Already for a long time retailers take back products. In this paper we explore the factors contributing to the decision of combining vs. separating inbound and outbound flows during the return handling process. We do so through a comparative analysis of the operations in nine retailer warehouses, which can be divided in three groups: food retailers, department stores and mail order companies. We identify both aggravating factors and facilitating actions for return handling. Furthermore, we bring about recommendations for practice. At the end we put forward propositions that are useful in feeding studies on return handling efficiency. In particular, we conjecture over the impact that return volume and product diversity have on the decision for combining vs. separating the reverse and forward flows.
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Paper provided by Erasmus University Rotterdam, Econometric Institute in its series Econometric Institute Report with number
264.
References listed on IDEAS Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
M.P. de Brito & S.D.P. Flapper & R. Dekker, 2002.
"Reverse logistics,"
Econometric Institute Report
272, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Econometric Institute.
[Downloadable!]
Other versions:
Brito, M.P. de & Flapper, S.D.P. & Dekker, R., 2002.
"Reverse logistics,"
Econometric Institute Report
EI 2002-21 Revision_Date:, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Econometric Institute.
[Downloadable!]
Cited by: (explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)
M.P. de Brito & S.D.P. Flapper & R. Dekker, 2002.
"Reverse logistics,"
Econometric Institute Report
272, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Econometric Institute.
[Downloadable!]
Other versions:
Brito, M.P. de & Flapper, S.D.P. & Dekker, R., 2002.
"Reverse logistics,"
Econometric Institute Report
EI 2002-21 Revision_Date:, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Econometric Institute.
[Downloadable!]
Brito, M.P. de & Dekker, R. & Flapper, S.D.P., 2003.
"Reverse Logistics - a review of case studies,"
Research Paper
ERS-2003-012-LIS Revision, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus Uni.
[Downloadable!]
Brito, M.P. de & Dekker, R., 2003.
"A Framework for Reverse Logistics,"
Research Paper
ERS-2003-045-LIS Revision, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus Uni.
[Downloadable!]