Research & Trends: Reverse Logistics Boot Camp

By Inez Blackburn, Market Techniques & Innovations, Inc.

Logistics is defined by The Council of Logistics Management as: the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost-effective flow of raw materials, in-process inventory, finished goods, and related information from the point of origin to the point of consumption for the purpose of conforming to customer requirements. Reverse logistics includes all of the activities that are mentioned in the definition for logistics with one major difference. Reverse logistics encompasses all of the traditional logistics activities from point of purchase to point of origin. It is essentially the reverse of traditional logistics. Therefore, reverse logistics is defined as: the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, cost-effective flow of raw materials, in-process inventory, finished goods, and related information from the point of consumption to the point of origin for the purpose of recapturing value or proper disposal as well as postpurchase support.