What Is Reverse Logistics and How Does It Work?

Reverse logistics have become a key element of any successful supply chain. Reverse logistics refers to the process of taking items returned by customers and returning them to the manufacturer or distributor.
Today, consumers expect no-hassle returns. Returns on e-commerce orders exceed those made in stores by 3 to 4 times. That means reverse logistics is critical for most businesses. Learn more about this process below.
Reverse logistics refers to the type of supply chain management that transports products from customers back to the manufacturers or sellers. Processes like recycling and returns require reverse logistics once a customer receives a product.
Reverse logistics begin at the end consumer, going back through the supply chain network to the distribution center or from the distributor to the manufacturer. They can also include processes where the end consumer handles the final disposal of the product, including resale, refurbishing, and recycling.
A reverse logistics expert is a professional who can help your business be more efficient by offering a reverse logistics solution and suggesting and implementing process improvements in your reverse supply chain. An excellent reverse logistics expert will consider your business priorities, customers, and sales goals.
Companies use reverse logistics when products move from their final destination backward through the supply chain to the seller or supplier. The objectives of reverse logistics are to retrieve value from the product or dispose of it and ensure repeat customers.
At least 30% of items ordered online are returned, compared to less than 10% of in-store purchases. Smart organizations typically have a reverse logistics strategy to build customer loyalty, repeat business, and reduce losses associated with returns.
Reverse logistics moves products from the endpoint of the supply chain at least one step back. The reverse logistics process includes handling returns and purchasing excess materials and goods. It's also responsible for managing any refurbishments or leases.
Reverse logistics vary across different industries, and there are various incentives for enhancing logistics management.
For example, in the construction industry, the reverse logistics process moves and recycles salvaged materials to new sites. There are opportunities for cost savings with reverse logistics implementation as the construction industry adopts more sustainable practices to minimize waste.
In the beverage industry, reverse logistics uses empty tap containers. Beverage production companies reuse their containers to recapture their value. That requires a good reverse logistics strategy, which considers cleaning the containers, managing shipping loads, and transportation.
Traditional goods flow begins with suppliers and moves on to manufacturers or distributors. From there, the items travel to retailers and consumers. On the other hand, reverse logistics management begins with the customer and returns the goods to any point along the supply chain.
An effective supply chain is responsive to changes and can handle reverse logistics requirements. This process can return a defective product one stage back in the supply chain or to the initial supplier. Moreover, they can send returned goods back to sales or discount channels.
Process the return: The return process begins once the consumer signals they want to return an item. It should include authorization and identification of the product's condition. The return process also involves approving refunds, scheduling return shipments, and replacing defective items.
Handle the returns: Once a returned item arrives at your location or processing center, examine it and determine its return category. Sort them into disposition options: resell as new, resell as return, fix, recycle, refurbish, or scrap.
Reduce your daily waste: Reduce your daily waste by sending fixable products to the repair branch.
Repair: Once you review the returned product and determine whether it can be fixed, move it to the repair location. If that's not possible, sell the sellable parts.
Recycle: Send any products or parts that you can't repair, reuse, or resell to the space for recycling.
The five Rs of reverse logistics are:
Companies typically apply metrics to each of these stages to track their progress.
Reverse logistics is vital since it maintains an efficient flow of products. An effective reverse logistics program can reduce costs and risks, create value, and complete the product life cycle.
Many companies plan to invest in the circular economy. This type of economy follows traditional logistics and continues through a closed-loop supply chain.
In a closed-loop supply chain, companies operate in a system focused on a sustainable economy and fighting environmental issues. Businesses find new uses for disposed items with repair, recovery, and recycling. Materiels that were once viewed as waste become valuable again.
The circular economy also ensures compliance as many countries institute a policy demanding producers to employ more sustainable practices. The guidelines define subsidies for recycling, waste prevention, research, and development. Other policies mandate collection and recycling programs, penalize some waste practices and restrict landfills.
Returns are key factors in commerce today. A lack of a comprehensive returns program will disappoint customers, resulting in poor reviews and loss of market share.
Consumers are more willing to buy when they understand the return policy, even if they don't return the product. A return process backed by reverse logistics management gives them peace of mind and a sense of trust.
Reverse logistics offer financial benefits while positively affecting the business culture and environment. Refining the processes for what happens to items after delivery helps save money and retain customers.
The product data collected when engaging with consumers after delivery is a perk of effective reverse logistics. The information offers insight into the company's supply chain and opportunities to improve items and customer experience.
Reverse logistics can also lead to better supply chain visibility, which can lead to perks such as:
A challenge of reverse logistics is that the flow has to go both ways, and managers must set up the right infrastructure for it to be effective and efficient. That usually requires software that can track and automate each stage of reverse logistics. Moreover, once the infrastructure is set, management must continuously monitor and evaluate the company's reverse logistics processes to ensure efficiency.
Businesses have to track inbound and outbound logistics for the full picture. Inbound logistics handle the receipt of raw goods or materials from the supplier to the manufacturer. On the other hand, outbound logistics cover processes that deliver the finished product to the end-user.
Both outbound and inbound logistics are evaluated from the manufacturer's point of view. And reverse logistics can be part of any point in the supply chain.
After reading this article, you have a good idea of what reverse logistics is and how it works. Apart from offering many benefits such as reduced costs and better customer experience, reverse logistics is also an eco-friendly solution that can help combat environmental issues.
Feel free to check Unival Logistics and find a transportation solution that will suit your business.
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.105 per ton-mile. Reducing truck transport and opting for the optimal rail transload facility can help increase expense savings through rail.</p> <h2>Rail Freight and Intermodal Strategy</h2> <p>Intermodal is the use of two or more freight transporting modes. When combining rail and road, trains are utilized for the long-haul chunk of the transport. Trucks are used to ship loads from the origin to the terminal and then from the terminal to the recipient, known as drayage.</p> <p><strong>Using rail freight as part of an intermodal strategy has many benefits</strong>, which you can discover below.</p> <h2>Rail Freight Is Eco-Friendly</h2> <p>Given the current state of our environment, caring for it is imperative. From an ecological point of view, rail freight is a great transport alternative compared to air, sea, and road freight. <strong>The biggest advantage of rail freight is the reduction of CO2 emissions</strong>. Compared to other transport modes, rail freight leaves the smallest carbon footprint.</p> <p>For example, air freight consumes 138 tons of CO2, and the combination of air and sea consumes approximately 76 tons of CO2. However, rail freight consumes only 5 tons of CO2 over the same distance. That’s why, now more than ever, rail freight deserves more attention.</p> <h2>Rail Transportation Is Safe and Efficient</h2> <p>Railway safety has notably improved over the past couple of decades. Now, <strong>rail transportation is one of the safest shipping options</strong>. With steady investments in railway infrastructure, routings, tracks, terminals, and border crossing stations, there’s a significant enhancement in the performance of rail freight.</p> <p>Moreover, GPS tracking in trains prevents theft and losses, protecting the goods in transit. Since carriers can locate their customers’ shipments and follow up on milestones, they can deliver information on container position and detect if something unexpected happens during the transportation.</p> <h2>Rail Freight Is Fast and Reliable</h2> <p><strong>Rail freight is a fast and reliable shipping mode</strong> with shorter lead times when compared to sea freight. Although not always possible, there are many situations when rail freight is a more optimal choice than other transport modes.</p> <p>For instance, one of the biggest challenges for companies with production in China is the long lead times to northern Europe when shipping by sea. Sea shipping from China to that part of Europe typically takes around seven weeks.</p> <p>With rail freight, the shipping times can be cut in half, significantly reducing the lead time. Shorter lead times can make it easier to predict business operations and costs, positively impacting capital binding.</p> <p>In addition, rail freight transport is a <strong>punctual mode of transport</strong>. Compared to sea and road freight which can be subjected to bad weather and congestion, not much can hinder the rail path, reducing the risk of unexpected delays.</p> <h2>Are There any Drawbacks of Rail Transportation?</h2> <p>Intermodal containers experience a lot of movement during transit that can damage their contents. There’s a risk of a denied claim if cargo isn't appropriately blocked and braced by rail standards.</p> <h2>Rail Freight Shipping Can Be Your Optimal Choice</h2> <p>Rail shipping has many benefits and very few drawbacks. Apart from being extremely reliable, rail freight is also cost-effective. On top of that, it leaves the smallest carbon footprint compared to other shipping modes.</p> <p>With rising challenges in sustaining our environment, it’s vital to do everything we can to reduce CO2 emissions and reduce the impact of global warming. For those reasons, using rail freight as a part of intermodal strategy can be an optimal choice for many companies that wish to see improvement in our environment.</p> <p><a href="https://unival-logistics.com/">Unival Logistics</a> provides end-to-end logistic solutions and we always choose optimal routes, so that your packages arrive on time and cause the least amount of pollution. You can also take out <a href="https://unival-logistics.com/package-insurance">full-value insurance for high-value goods</a>, track your packages in real-time, and integrate your business with Unival’s API.</p> <p>If you need a logistics partner that combines traditionally effective methods of transport with modern solutions, contact Unival Logistics.</p> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BlogPosting", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://unival-logistics.com/rail-freight" }, "headline": "What You Need to Know About Rail Freight", "description": "Rail freight is reliable, fast, and green and can be an excellent choice for various businesses. Learn more about it on this page.", "image": "https://dev.unival-logistics.com/img/train-on-tracks.jpg", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Unival Logistics", "url": "https://unival-logistics.com/" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Unival Logistics", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://unival-logistics.com/theme/Unival1/images/unival-logo-new.svg" } }, "datePublished": "2022-07-01", "dateModified": "2022-12-01" } </script>
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