With e-commerce moving over $5.8 trillion globally in 2023, according to Industry Growth Trends, the number of returns also increased, accounting for up to 30% of online purchases in Brazil.
This emphasized volume highlighted the need for faster and more reliable processes. Companies investing in automation and standardization are leading the role of reverse logistics, improving operational efficiency and promoting sustainability.
Importance of standardization in retail
Managing large-scale returns is a challenge that requires precision and consistency. Lack of standardization, such as unequal deadlines and inconsistent treatment of returned products, can lead to high costs, inventory losses, and customer dissatisfaction.
Carlos Tanaka, founder ofPostalGowexplain how standardization transformed this scenario. Creating consistent return flows allows companies to reduce errors, speed up processes, and improve the customer experience. At PostalGow, each step, from collection to reconditioning, follows clear and automated protocols.
PostalGow uses an integrated network of over 9,000 collection points and Distribution Centers equipped with advanced sorting systems. This standardized model ensures that each return is processed quickly and efficiently, regardless of volume or geographic location.
Automation is another pillar in the modernization of return logistics. Tools such as artificial intelligence and real-time tracking systems help reduce processing time and increase reliability.
The DevolvaFácil platform, developed by PostalGow, integrates with the contracting companies' ERP systems to monitor the entire return cycle, from voucher issuance to reconditioning or recycling of products. "Technology allows us to monitor each stage of the process and quickly identify operational bottlenecks, correcting them proactively," explains Tanaka.
In Distribution Centers, automation goes beyond tracking. Intelligent processes automatically identify the conditions of returned products, sorting them for reuse or disposal. This automated screening reduces human errors and speeds up the return process, allowing refurbished products to quickly re-enter the market.
Efficiency and sustainability
Standardization and automation directly impact sustainability. Reconditioning equipment reduces the need to manufacture new products, decreasing the extraction of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions.
Additionally, standardized processes ensure that recyclable materials are properly separated and sent for reuse. PostalGow refurbishes up to 70,000 devices per month and recycles components that cannot be reused, promoting the circular economy.
For retail, these advances also represent significant savings. Studies indicate that automation can reduce operational costs by up to 30%, while simultaneously improving the customer experience. "We transform a process that is often seen as a cost into an opportunity to create value, both for companies and for consumers," highlights Tanaka.
Customer Experience
A well-structured return logistics also strengthens the relationship with the customer. The ease of returning a product and the speed of processing refunds or exchanges are decisive factors for customer loyalty.
PostalGow, for example, invests in convenience by providing thousands of return points in partnership with the Post Office and other accredited partners. Consumers can easily return products and track the progress of the return in real time, ensuring transparency at every stage.
