Reverse logistics moves goods from their natural final destination (clients, points of sales) backwards among the supply chain to either the initial producer or a new subject of the original chain.

Reverse logistics activities are, using few words, finding and collecting outcomes, the transportation, reception and sorting of returns (as for example unsold items from a retail).

What are the differences between forward logistics and reverse logistics?

ARGUMENT FORWARD LOGISTICS REVERSE LOGISTICS
Demand forecast

Linear

Difficult
Product quality

Uniform

Non-uniform
Packaging type

Uniform

Non-uniform/ damaged/inexistent
Flow type

One-to-many

Many-to-one
Prospect to identify the origin of the flows

Easy

Difficult
Importance given to transportation and delivery rapidity

High

No high
Product traceability

Full

Reduced (absent during usage)
Warehouse management

Optimized

Difficult

For a reverse logistics audit within your business, contact us.