As many of you know, Returnalyze sponsored and presented at the recent Consumer Returns Conference in Austin. What a fantastic event! It’s great to get out and meet other returns experts face to face to learn, socialize, and collaborate.
At the event we were able to meet with other returns experts who share a common language with consistent objectives and goals.
Chairperson Gray King’s opening remarks addressed the pressures that the returns ecosystem has been facing over the last few years including:
- Increased Returns Volume
- Operational Cost structure
- Consumer expectations for free and easy returns
- Environmental and Sustainability Momentum
Despite the challenges laid out, Gray’s message was very aspirational as many of the returns experts present were determined to pursue a better way forward for returns. Read Gray’s post here. Our sessions supported/ illustrated Gray’s insights.
Returnalyze Sessions at Consumer Returns
Returnalyze VP of Customer Success Christine Bradford participated on a Panel with experts from Nordstrom and other consultants to discuss Utilizing Data Analytics for More Efficient and Accurate Consumer Returns Management At this panel, we found that panelists and attendees were very curious about the ability to digest returns data into actionable insights that could be operationalized quickly. There also is a strong sentiment to expand the usage of returns insights not just in the supply chain and operational area, but across the aisle to Ecommerce, merchandising, CRM, and Customer Experience departments.
Roundtable
In the Roundtable led by Christine and Keith Savitz, Returnalyze SVP, Business Development – How to Operationalize Data Insights to Reduce Returns - we had two very engaged discussions with returns professionals. Here we shared several examples of how Returnalyze is able to dive deeply into client’s data to provide advice that has profound business impact. For example, Returnalyze determined that the positive impact of bracketing was significant for a major apparel client as bracketing customers experienced higher Lifetime Value (LTV) repeat orders and customer satisfaction. This resulted in implementing some shopping cart programs to encourage customers to add items in another color.
Our Favorite Session
One of our favorite sessions from the conference was given by Rob Sondergard, Director of Returns & Appeasements, Abercrombie & Fitch on Managing the Complexity of Global Returns and International Reverse Logistics, that he gave with Lydia Ng of Wayfair . As challenging as the domestic world of returns management may seem, complexity gets amped up in cross-border situations as each country has different rules, especially around which product categories can be resold with a strong focus on reuse and sustainability. This results in fascinating compliance challenges.
If you’d like to learn more about how Returnalyze can help you to operationalize your data insights to better business results, please contact us.
