Reverse Logistic

Going Backwards:
Reverse Logistics Trends and
Practices

Going Backwards:
Reverse Logistics Trends and
Practices

University of Nevada, Reno
Center for Logistics Management

Dr. Dale S. Rogers
Dr. Ronald S. Tibben-Lembke

© 1998, Reverse Logistics Executive Council

Contents in Brief
CHAPTER 1: SIZE AND IMPORTANCE OF REVERSE LOGISTICS

1

CHAPTER 2: MANAGING RETURNS

37

CHAPTER 3: DISPOSITION AND THE SECONDARY MARKET

73

CHAPTER 4: REVERSE LOGISTICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

101

CHAPTER 5: EUROPEAN REVERSE LOGISTICS

137

CHAPTER 6: INDUSTRY SNAPSHOTS

159

CHAPTER 7: FUTURE TRENDS AND CONCLUSIONS

187

APPENDIX A: LETTER/COPY OF SURVEY

211

APPENDIX B: DATA TABULATION

219

APPENDIX C: FOR MORE INFORMATION

235

APPENDIX D: EDI 180 TRANSACTION SET

241

GLOSSARY

255

ENDNOTES

267

INDEX

277

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

281

vi

Rogers and Tibben-Lembke

Reverse Logistics

vii

Table of Contents
CONTENTS IN BRIEF ..................................................................................... V
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................. VII
LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................... XI
LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................... XIII
AUTHORS’ NOTES ......................................................................................XV
REVERSE LOGISTICS EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBERS ...............................XVII
PREFACE...................................................................................................XIX
CHAPTER 1: SIZE AND IMPORTANCE OF REVERSE LOGISTICS
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5

IMPORTANCE OF REVERSE LOGISTICS................................................. 1
REVERSE LOGISTICS ACTIVITIES ........................................................ 9
STRATEGIC USE OF REVERSE