Most retailers view returns as a necessary evil. You have to offer returns to stay competitive, but accepting unwanted or damaged products—and shipping replacements—drains resources and wastes time.

What if it didn’t have to be that way?

In this episode, Virgil Ghic, co-founder of WeSupply, makes a bold claim: returns don’t have to be a cost center. In fact, with the right strategy, they can even drive revenue!

If you want returns to be profitable, you can’t just implement a cookie-cutter policy.

Virgil explains, “If [you] are just offering a 30-day return policy, no questions asked, the chances of making it profitable are none. Most likely you're just going to lose a lot of money. But if you are designing the experience, designing the outcomes, designing the logistics behind the scenes … then you're going to have a profitable [policy]. Even if it's not profitable, you are going to decrease the cost significantly.”

Virgil shares two ideas for making returns profitable: encouraging customers to choose store credit and allowing in-store returns.

• Store credit. To encourage buyers to shop from your store after making a return, Virgil recommends incentivizing store credit rather than cash back. “[Let’s say] you have a $100 item that you are exchanging for an $80 item. You can offer [the remaining $20] as a refund, [or] you can offer $25 as store credit.”
• In-store returns. People who walk into the store to return a product usually end up purchasing something else. So if you have brick-and-mortar locations, make sure the in-person returns experience is smooth and convenient.

Of course, the best way to handle returns is to prevent them in the first place. For that, you’ll need data—lots of it. “If you have the data, you can look into it and … analyze it. You can take action on it.”

For example, consider a dress that lots of people return because of sizing issues.

“[Saying] it doesn't fit doesn't tell you anything. … If we are just asking the customer [is it] too big or too small, that's not actionable. Nobody knows what to do with that data.”

The solution? Get specific. Ask the customer exactly why the fit is wrong, then adjust the dress or refine the sizing description on your website. “[Once] you understand [the issue] … you give [the product] back to the merchandising team or the manufacturing team, and they can do adjustments. And they can maybe say on the website, this model runs big or runs wide.”

• Connect with Virgil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/virgilghic/
• Visit WeSupply’s website: https://wesupplylabs.com/

So far, 2025 has kept us on our toes, especially with all the uncertainty surrounding tariffs. But in this episode of Unboxing the Trends, Lori and Tim take a break from the tariff talk to discuss three major trends from June: warehouse automation, carrier shifts, and drone deliveries.

Listen to this 15-minute episode to get up to date with the latest shipping and logistics happenings!

As of last month, Amazon has deployed over a million robots in their warehouses. As Lori points out, robots now outnumber human workers! It might sound a little dystopian, but automation is incredibly helpful for businesses—as long as they don’t neglect their human employees.

Lori recommends, “Don’t just drop some tech in without training. Make sure that your people are part of the process.”

UPS and FedEx have each made changes to their relationships with Amazon. “UPS has pulled back a whole bunch from its Amazon business,” Lori explains, “while FedEx has picked up a bunch of the Amazon volume.”

What does that mean for your shipping?

“If you're super UPS dependent, you might see maybe a little bit of disruption … maybe some reliability concerns. On the flip side, if you are heavily dependent on FedEx, you'll have steady operation that's expanded, but you might face tighter capacity.”

Walmart has partnered with Wing to offer drone delivery to over 100 new stores across major metropolitan areas like Houston and Atlanta.

This signals that drone delivery may be moving past the “novelty stage [and] expanding into something that people are starting to use and expect.”

But don’t get too excited yet. It remains to be seen whether drone delivery will take off or fall flat. The two determining factors: regulations and cost-effectiveness.

• 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/

Now that we’re past the halfway point of the year (can you believe it?), it’s time to get serious about peak season. When handled right, peak is an opportunity to drive more sales than ever, reach new markets, and continue to delight loyal customers.

But will tariffs, inflation, and other issues stand in the way?

Sucharita Kodali, retail industry analyst at Forrester, explains exactly what’s going on in the retail industry, what we can expect from the 2025 peak season, and how to get ready.

It’s no secret that the past few months have been full of economic uncertainty for both consumers and businesses. Sucharita says that while essential goods are still in high demand, retailers that sell non-essentials may be struggling.

“There is a particularly uncertain vibe [due to] … not knowing where the tariff situation may land, as well as consumer confidence not being terribly high, which means that a lot of discretionary items are more vulnerable.”

Sucharita points out an interesting contradiction: while consumer confidence has been “quite low,” spending levels in 2025 are still relatively high—even when adjusted for inflation. That’s good news for businesses moving into the holiday season.

Even so, she predicts that peak season will see heavy discounting as usual (consumers, rejoice!) unless brands face major supply chain issues.

She notes, “There's no reason to hold onto inventory and hoard it. So unless there's a supply shock, I can't envision a scenario where it's not going to be another heavy discounting season.”

The decision to frontload inventory depends on many factors, including storage and transportation costs, margins, categories, and anticipated demand. According to Sucharita, “Perhaps the biggest issue is [whether] you have cash. If you don't have any money and you don't have any savings, does it make sense to put yourself in credit card debt? No.”

So if you’re thinking about stocking up ahead of peak season, make sure your cash flow can support the extra costs you’ll incur.

• Connect with Sucharita on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sucharitamulpuru/
• Visit Forrester’s website: https://www.forrester.com/bold/

In this episode of Unboxing Logistics, host Lori Boyer kicks off Season 5 with a fun and insightful discussion about gamification in the supply chain. Joined by Katie Brown, Senior Director of Product Management at Foot Locker, and Dylan Telford, Omnichannel Practice Lead at Summit Advisory Team, they explore how introducing game-like elements into warehouse operations can drive motivation, improve productivity, and even make picking and packing a bit more fun.

Gamification isn’t just displaying performance stats. Real impact comes when the experience feels rewarding, includes clear goals, and provides a reason to play, whether that’s pay-for-performance, team recognition, or personal growth.

“Everybody who's attempting to get to that win in the end is successful in playing the game.” —Dylan Telford

Before introducing competition or incentives, teams need to define what success looks like and track it consistently. Without goals and metrics, gamification falls flat.

“You need to be able to measure. Otherwise you're playing a game with no goals.” —Dylan Telford

Gamification shouldn’t be complicated. Start small, involve the team, and keep improving based on real feedback. And don’t forget: it’s just as important to lift up lower performers as it is to celebrate top ones.

“Sometimes bringing up the bottom is almost more impactful than raising the top of the bar.” —Katie Brown

Links

• Connect with Katie Brown on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/katie-brown-41807347
• Visit Foot Locker’s website: https://www.footlocker.com/
• Connect with Dylan Telford on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dylan-telford-b7404769
• Visit Summit Advisory Team’s website: https://summitadvisoryteam.com/

In this EasyPost Insider episode of Unboxing Logistics, host Lori Boyer sits down with Senior Product Manager Brittany Williams to unveil Forge, EasyPost’s newest product. Built for 3PLs, marketplaces, tech companies, and carriers, Forge offers a white-label shipping solution that makes it easy to onboard customers, manage subaccounts, and access detailed analytics—all without burdening your dev team. Whether you want to enable new carriers with a click or centralize billing, Forge simplifies complex operations with powerful admin tools and best-in-class APIs.

"Forge is EasyPost’s solution for businesses that want to white label our shipping technology into their own products and services . . . it’s about bringing more value to your customers and your team without time waste."

"I have two top contenders in terms of features. First is Forge's administrative tools around customer management . . . The second feature to call out is the analytics. I think EasyPost does a lot of things really well, but analytics is one of those things that we do truly better than anybody else."

"[Y]ou could begin creating customer records in hour one, minute one . . . if you're an existing customer, and you want to upgrade your dashboard to the Forge dashboard, there is no lift . . ."

• Connect with Brittany Williams on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-williams-597289124/
• Learn more about Forge: www.easypost.com/forge

In this month’s episode of Unboxing the Trends, Tim Ranagan and Lori Boyer dive into the latest shifts in the shipping landscape—no tariff talk this time. From the rise of regional carriers to DHL’s B2C restrictions and changes at the USPS, it’s a carrier-heavy episode packed with actionable insights. Lori also previews her upcoming appearance at the National Postal Forum and speculates on the future of USPS leadership.

Alternative carriers have stepped up in a major way, delivering 44% more packages in 2024 than the previous year. Much of that volume shifted away from FedEx and UPS, with major retailers like Amazon and Walmart expanding their own delivery networks.

Lori emphasizes the importance of carrier diversification, saying, “We’re no longer in that era of just sticking with the big dogs.”

If you’ve been relying on a favorite carrier, it may be time to rethink your strategy—and even renegotiate your contracts.

DHL has temporarily paused cross-border B2C shipments over $800, citing customs-related complications. This change doesn’t impact B2B shipments, but small businesses shipping high-value items to customers directly could be caught off guard.

Lori urges businesses to stay proactive by diversifying cross-border options and staying connected with customs advisors and logistics consultants to avoid surprises.

With Postmaster General Louis DeJoy stepping down, the logistics world is waiting to see who will lead USPS next. Lori floats the idea of a possible announcement at the upcoming National Postal Forum.

Meanwhile, USPS has adjusted service standards: Rural Ground Advantage and First-Class Mail may now see an extra day in transit. If you serve rural customers, it’s worth reviewing your delivery timelines to ensure you’re still hitting SLAs.

• Connect with Lori on LinkedIn
• Connect with Tim on LinkedIn
• Visit EasyPost’s website

In this episode of Unboxing Logistics, Lori Boyer sits down with Brandan Gale, CEO of Retail Shipping Associates (RSA) and Package Hub Business Centers. With decades of experience and 38 stores under his belt, Brandon shares how RSA helps small businesses succeed through training, resources, and a powerful sense of community. His big takeaway? Small retailers don’t have to go it alone!

Brandon’s success story started with a single store and grew into a network of nearly 40 locations—all because he listened closely to his customers and responded to their evolving needs. He shares how this same mindset is essential for retail store owners today.

“The most successful people love their customers and want to know everything they can know about them to fill their needs,” he says. Knowing their needs helps because, as he says, “[O]ne new idea, one new product, one new service, a different way to approach marketing, can change the entire trajectory of how you're making money.”

Being attuned to their community helps businesses stay both relevant and profitable.

RSA provides members with tools most independent operators wouldn’t be able to access on their own: certification training, in-person bootcamps, regulatory updates, business insurance programs, website templates, webinars, and exclusive discounts through vetted supplier partnerships.

“I’m a giant fan of overwhelming my customers with value,” Gale says. And the resources RSA provides are designed to take pressure off of owners wearing too many hats and help them shift from working in their business to working on it.

While RSA offers plenty of formal training, Gale emphasizes that peer-to-peer learning is just as powerful. Events like the RS Expo and regional bootcamps give store owners the chance to connect, share strategies, and learn from one another.

He loves talking to conference attendees about their experience at the conference. “They walk away with a renewed enthusiasm for this business because they talk to people that have figured it out,” Gale reports. Many longtime operators leave their first RSA event wondering how much more successful they could have been if they’d joined sooner.

• Connect with Brandon Gale on LinkedIn.
• Visit the Retail Shipping Associates website.
• Visit the Package Hub Business Centers website.

You probably know Maersk as a container shipping company, but the end-to-end logistics provider now has a new offering for parcel shipping: Maersk Parcel.

According to John Kruzan, this regional service is made up of a “pickup and delivery network that can move packages … at a very competitive rate, at a very competitive time in transit.”

Listen to learn what makes Maersk Parcel great for small businesses and how to get started.

John starts by describing the current state of the parcel shipping industry, particularly when it comes to large carriers. Simply put, “ We've got fees going up, but we've also got services going down.”

Recognizing that rising costs and declining service quality aren’t a good combination, Maersk had an idea: “ We could take a look at the market and … change it and elevate it a little bit with a new product that does new things.”

Maersk Parcel is “specifically built for the small and mid-size business market,” John explains, adding that the service addresses the pain points of mom-and-pop shops, brick-and-mortar retail locations, and smaller ecommerce brands.

He mentions a few things these small businesses should keep in mind:

• Maersk Parcel focuses on shipping to zones 1-5
• It covers the top 30 metropolitan statistical areas (urban areas) in the U.S.

The main reason to add Maersk Parcel to your carrier mix? Maersk is focused on providing a top-notch delivery experience. John notes that “relationships are the lifeblood of a small merchant,” and shipping plays a big role in developing good relationships.

John also points out some specific benefits of Maersk Parcel: competitive rates (including a sub-pound rate), fast delivery times (three days in transit), and a super simple claims process backed by Maersk customer service.

Interested in shipping with Maersk Parcel? Their partnership with EasyPost makes it easy! As John puts it, “It's basically turning on a switch. There is no integration, there is no waiting for contracts to be signed.”

If you’re not already an EasyPost customer, sign up at https://app.easypost.com/signup—it’s free for small shippers. Once you’ve created an account, you’ll be able to access a library of over 100 carriers, including Maersk Parcel.

• Connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkruzan/
• Visit Maersk’s website: https://www.maersk.com/