The Buzz: Tackling Returns and Sustainability
Join us for this week’s episode of The Buzz, as we take a deep dive into the critical topic of returns management during the peak returns season, aptly dubbed “Returnuary.”
As retailers brace for an anticipated 17% return rate of all sales in 2024, equating to a staggering $890 billion in returns, the conversation highlights the operational, logistical, and financial challenges that come with managing these returns.
In this episode, hosts Scott Luton and Sofia Rivas explore:
- The implications of stricter return policies, the rising trend of fraudulent returns, and the environmental impact of returns-related waste
 - The current state of the manufacturing industry, which shows signs of growth despite concerns over tariffs and trade policies.
 - Tech trends that could shape 2025
 - Upcoming supply chain events in the new year
 - And much more!
 
Join the conversation as we welcome the new year with a clean slate, even in the world of global supply chain.
This episode is hosted by Scott Luton and Sofia Rivas and produced by Amanda Luton and Triha Cordes.
Additional Links & Resources
Check out all the great resources and information mentioned during the show:
- Watch on YouTube
 - With That Said
 - The State of Freight 2025
 - ‘Returnuary’ — after the peak shopping season comes the busiest return month of the year
 - Narvar Interview
 - Reverse Logistics Association
 - Demand ticks up as manufacturers pin hopes on Trump administration: PMI
 - Tech Trends That Could Shape 2025
 - Manifest
 - Gartner Supply Chain Symposium
 - SAPICS
 - Supply Chain Now en Espanol
 - Learn more about our hosts
 
Want more Supply Chain Now?
We know you can’t get enough Supply Chain Now! Don’t miss a single episode, livestream, or webinar:
- Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here
 - Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform
 - Connect with the Supply Chain Now community and programming
 - Work with us! Download Supply Chain Now’s NEW Media Kit
 - UPCOMING WEBINAR- Breaking Through the Chaos: Supply Chain Maturity in an Age of Economic Volatility
 - Check out all upcoming Supply Chain Now Events
 - For everything else, start here!