Reverse logistics are something that many companies are using.   It is the way in which product returns are managed so that people don’t have to worry about waiting in line or spending extra money on returns.   They also take care of exchanges for items that need to be exchanged out. Finally, they manage recycling, which of course, is disposal of such items in a manner that helps with improving the ecosystem and environment. 

Designing for the return trip is a process and here, we will go over how to manage your logistics through the return functions that this has. 

Make Returns Easy 

Some packaging is made in a manner that ensures safe returns.

Dual adhesive strips are an example, where you have double-sided tape that can be pulled off, and then once it’s time for the item to go back, you just peel it off. simple as that.

There’s also reusable mailers, which are mailers that get sales up again, usually with an adhesive. Again, it is made so that it can be sealed and disposed of, or returned back to the sender. 

Then, you have tear-away labels. Some of these can be torn and an adhesive is put in place, to help with disposal and recycling of such items. 

Make them Strong for Shipping 

Reinforced corners are a big part of this, where you won’t have to worry about the item being hit or marred.   There are also waterproof exteriors as well, where it is waterproof in a manner where you cannot show the water coming inside, or it will push away water so it doesn’t get into the contents, making it impervious to flood and other such damage. 

Finally, you have reusable boxes. These are boxes that you can use again and again, which will in turn, make the packaging stand out all the more. 

All of these come and work together, in order to ensure that your packaging is disposed of and returned to its rightful place, in a manner that’s best fit for these items as well. 

Consumer expectations 

Lots of consumers expect a lot from this. Most of the important ones include hassle-free returns, which makes it so that your items are returned in a way that’s easy to use, and without much trouble. 

This can influence buying decisions. Many companies and people will use this type of shipping in order to influence such buying decisions. So, if you want to have more people buying from you, you  need to make sure that your reverse logistics are in place, designed for your customer needs. 

Brands that do this Well 

A lot of brands that are in the ecommerce world do the returns process very well.

Most notably, is amazon. We’ve gotten packages from amazon before where the item might not be ideal, or you want to exchange it.   They make it so that you can return it to a hub, and the return packaging can be the box that it came in. A lot of other ecommerce brands are taking this on as well. Some have built in bags that can be closed up later on, making it so that they ship out these items without much trouble. 

Overall, you need to look at various companies, such as rentals, electronics, and other companies, and follow their lead on this. The return trip is just as important as the trip forward, so make sure that you take time and effort to ensure that your packaging fits the needs of the company, in order to achieve resounding success for your brand. n