Publisher: RLA
Author: Sandra Rhee
Publish Date: 2024

Recent industry reports indicate shifts in return policies, moving from free to fee-based models with increasing exceptions, rules, and customizations. In response, RLA conducted a comprehensive analysis of return policies in 2024. Return policies serve as the crucial bridge between customers, retailers, and manufacturers, with their language often reflecting the level of trust extended to the customer. This research uncovers trends in the language surrounding return conditions—detailing how, when, and what items can be refunded. The findings offer valuable insights into the evolving customer return experience and the expectations on reverse logistics systems to support the desired experience.

Publisher: RLA
Author: David Medof
Publish Date: 2024
In today's climate-conscious business landscape, reverse logistics (also called “RL”) has emerged as a critical component of corporate sustainability initiatives. Companies across industries are increasingly releasing detailed RL data in their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting, driven by a growing emphasis on circularity and waste reduction. To harness the power of this wealth of information, the Reverse Logistics Association (RLA) has developed an innovative online platform designed to aggregate and analyze this valuable data. By standardizing reverse logistics metrics with a database system, our project facilitates statistical analysis and benchmarking. This standardization not only allows for quantitative comparisons but also uncovers novel approaches to making reverse logistics more sustainable and profitable.

Publisher: Liquidity Services
Published Date: 2023

This new benchmarking study, which was independently conducted among 100+ retail reverse logistics and supply chain leaders, explores industry best practices for increasing recovery, improving transportation and storage/warehouse efficiency, and obtaining better data and analytics.

Publisher: Newmine
Published Date: Jun 2024

Returns Resolved Actionable Steps Every Retailer Can Take Returns have become an inevitable part of the retail landscape, but the status quo doesn't have to be the norm. Last year, we released Returns Uncovered - New Insights on a Growing Problem, discussing the retail returns issue and questioning conventional solutions. In this second edition, we examine retail relationships and provide quick, actionable steps that every retailer can take to reduce returns. Download the Research

Author: Cathy Roberson
Publisher: Reverse Logistics Association
Published Date: 2021

Collaboration between a company's Finance and RL teams will result in lowering the costs of returns. By understanding the costs of returns and utilizing such financial tools as a returns cost worksheet, companies will be able to turn RL from a cost center to potentially a profit center.