operational efficiency, and profitability. In 2024, the total value of returned goods reached approximately $890 billion, representing ~17% of all goods sold. Effectively managing returns is, therefore, essential for retailers aiming to thrive in 2025 and beyond. This article explores critical questions surrounding returns and provides actionable strategies for retailers.

Returns are a big part of shopping, especially as online sales keep growing. How retailers handle the first step—return initiation—can make or break the customer experience. In this article, we’ll explore UX best practices and strategies for creating a seamless customer return experience (CRX) and driving return portal adoption, including insights from our Design Team’s latest retailer experience audit.

As consumers, we all know the rush we feel after making an exciting purchase. But for retailers, the purchase high is just the beginning of a long, complex process that hinges on data, systems, people, processes and technologies that have to be humming in harmony to surprise and delight. And if the product doesn’t quite hit the mark…initiate and process a return.

This year over half of retailers said that they are looking for ways to increase recovery for returns, yet few organizations know exactly how to unlock revenue retention. In this article, we look at the power of a SmartDisposition® engine for returned merchandise, and how to systematize margin-making decisions.

Returns are now a regular part of the shopping experience, with 45.82% of consumers making multiple returns a month – a significant jump from 16.51% in 2023. This poses a challenge for retailers as they navigate rising return rates and evolving consumer expectations.

In today’s hyper-competitive retail landscape, optimizing every facet of the supply chain is essential for success. While much emphasis is placed on outbound logistics, reverse logistics, the process of handling customer returns, presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities for enterprise retailers.

In today’s omnichannel world, seamless store returns are a must for retailers aiming to meet customer expectations and maximize profitability. The growing trend of BORIS (Buy Online, Return In-Store) highlights the need for flexible, efficient return solutions. Retailers equipped with a strategic approach to returns management can turn this potential pain point into a profitable advantage, fostering loyalty and growth.

The retailer tech stack is complex, and folding additional software into the mix can be cumbersome. So, what do retailers and 3PLs need to consider when integrating returns software into their tech stack?

The retail industry is in a constant state of flux, and the rise of omnichannel shopping has brought about a wave of new opportunities and challenges. Omnichannel strategies are no longer a luxury but a necessity for retailers to thrive in today’s dynamic marketplace. While the benefits of a unified shopping experience are well documented, the complexities of omnichannel returns often remain a pain point for even the most sophisticated retailers.

While returns technology has become a must-have in recent years, many retailers and brands make the mistake of only considering one touchpoint of the returns lifecycle, and therefore (inadvertently) shifting the problem to another part of the business. How can retailers, brands, and logistics providers mitigate returns cost?

In the intricate world of retail, returns management can feel like a tangled knot. Integrating any system with ERP, order management, commerce, and accounting platforms often requires complex custom coding and rigid connections. This is where MACH architecture steps in, offering a breath of fresh air and a path towards smoother, more efficient operations.

Traditionally, personalization has been reserved for the shopping experience and outbound fulfillment. In 2024 we see savvy retailers analyzing and investing in reverse logistics with the same mindset as outbound.

The need for sustainable practices in retail has never been more urgent. And shoppers agree. In fact, 63% of consumers actively seek out brands that have sustainability efforts putting increasing pressure on retailers to adopt a “circular” mindset.  This article delves into the key aspects of circularity and sustainability including: What is circularity in retail? …

Fully appreciating the nuances in shopper returns behaviors is the only way to take control of your returns loss. Only when you recognize and categorize them into preventable or unpreventable returns can you tailor a return management system to mitigate its business cost.

2023 was a year of strong growth and high impact for Optoro. Explore how we made a difference for our customers, communities, and the planet.

Returns are an evergreen challenge for both retailers and 3PLs. Yet, many tools fall short when it comes to mitigating the impact of returns. In this article we’ll take a look at the key differences between using a WMS and an RMS for retail returns.

Discover how retailers can optimize the returns lifecycle and transform returns into opportunities. The secrets below reveal how the right processes coupled with the right returns management system (RMS) can result in delighted customers, which ultimately drives loyalty.

At a time where cutting costs is paramount for both shoppers and retailers alike, attracting and retaining holiday customers is going to be more important (and more difficult) than ever. Check out this report to learn what customers expect in a returns experience and how meet these expectations while still cutting costs.

We don’t need to tell you that Shoptalk 2023 was one of the biggest events in retail…so let’s just skip to the good stuff.

The Lead’s Foremost 50 Forum celebrates direct-to-consumer brands who have changed the game over the past year. It brings together a collection of CEOs and Founders who share insights into how the industry is changing and what trends we can expect to see in the future. This elite group of retail leaders share their insights into how they manage their accelerating D2C growth, and what solutions they are investing in.

NRF 2023 has come to an end: the speakers have spoken, the exhibitors have exhibited, and retail leaders from around the world have returned home with new information to drive their long term strategies. The show was a cornucopia of emerging technology, industry leaders, and keynote speakers who revealed how retailers are tackling the challenges 2023 will bring. And, in the coming months, conversations from the Show will continue. Here are our top 5 takeaways that are helping us shape conversations in 2023.

Retail’s Big Show is finally here, and for those attending, there will be new experiences around every corner. Keep reading to discover a few things not to miss at NRF 2023!

Reverse logistics software is one of the most powerful tools a retailer can invest in to cut costs, drive efficiency, and improve processing – especially with the peak holiday season ramping up. Today, the best returns platforms operate using AI from end-to-end. So, let’s dive into how it works, best practices for leveraging this technology, and what’s on the horizon for AI.