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…

In today’s dynamic consumer landscape, it is essential for businesses to continually adapt and stay ahead of the curve to meet evolving customer demands. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, sponsored by Microsoft, we welcome back Jennifer McKeehan – an industry leader spearheading groundbreaking innovation in retail supply chain transformation. With her extensive experience at Peloton and The Home Depot, McKeehan now serves as Senior Vice President of End-to-End Delivery at Walmart, a role where she’s instrumental in shaping the future of retail. Shining a spotlight on the company’s extensive network of 4,600 US outlets, with 90% of the US population living within 10 miles of a Walmart store, McKeehan discusses several key supply chain initiatives helping to keep the organization at the forefront of the national retail market. From recently completing it’s 30,000th drone delivery to investing billions of dollars in automation to boost both the customer and employee experience, McKeehan highlights exactly how the company is pursuing mass transformation to order to help customers shop when they want, where they want and how they want. Tune in as McKeehan shares her own experience and advice on breaking into the senior leadership ranks of a global company, as…