Mastering Reverse Logistics:

The Critical Role of Dispositioning Strategy for Retailers

Key Factors in Your Dispositioning Strategy

Assessing product condition and proper sorting of returns is basic. Items that are in like-new condition can be restocked and resold, while damaged or obsolete products can be refurbished, recycled, or liquidated. Out-of-season clothing may need to be liquidated quickly to avoid inventory obsolescence.

Retailers also need to assess the cost implications of different dispositioning options. For example, restocking/reselling may appear to cost less than refurbishment or recycling, but the potential resale value may be less than the extra handling that will be required. Every extra touch also adds cost.

In addition, if you are refurbishing/recertifying, you must consider the impact to the brand – if it’s not done properly and well, you could end up with a negative perception about a lack of quality that could impact new product sales.

Benefits of an Effective Dispositioning Strategy

By making better-informed decisions about dispositioning, retailers can minimize costs associated with handling returns. Opting for the most cost-effective dispositioning method helps maximize profitability.

Further, a well-planned dispositioning strategy improves returns processing, and faster returns processing helps with customer satisfaction. Offering hassle-free returns and efficient handling can also improve brand loyalty. Quick and effective dispositioning reduces the time that returned items spend in inventory, cutting holding costs and freeing up valuable space for more profitable merchandise.

Last, adopting environmentally-friendly dispositioning practices not only contributes to corporate social responsibility, but also aligns with consumer preferences.

The Right Building Blocks

To develop an efficient disposition strategy, start by leveraging your data and analytics. They’ll provide insights into return trends, product condition, and optimal dispositioning strategies – for example, whether it’s worth the extra touches to sort products by value before they are palletized.

Collaborating with suppliers, manufacturers, and third-party logistics providers can streamline the dispositioning process and improve efficiency. The ability to customize the process can also be critical. Every retailer is unique, so be sure to choose a partner who can adapt their processes to yours.

Regularly review and redefine your strategies based on performance metrics and feedback. We recommend reviewing your plan annually and at least once every two years to build a culture of continuous improvement and adapt to changing market dynamics.

How Far Upstream?

Beginning your disposition strategy further upstream in the supply chain can offer several benefits.

1. Proactive Management

By identifying products or components that are more likely to be returned based on historical data or market trends, you can implement strategies to mitigate these returns before they happen.

2. Reduced Costs

For example, identifying quality issues or production errors early in the supply chain can reduce the number of defective products that reach customers, thus decreasing returns and their associated costs, including restocking, transportation, and handling.

3. Improved Product Quality

For OEMs and manufacturers, earlier disposition strategies encourage a focus on product quality throughout the supply chain. By emphasizing QC measures during manufacturing, companies can reduce the likelihood of returns due to defects or poor product performance and keep brand reputation intact.

4. Efficient Inventory Management

Early disposition strategies improve inventory management by identifying slow-moving or obsolete inventory before it becomes a problem. Retailers can proactively discount, repackage, or redistribute these products before they pile up as returns.

5. Better Customer Experience

By ensuring that customers receive high-quality products that meet their expectations, companies not only reduce the frequency of returns, they enhance loyalty and brand reputation.

6. Increased Sustainability

By reducing the number of returns and optimizing inventory management, companies can minimize waste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions.