What is really the difference between reverse and traditional logistics?

Reverse logistics is when the customer returns a certain product to the company, which means it has to be taken from the customer's house to the warehouse. Traditional logistics is when goods are transported to the customer.

Why is reverse logistics important and how does it reduce risk to the business?

Reverse logistics can help businesses re-use tools/appliances, achieve sustainability goals, and in general gain control over the supply chain post usage. Right now, most businesses are optimized for a unidirectional supply chain only i.e - from manufacturing to consumers and not the other way around. Additionally, with the advent of GDPR and other data protection acts passed by various governments, it is highly essential that businesses use the reverse logistics route as means to regain devices and ensure protection of consumer data in the used goods marketplace sector.

How much does reverse logistics cost?

A lot of your route optimization software is not equipped to handle reverse logistics. Remember that this involves collecting orders from end customers/ retailers (which mean last mile) and charting a plan that efficiently takes this to the manufacturing hub where you can process the returns or recycle.

What are the different types of reverse logistics?

Reverse logistics can relate to any of the following activities: Returns Returns avoidance Remanufacturing Refurbishing Packaging Unsold goods End-of-life Delivery Failure Rentals & leasing Repairs & maintenance

What is forward logistics and how is it different from reverse logistics?

Forward logistics is the conventional direction of any supply chain starting from the sourcing of raw materials to ensuring the availability of products in retail outlets / delivering it to customer homes. Reverse logistics on the other hand starts from the end of Forward logistics and encompasses the journey to the recycling/dismantling hub.

How to manage a high volume of returns?

Whenever you are dealing with high volume of returns within a small geograhical area, it makes sense to create a zone-based routing system. You can then allocate specific delivery partners for each zone to handle both pick-ups and drops efficiently. Anytime you are involving more than one person for a small area, you are bound to experience a huge uptake in last-mile costs when you grow in scale.

How can reverse logistics help in increasing customer satisfaction?

Customer satisfaction is paramount for companies these days and reverse logistics helps companies ensure the same. Customers these days want a seamless returns experience and this increases the trust factor too.

Does reverse logistics contribute to sustainability?

Reverse logistics can help businesses take back old products which can then be sold in used products marketplaces or dismantled and recycled completely. All of this leads to businesses doing their bit for sustainanbility.

Are there any downsides in reverse logistics?

If you have a good route optimization setup, handling reverse logistics well might translate into a great competitive difference rather than being a disadvantage.

What are the factors to consider while planning for reverse logistics in e-commerce?

The factors are- costs to get the goods back to the warehouse, resource availability, and on-ground transparency.

How can tech help me in handling reverse logistics?

You can make reverse logistics work for you by using a tech platform that will help you reduce costs, increase transparency, consider vehicle and rider constraints and also take in business considerations.

The Best Reverse Logistics Solutions | Returns Logistics Software

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One of the world’s largest multinational consumer goods companies

One of Asia’s leading courier delivery services

American multinational confectionery, food, holding and beverage company

India’s largest fashion e-retailer

A leading multinational conglomerate

A Swiss Multinational food and drink processing conglomerate

India’s largest E-grocery company

One of the largest E-commerce companies in Indonesia

India’s largest meat delivery company

India's leading engineering goods company

What are the key challenges in reverse logistics?

Customers demand returns as a regular option when it comes to online shopping. To ensure a good customer experience without exponentially increasing costs, it is important to have seamless reverse logistics operations in place.

High cost

You incur costs while delivering the package and also while taking it back to your warehouse.

Resource crunch

It is really tough for delivery executives to process returns in their packed daily pickup and drop schedules. This leads to increased costs, SLA breaches, and bad customer experience.

Lack of visibility

Limited on-ground visibility of your resources leads to decision-making paralysis.

Why use Locus to manage your reverse / returns logistics?

Reduce costs

You can now manage your resource efficiently and manage both deliveries and returns simultaneously. All this can be done with your existing on-ground resources.

Order-Vehicle Constraints

Our solution considers real-world order-vehicle constraints and comes up with the best plan to manage your returns.

Preference-based planning

Locus’ solution can take various business and rider considerations into account while managing returns.

Increased transparency

With predictive alerts on delays, real-time vehicle/delivery tracker, and operations analytics, Locus will help you improve the efficiency of delivery executives and the overall customer experience.

The Locus Advantage

Locus’ deployment, engagement, and customer success teams will be with you at every step of your Locus journey. We will ensure that your unique business needs are met to the best of our abilities.

The Locus Trust

Locus is a trustworthy partner when it comes to managing the security of your data. We are ISO 27001:2013 and BS10012:2017 certified.

Key Capabilities of Reverse Logistics

Learn More About Locus Reverse Logistics

Enabling customer satisfaction through smart logistics COVID-19 and Supply Chain: Disruptions and Actions Reverse Logistics : Forward Thinking Pays Big Dividends

How businesses can manage peak delivery periods Last-Mile Delivery Costs: Bringing Order to Chaos How Electronic Proof of Delivery Improves Last-Mile Experience

Key Industries

Our best-in-class offerings will help reduce costs, increase efficiency, and bring consistency and transparency in daily operations.

Our Product Ecosystem

Elevate your supply chain to the next level with the Locus product suite

Frequently Asked Questions

What is really the difference between reverse and traditional logistics?

Reverse logistics is when the customer returns a certain product to the company, which means it has to be taken from the customer's house to the warehouse. Traditional logistics is when goods are transported to the customer.
Why is reverse logistics important and how does it reduce risk to the business?

Reverse logistics can help businesses re-use tools/appliances, achieve sustainability goals, and in general gain control over the supply chain post usage. Right now, most businesses are optimized for a unidirectional supply chain only i.e - from manufacturing to consumers and not the other way around. Additionally, with the advent of GDPR and other data protection acts passed by various governments, it is highly essential that businesses use the reverse logistics route as means to regain devices and ensure protection of consumer data in the used goods marketplace sector.
How much does reverse logistics cost?

A lot of your route optimization software is not equipped to handle reverse logistics. Remember that this involves collecting orders from end customers/ retailers (which mean last mile) and charting a plan that efficiently takes this to the manufacturing hub where you can process the returns or recycle.
What are the different types of reverse logistics?
Reverse logistics can relate to any of the following activities:
- Returns
- Returns avoidance
- Remanufacturing
- Refurbishing
- Packaging
- Unsold goods
- End-of-life
- Delivery Failure
- Rentals & leasing
- Repairs & maintenance
What is forward logistics and how is it different from reverse logistics?

Forward logistics is the conventional direction of any supply chain starting from the sourcing of raw materials to ensuring the availability of products in retail outlets / delivering it to customer homes. Reverse logistics on the other hand starts from the end of Forward logistics and encompasses the journey to the recycling/dismantling hub.
How to manage a high volume of returns?

Whenever you are dealing with high volume of returns within a small geograhical area, it makes sense to create a zone-based routing system. You can then allocate specific delivery partners for each zone to handle both pick-ups and drops efficiently. Anytime you are involving more than one person for a small area, you are bound to experience a huge uptake in last-mile costs when you grow in scale.

How can reverse logistics help in increasing customer satisfaction?

Customer satisfaction is paramount for companies these days and reverse logistics helps companies ensure the same. Customers these days want a seamless returns experience and this increases the trust factor too.
Does reverse logistics contribute to sustainability?

Reverse logistics can help businesses take back old products which can then be sold in used products marketplaces or dismantled and recycled completely. All of this leads to businesses doing their bit for sustainanbility.
Are there any downsides in reverse logistics?

If you have a good route optimization setup, handling reverse logistics well might translate into a great competitive difference rather than being a disadvantage.
What are the factors to consider while planning for reverse logistics in e-commerce?

The factors are- costs to get the goods back to the warehouse, resource availability, and on-ground transparency.
How can tech help me in handling reverse logistics?

You can make reverse logistics work for you by using a tech platform that will help you reduce costs, increase transparency, consider vehicle and rider constraints and also take in business considerations.

Reverse / Returns Logistics

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