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/

Last week, Joe Dieter and Lori Boyer from EasyPost sat down to explore EasyPost tools that help businesses navigate the complexities of peak season. In this episode, they continue their discussion.

Most businesses view shipping as a “dreaded, unpredictable cost center”—but it doesn’t have to be.

Joe explains, “[Shipping can be] a strategic growth lever. Do you want to make more money this holiday season? It can actually happen through how you ship. … You can increase profits if you have the latest and greatest tools and systems. And here at EasyPost, we've worked hard to … build [them].”

The EasyPost Shipping API makes it easy to use the shipping carriers you already know and love. But Joe points out that it also provides access to innovative carriers you may not have used yet, including Amazon Shipping and Maersk Parcel.

“Amazon … came in and said, we're going to do seven-day-a-week pickup and delivery. We're going to decrease the amount of surcharges. … We're going to have hassle-free claims. We're going to have lower prices across the board.”

“Maersk is going to become … one of the most cost-effective ways, especially for smaller shippers or SMB shippers, to move packages within the U.S.”

Joe perfectly sums up one of the biggest challenges of peak season: “Nothing will ever go a hundred percent perfect. It's unpredictable.”

To have peace of mind, he explains, you need a solution that protects revenue when packages get lost, damaged, or stolen. That’s why EasyPost created the Guard suite of tools.

“Our Shipping Insurance API [provides] the most hassle-free way to file a claim, to hold onto your money, to get a claim approved, and to have instant coverage on a parcel. Our USPS Claims program is … the safest way to ship USPS this peak season.”

• Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-dieter/
• Talk to EasyPost: https://www.easypost.com/talk-to-easypost/

Joe Dieter has talked with countless EasyPost customers. And lately, he’s heard the same concern from many of them: peak season 2025 is a whole new ballgame. Rising costs and unpredictable demand have many shippers scrambling to prepare.

Joe’s advice for confronting the uncertainty? “Ship fast. Don't ship reckless. Be protected.”

And EasyPost offers solutions to accomplish all three goals.

In this EasyPost Insider episode, Joe and Lori discuss several tools (including a few brand new offerings) to help businesses ship successfully this peak.

The EasyPost Shipping API has always helped businesses purchase shipping labels at great rates from their favorite carriers. Now, EasyPost Wallet is taking the convenience to the next level.

Joe explains, “Wallet [allows] you to quickly get up and running with the carriers and service levels that [help you ship fast] without breaking the bank [or] juggling a lot of carrier relationships.”

He continues, “You have one simple billing experience. You have one invoice experience. You're not having to submit all these customer care or support issues directly to carriers.”

Sending customers tracking notifications is “table stakes,” reducing support tickets and ensuring that “you don’t have an angry consumer on your hands.”

But the best brands are going beyond the basics, turning tracking notifications into strategic marketing messages.

As Joe puts it, “It's not just, here's the latest update on all your packages. It's also, here's a story we want to tell you that's going to further build that relationship with you, the consumer.”

The easiest way to level up your tracking? Use Advanced Tracking by EasyPost. “[It] not only gives you real-time updates, it gives you comprehensive, branded, AI-powered predictive tracking.”

Marketplaces want to offer easy, affordable shipping to their sellers (and their sellers’ customers). But they usually don’t have deep experience building the shipping technology that would allow them to do that.

Enter: EasyPost Forge.

“These big marketplaces do an incredible job of being a marketplace,” Joe explains. “But at their core, they weren't about a shipping operation. So we created something called Forge. Forge allows a marketplace to instantly set up the most reliable shipping software [they] could possibly offer.”

• Connect with Joe on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-dieter/
• Visit EasyPost’s website: https://www.easypost.com/

Peak season shipping can get complicated. International shipping can be a major headache. Combine the two, and it might seem like stress is inevitable.

But if you follow the best practices recommended by Jonathan Witt, senior partnerships manager at Sendle, your peak season cross-border shipping can be successful and stress-free.

If your business hasn’t yet expanded to international markets, Jonathan highly recommends getting started. His advice? Start small.

“You don't have to ship everywhere. You don't have to sell globally. It's probably better that you are intentional and selective with countries that you want to sell to, because you want to understand the customer base, as well as all the requirements for shipping internationally.”

Delays lead to frustrated customers—something you don’t want to deal with during the busiest time of the year. By understanding and complying with cross-border shipping regulations, you’ll ensure your goods clear customs and arrive on time.

Jonathan shares a few things to watch out for. “Why do shipments get stuck? Usually because of missing or wrong documents, [like] your commercial invoice, which has all the product information.”

He continues, “Make sure that on the commercial invoice, you're associating your products with the right HS code. Make sure that you're listing the country of origin correctly in case that package does get inspected.”

If you’re shipping internationally, delivered duty paid (DDP), “where the buyer or the receiver has to pay all the shipping costs and duties and taxes upfront at checkout,” is generally the best way to handle things.

While delivered duty unpaid (DDU) can work in some situations, it’s best to avoid surprise fees upon package delivery.

As Jonathan puts it, “Being a little bit more transparent … just makes a better customer experience.”

• Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-witt-372a65b4/
• Visit Sendle’s website: https://www.sendle.com/en-us

July 2025 didn’t bring any earth-shattering developments—but that doesn’t mean nothing happened. When you look closely, you can see subtle but significant shifts in the realm of shipping and logistics.

In this episode, Lori Boyer and Tim Ranagan discuss the latest trends and share some strategies for adapting. Here’s a rundown:

This time of year usually sees an increase in warehouse jobs as businesses start preparing for the holiday shipping season. But 2025 isn’t staying on script.

Lori explains, “Typically, as we hit about July, from July through November … we see about 10,000 to 15,000 additional warehouse jobs open up. [But this] July, we actually lost almost 6,500 warehouse jobs. … We have our lowest number of total warehouse roles … since COVID.”

Warehouse labor isn’t the only thing on the decline. In July, domestic package volume dropped by 7.3% year-over-year. The result? Carriers—especially national ones—have been adjusting their operations and raising prices to protect their margins.

“In the last month or so, FedEx [has] consolidated its network. It's been cutting staff. … [And] USPS just raised its rates again.”

To keep shipping costs low, Lori and Tim recommend diversifying your carrier mix. As Lori puts it, “You shouldn't ever have a single carrier.”

We’re coming up on a “peak season of uncertainty and a little challenge.” Amidst economic uncertainty and decreasing consumer demand, shippers should focus on flexibility.

“You need to communicate, you need to diversify, [you need to] keep an eye on what's going on, and … be ready to pivot and make changes on the fly."

• Connect with Lori on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loribboyer/
• Connect with Tim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-ranagan-mba-2717bb125/
• Visit EasyPost's website: https://www.easypost.com/

When you’re shipping perishables like produce, the stakes are high; even a one-day delay can ruin an entire truckload of food.

Colby Varley, vice president and principal at Advanced Transportation Services (ATS), explains what’s going on in the perishable freight world and how logistics companies and shippers can work together to make sure every load arrives in perfect condition.

The COVID-19 pandemic shook up the freight shipping industry, and now that things have settled, loading efficiency is the name of the game. Colby explains, “[During] COVID … they were shipping whatever they could, whether it was half a truck or a quarter of a truck. They were just shipping it. Since then, that trend has reversed. Now everybody is maximizing their cube space.”

But he’s seen a troubling pattern lately: certain types of produce haven’t been doing well, with some freight companies struggling to fill trucks.

“[For] the Mexican grape crop, they're estimating about a 2 million box loss out there. … [If] you take 2 million boxes out of the equation, that's a lot of trucks that aren’t going to get loads. … We've had trucks every week deadheading back to California to come pick up a load because there's just nothing there."

Colby’s advice for freight companies? Choose a specialty and stick with it. “Stay in your niche, stay in your lane, and become the expert in that field, whether you're doing dry freight, doing bulk tanker, [or] doing flatbed.”

He uses ATS as an example: “The markets fluctuate all the time. But we just stay true to highly perishable food and produce.”

Growers looking for the best deal on freight shipping might be tempted to spring for a good deal. But low costs can come with risks, especially with cargo as volatile as fresh fruits and vegetables. According to Colby, great service is worth paying for.

“Service is the number one thing. And we do have to charge a little bit more for that. … On any produce shipment, the difference between being one day late is the difference of that produce making it through quality control [or] not.”

• Connect with Colby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colby-varley-5ba57a69/
• Visit Advanced Transportation Services’s website: https://advancedtransportationservices.com/