Product returns—reverse logistics—are also a factor in a green and sustainable supply chain. According to Optoro, a Washington, D.C., software company that provides retailers with cloud-based, multi-channel selling technology, the environmental impact of the 3.5 million products that consumers return every year is 4 billion pounds of waste and 11 million metric tons of carbon emissions.
“Most stores, including the large retailers with old systems and a lot of storefronts, don’t have the capacity to manage this in a way that’s financially substantial or environmentally friendly,” says Ann Calamai, Optoro’s director of sustainability.
Returned merchandise usually goes back into inventory, gets liquidated, or is donated or thrown out, she says. In addition, inefficient returns systems contribute to energy waste and pollution. Optoro’s systems that help find new homes for returns include a direct-to-consumer retail site, Blinq.com, and a liquidation sales site, Bulq.com.