In this episode of Supply Chain Now, Scott Luton and special guest host Claudia Freed, President & CEO of EALGreen, welcome Chuck Johnston, Chief Strategy Officer at ReturnPro, for a deep dive into the “dark side” of supply chain: reverse logistics and returns management. They unpack why returns are a nearly trillion-dollar challenge in the U.S., how BORIS (buy online, return in store) strains store operations, and why many retailers still under-invest: leaders often can’t see the full cost across functions or make the ROI case for what’s treated as a cost center. Chuck shares how the space has evolved from yellow notepads to data-driven decisioning, highlighting intelligent algorithms that route items at the customer’s first return click, fraud mitigation with imaging and behavior signals, and how third-party innovation is compressing software build times. Claudia adds a nonprofit and circularity lens: donation channels, extended tax credits, and AI pilots (computer vision + MCP agents) that identify item condition and slotting in real time. Together, they explore where to start, why cross-functional “ambassadors” matter, and how partnerships across retailers, manufacturers, nonprofits, and 3PLs can turn returns from margin erosion into measurable value and social impact.   This episode is hosted by…

Host Scott W. Luton adapts his weekly Mid-week Market Rundown from social media into today’s Monday Market Rundown podcast episode! Listen in as Scott shares industry news, data, and factoids in today’s episode. Learn more about what’s new in automotive manufacturing, how Walmart’s efforts in making their eCommerce business more efficient are going, what a 40% increase in permits for single family homes means for the housing market, the astronomical price tag the banking industry and others are facing as they face upgrading outdated tech infrastructure, and so much more! Be sure to follow Scott Luton on LinkedIn and Twitter to catch his normal Mid-week Market Rundown!