In 2025’s shifting distribution landscape, businesses are becoming more efficient not only in how they ship out product, but also in how they bring them back. Enter reverse logistics: – an often overlooked, yet critical, component of a resilient supply chain strategy.
Whether it’s managing product returns, recycling, refurbishing, or repackaging, reverse logistics plays a growing role in customer satisfaction, cost control, and sustainability.
With rising customer expectations and tighter environmental regulations, distributors can no longer afford to treat it as an afterthought.
At Sequoia Group, we work with clients every day to streamline their entire distribution lifecycle – including what happens after the sale. Our technology partners, Tecsys, Infor, and Locus Robotics, offer intelligent tools that optimize both outbound and inbound flows, helping your business reduce waste and recapture value in every transaction.
Why Reverse Logistics Matters More Than Ever
- Elevated Customer Expectations
In B2B and B2C environments alike, customers expect smooth return processes. A clunky or slow return workflow isn’t just inconvenient, it can damage your brand’s credibility and hurt long-term loyalty. Seamless reverse logistics is increasingly seen as part of the product experience itself. - Cost Recovery Opportunities
Returned products aren’t always a loss. With the right systems in place, distributors can inspect, restock, repurpose, or even resell returned goods. A smart reverse logistics program helps reduce write-offs and increases asset recovery. - Sustainability and Compliance
More companies are facing pressure to reduce landfill waste, manage end-of-life products responsibly, and comply with recycling regulations. Reverse logistics enables proper tracking and reporting—while strengthening your supply chain sustainability efforts. - Data-Driven Improvement
Reverse logistics processes can reveal patterns in quality control, packaging errors, or delivery issues. With systems like Infor’s WMS and Tecsys Elite, you gain the data needed to refine operations and reduce future return rates.
Solutions That Make It Work
At Sequoia Group, we support forward-thinking distribution organizations with tools to manage both sides of the supply chain.
- Infor CloudSuite Distribution gives you full visibility into inventory, including items in transit or returned for inspection. Integrated modules make it easy to automate returns, restocking, and credit processing.
- Tecsys Elite empowers companies to design custom return workflows that align with customer SLAs and environmental policies – no more one-size-fits-all reverse processes.
- Locus Robotics, while often highlighted for their picking and packing capabilities, also supports reverse logistics workflows by helping automate return intake and warehouse reorganization.
Together, these technologies can be tailored to your needs with the guidance of the Sequoia Group implementation and consulting team who are experts with over 30 years of experience in the distribution space.
Let Sequoia Help You Bring It All Back
Reverse logistics may happen after the sale but the impact it has on customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and sustainability is felt long before. By investing in a strategy that prioritizes returns, refurbishments, and responsible disposal, your distribution network becomes more agile, more valuable, and more future-ready.
Contact us today to learn how Sequoia Group can help you implement smarter reverse logistics processes through modern distribution software—because distribution never rests.
