Message from the Editor

By Felecia Przybyla, Reverse Logistics Association

PART 3 OF MY RETURNS EXPERIENCES:

I recently bought 2 items online from a major (brick and mortar and eCommerce) retailer. When the items arrived, I was surprised to see they were sent from a third party. After opening the package and trying them out, I decided the items were not keepers, so I returned them to the brick and mortar store nearby. Once I arrived, I found out I couldn’t return them to the store, and had to return them using the enclosed shipping label. Once home, I checked out the included invoice, and saw on that return label small text saying there would be a charge for returning the items that would be deducted from my refund (due to shipping, etc). I was a bit annoyed. When I ordered the items, I was under the impression I was buying from this big box retailer, not a third party, and would be able to return it back to the store - but now with the items in hand, I find out that was not the case. No where on my order confirmation email did it ever say the items were coming from a third party, or that there are different return policies. So, I called Customer Service to inquire about the miscommunication during my purchase. After being transferred a few times, the last person I spoke to told me that I would be refunded the complete amount for both items (from this major retailer), and to just dispose or donate the items. I guess I got the response I wanted, BUT, how can this be a reverse logistics best practice? I would think it would be more cost effective to just return the items, and be able to resell them, than to take a total loss – but perhaps the cost of shipping, warehousing, and making the item resalable might be more costly than the actual cost of the items. Perhaps, this is another opportunity for a solution provider to make an improvement.

Felecia Przybyla

RL Magazine Editor

Editor@rla.org

Felecia is the Director of Media at the Reverse Logistics Association (RLA).  She has worked with RLA since 2010 and throughout her tenure, Felecia has worn many hats, contributing to various aspects of the organization’s media,  communications and events strategies. Felecia’s extensive experience and leadership have made her an integral part of RLA’s continued growth and success in the industry.