Blue Yonder recently released their 2025 Global Consumer Retail Returns Survey, and it’s jam-packed with insights.

In this episode of Unboxing Logistics, Lori sits down with Tim Robinson, senior vice president and general manager at Blue Yonder, to talk through the survey’s findings and offer practical suggestions for handling returns effectively.

As Tim points out, most businesses automatically equate returned items with lost profits, assuming they’ll never be able to resell the products that customers send back. But with the right tools and strategies, this doesn’t have to be the reality.

Tim explains, “The philosophical shift is [that] you have to consider these items assets. This is real-life inventory, which can be resold for full value on Wednesday.”

He continues, “If you use technology to treat returning items in exactly the same way you would a brand new outbound item—i.e. you use technology to know where it is, what it is, when it's coming, to forecast [how] to sell it, to fulfill it, to ship it—then actually, [there’s] a very high likelihood that you'll be able to resell that item … for the vast majority of its [original] sale price.”

One of the survey’s findings is that 2025 had fewer “keep-it” returns than 2024. Tim shares a possible reason why brands are avoiding this type of return.

When a business lets someone keep an item, they’re sending a subtle message that the item is low-value. “It basically means it costs them more money to deal with it than its value. If you are the consumer, how does that make you feel about that item?”

With some shoppers taking advantage of generous return policies, many businesses have added stricter rules. Should you do the same?

According to Tim, the months leading up to peak season aren’t the time to make changes. Instead, it’s best to focus on creating a great customer experience.

“I definitely feel like this is not a time to tighten your policy. … This is not a time to … make it harder for people to shop, because ultimately we all survive and grow and thrive if consumers still feel compelled to shop at this time of year.”

• Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-robinson-ceo/
• Visit Blue Yonder’s website: https://blueyonder.com/
• The Global Consumer Retail Returns Survey: https://blueyonder.com/media/2025/blue-yonder-survey-stricter-returns-policies-deter-global-consumer-spending
• Survey infographic: https://blueyonder.com/resources/consumer-data-from-blue-yonder-can-help-retailers-optimize-returns

Last week, Lori Boyer and Tom Butt attended Parcel Forum, where EasyPost was the official AI in logistics sponsor. In addition to presenting on AI tools, Lori and Tom got a chance to talk with shippers about the problems they’re facing—and how artificial intelligence can help.

They share their takeaways in this episode of Unboxing Logistics.

Tom noticed a pattern at Parcel Forum: businesses were curious about adopting AI logistics technology, but they weren’t sure whether to make the leap.

He says, “Everyone … was talking and comparing notes and saying, ‘This AI thing, is it a buzzword? How are you guys using it? When is the starting gun going to go off?’”

AI is a powerful tool for collecting and analyzing data, but its capabilities go way beyond data analysis. For example, AI tools like Luma by EasyPost can identify weak areas in your shipping operations and suggest improvements.

Tom gives an example. “[You can] see if there are … delays within your carrier network. Where are those occurring? Is it pre-transit exceptions, [where] you're printing a label, but it's not scanning into the carrier network?”

“AI is going to help you identify where those exceptions are and potentially make some recommendations on how to address those things.”

One of the biggest mistakes Tom sees shippers make is not getting started with AI now. By waiting for other businesses to lead the way, these hesitant players risk getting left behind.

On the other hand, being an early adopter gives you a competitive edge.

He says, “I can tell you right now, there's not going to be a starting gun. And those that adopt AI and start to build it into some methodologies, build it into frameworks, are going to have a head start and a leg up.”

• Connect with Tom on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tombutt/
• Visit EasyPost’s website: www.easypost.com

AI has taken the world by storm, with top companies using it to optimize every part of their operations—including shipping and logistics. But it can be tricky finding an AI solution that actually solves your business problems.

In this episode, Benjamin (Ben) Gordon, managing partner and CEO at Cambridge Capital, sits down with Lori to break down what AI can do, where it might fall short, and how to choose tools that work.

Ben believes that AI has the “capacity to totally transform not just logistics, but everything.” But when it comes to logistics, AI is particularly valuable. He explains, “AI is outstanding in areas that are process-intensive and … document-intensive.”

Ben continues, “In the end, [AI will] be a tremendous source of productivity gain for companies that use it well.”

Often, Ben explains, “The supply chain is the weak link in the consumer brand experience.” AI can help change that.

First, it’s a powerful tool for customer communication. “There's no excuse in the world of AI today to not have an instant answer to a customer question. ‘Where's my stuff?’ should never be [answered] with, ‘You know, we'll get back to you in two business days.’”

Additionally, AI is one of the best ways to optimize shipping for reliability and timeliness.

“What [businesses are] increasingly doing is using AI to look for patterns. For example, wouldn't it be good to know … that whatever ships out on Tuesdays tends to be faster than what ships out on Fridays? Maybe … you want to push more promotions on a Tuesday than a Friday, because that way the customer gets [their order] faster, then they're happier.”

Some AI technology claims to do it all, while other solutions offer more specific capabilities. In Ben’s opinion, all-in-one tools aren’t necessarily the best bet right now.

“In the early stages of innovation, the point solutions are almost always better. … But there will come a time in the next three to five years where [AI] evolves, and then you'll be able to find integrated platforms that can do it all.”

• Connect with Ben on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bengordon18/
• Visit Cambridge Capital’s website: https://cambridgecapital.com/