The Complex System of Returns Processing

The process of handling returns involves a vast network of infrastructure, transporters, warehouses, and resellers to accommodate the hundreds of millions of products that consumers send back. Inmar Intelligence is one such company that handles returned items for retailers. Inside their facility in Pennsylvania, material handler Michael sniffs sweatpants as part of his job. The large-scale facility, spanning 300,000 square feet, stores and processes various types of returns, including drugstore items, rugs, and apparel. Bracketing, the practice of buying multiple sizes of clothing or rugs and returning the unwanted items, is common. The high return rates in online shopping have contributed to the growth of the reverse logistics industry.