Reverse logistics has ceased to be a secondary process and has become a strategic element within e-commerce. In a market where consumers increasingly value the complete shopping experience, the way a company manages exchanges and returns can determine not only its profitability but also the decision to make repeat purchases.
For Rodrigo Cerda, Head of Revenue at Reversso in Mexico, the growth of e-commerce in the country has led companies to start paying more attention to after-sales service, an issue that until recently remained relegated in the face of other challenges of digitalization.
“Today, after-sales services are finally being implemented in Mexico,” he noted.
According to data from Reversso, while in Latin America 57% of return requests end in a product exchange, in Mexico the figure is around 45% to 46% , reflecting that the Mexican consumer still strengthens his trust in the brands’ own online stores and not only in marketplaces .
Cerda explained that a clear returns policy has already become a competitive differentiator. Company statistics show that two out of five consumers prefer to shop at a store that offers simple and transparent returns processes .
Furthermore, the customer is willing to pay for services that facilitate the process, such as product collection at their home, a trend that is already gaining ground in other Latin American markets and that could begin to be implemented in Mexico.
A problem that goes beyond the warehouse
For companies, a poorly managed return not only represents a logistical cost , but can also affect the entire operation.
Cerda explained that many organizations continue to manage returns using spreadsheets or manual processes , which leads to loss of information, errors in tracking merchandise, and saturation in warehouses, especially during peak demand seasons.
In addition, there is the financial impact. When a customer returns a product, the company must issue a credit note and adjust previously recorded revenue, affecting the profitability of the digital channel.
However, the biggest risk lies in the consumer experience .
According to data shared by Reversso, seven out of 10 people do not buy from a brand again after a bad experience during the returns process.
“Reverse logistics not only impacts the financial margin; it also generates internal noise in organizations and affects brand reputation,” he commented.
In this context, digitalization is beginning to play a relevant role in the management of reverse logistics.
Cerda explained that specialized platforms allow for the automation of processes such as exchanges, returns, and cancellations , as well as centralizing all information in a single system to track both operations and customer service.
Likewise, artificial intelligence is beginning to be incorporated into these processes through tools that analyze consumer satisfaction, identify return patterns, and generate recommendations to reduce future incidents.
He added that the next step will be to use predictive models capable of warning consumers, before they finalize a purchase, about potential problems with sizing, compatibility, or other product characteristics, with the aim of reducing returns from the source .
For Cerda, the future of reverse logistics will focus on preventing unnecessary returns, integrating these processes with warehouse operations, and consolidating a unified commerce vision where the customer experience is consistent across both physical and digital channels.
“After-sales service is no longer an isolated process; it is part of the buying experience and the brand loyalty strategy,” he stressed.
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