The product return process has long been neglected at companies, written off as a necessary expense that adds no value. The returns function and any process related to it is often given the bare minimum of time and consideration. Typically, once an item is returned, it's thrown into the back of a warehouse and forgotten about while a new product was shipped to the customer.
In the high-tech and electronics industry, cutting costs is often difficult and nearly impossible to do without impacting product quality, time to market, or customer service. Unwilling to compromise on such critical business factors, many electronics companies are turning to less conventional means to drive cost savings and as a result, are often finding ways to not only reduce costs but also improve operations and overall business practices. Reverse logistics is one such area.