Challenge: A top-10 big-box retailer needed to consolidate returns processing and improve returns management, vendor returns consolidation and liquidation yield. They were sorting returns at more than 450 store locations, and sending single packages in small shipments to vendors receiving returns. The company wanted returns data visibility to aid forward-focused planning and warehouse management.
Solution: Inmar Intelligence developed a SaaS solution built to meet the retailer’s specific supply chain infrastructure — including vendor interlocks, processing needs and business rules for disposition of returns and overstocks.
Results: With improved visibility, merchandisers could analyze returns trends in various categories to better inform buying decisions. The retailer moved returns consolidation from its hundreds of back-store locations to 13 distribution depots — saving $4 million monthly in labor and transportation costs. Vendor returns are now consolidated and shipped more frequently in truckloads vs. individual packages, improving overall inventory visibility.
About the Solution Provider: Inmar Intelligence, with its ProductLifeycle Cloud, is an industry leading provider of technology-driven reverse logistics, supply chain and customer experience solutions for brands, manufacturers, distributors, merchants and carriers. Our comprehensive offerings improve margins and increase customer satisfaction. Solutions include Post-Purchase Experience Solutions, Returns Management, Liquidation and Supply Chain Performance Analytics.
