Exploring practices for managing product returns in internet retailing

• Purpose: To empirically explore and describe the process and practices of managing product returns in Internet retailing.Design/methodology/approach: A multiple case study involving twelve e-commerce firms and four logistics service providers. Using semi-structured interviews, documentation, and observations as an integrative data collection approach to gain a comprehensive managerial and operational based description of returns management processes.Findings: In contrast to previous literature, our findings suggest an inconsistent returns management processes with a plethora of different practices implemented and organised differently from firm to firm. The returns management process is ambiguous and its design is a result of incremental changes over time and a lack of strategy and goals. Hence there is a mismatch between how the process is described and understood both in literature and practice. Practises in gatekeeping, avoidance and reverse logistics are defined and categorised. These serve as an inventory of practices for managers to (re)consider.Research limitations/implications: The wide range of practices and the process itself is a result that mirrors a lack of scholarly attention and strategic view on the returns management process. Further research need to develop clear goals and strategies.Practical implications: The list of practices serves as a benchmark for Internet retailers in their design of an efficient returns management process.Original/value: There is a scarcity of systematic and empirical research in returns management, as opposed to forward management. This research starts to bridge this gap and is one of the first that in-depth describe practices and define service as a key process activity and describes a mismatch between theory and practice.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Transportteknik och logistik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Transport Systems and Logistics (hsv//eng)

Publikations- och innehållstyp

kon (ämneskategori)

ref (ämneskategori)