Consumer demands drive need for reverse logistics

If a company does not have
standard reverse logistics
processes in place, it
could stand to lose repeat
business, according to Adam
Robinson, spokesperson
for global transportation
management analyst,
Cerasis.
He said the power of
consumers continued
to grow and
consumer
demand would
shape logistics
service
providers’
offerings.
“For
logistics
service
providers,
getting products
to business-tobusiness
partners and
consumers is only half
the battle,” Robsinson
commented, highlighting
that these products could
have another life when their
raw materials were recycled
and repurposed.
“The products may be
returned for defects or
because of buyer’s remorse.
Ultimately, the flow of
products must be seamlessly
bidirectional,” he said.
He pointed to e-commerce
giant Amazon as a company
that understood the value
of an easy-to-use reverse
logistics strategy.
“For example, a consumer
can access the Amazon
Returns Centre and initiate
the shipping label
printing and
shipping of
products from
any internetaccessible
device. But
Amazon’s
service after
the sale does
not end there.
Consumers
can try to sell an
unwanted product
as a seller once the return
window closes, so the reverse
logistics process becomes
full circle with new-product
logistics and shipping,”
explained Robinson.
He said his model of
bidirectional operation would
further encourage supply
chain logistics providers to
streamline reverse logistics
throughout 2018.