Handling returned goods is one of the most complex processes in intralogistics. After the coronavirus pandemic led to an e-commerce boom last Christmas, the biggest wave of returned goods ever is bearing down on many logistics providers. According to a consumer survey by the German E-Commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association, online sales rose by 24% in the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the previous year. This, in turn, has led to a corresponding rise in returns.
For the logistics sector, processing these is a painstaking and time-consuming affair. The costs associated with returned goods depend on several factors.