In Transit Podcast: The returns reckoning — fixing the most overlooked gap in modern retail

For years, product returns have been dismissed as an unavoidable cost of doing business—an operational burden buried deep in the supply chain. But as e-commerce growth stabilizes and margins tighten, that blind spot is becoming too expensive to ignore. Returns represent not only a massive financial drag but also a powerful, underutilized source of intelligence that can transform forecasting, inventory planning, product design, and customer experience.

In this episode of In Transit, host Vishnu Rajamanickam from The Logistics Report speaks with Chuck Fuerst, chief commercial officer at ReverseLogix, about why the industry’s mindset around returns must fundamentally change. Fuerst argues that returns should be treated with the same rigor and investment as forward fulfillment—and that companies that do so stand to gain a competitive advantage rather than suffer operational pain.

The discussion goes deeper into organizational barriers. Returns touch multiple functions, such as e-commerce, warehouse operations, customer service and finance—yet no one truly owns the end-to-end process. Fuerst makes the case for an executive-level leader (a “chief returns officer” in practice if not in title) who unifies strategy, technology, and accountability across the reverse flow.

If you’re struggling with rising return volumes, facing operational bottlenecks due to returns, or looking for ways to improve customer experience and profitability simultaneously, this conversation is for you. 

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