PROCESSING RETURN PRACTICES IN THE UK

CHAPTER – 1: INTRODUCTION
In present word, online shopping has become extremely popular among the people around the
globe. E-commerce is also generally favoured since customers can compare prices across
different stores and then hunt for offers that are more attractive. The majority of the time,
ecommerce websites purchase these things in bulk from the brands, and in order to get rid of
their inventory, they provide discounts on their products. In the current years, different
surveys have already proved that the online shopping is surpassing through stores. It is more
essential than ever to ensure the website is doesn’t run perfectly and correctly but fulfills all
expectations as well as has all features that consumers expect now from the online shopping.
One important service that the consumer looks for while doing online shopping is the return
process and policy.
Returns can mostly be overlooked because peoples always feel that it is the afterthought to a
process of eCommerce, however, in a reality, it is just the part of the purchasing journey of
all consumers as anything else as well as should not be thought of as an afterthought. The
return process basically begins the customer’s experience beginning, not only after their
product has been delivered or arrived. According to the findings of the Global Consumer
Survey conducted by Statista, a significant number of Europeans make it a practise to send
back the things they purchase online (Statista, 2022).  This is notably true in Switzerland and
Germany, in which more over half of respondents had returned at least one product bought
online in the 12 months before to the poll (which was performed in 2021/2022). This was
found to be the case in Germany and Switzerland (Statista, 2022).
 Figure 1.1: Online Product Return in Different Countries
(Source: Statista 2022)
This practise appears to be even more common among Internet users in India and China, with
73 per cent and 66 per cent of them, respectively, saying that they have returned a product
that they purchased online in the previous year. This research basically includes detailed
information about the processing return practices with managing the reverse logistics in the
United Kingdom. The literature review has included different information and solutions for
all the issues that processing returns have faced in this research. Along with this, the
methodology section will include a description of the different kinds and sources of the data
we used in the study, as well as the research's strategy, design, and philosophy. These
elements will help determine what kind of data research will be used to address all the
problems with return processing procedures in the UK e-commerce sector.

1.1 Study Background

There is a substantial return rate in retailing, which is measured as a proportion of the total
products or services sold. Even the number is steadily growing, and many manufacturers and
retailers are still unaware of the scope of the problem and the significance of the matter as a
whole. They always considered the dealing with a return as a doing business cause and I was
also oblivious to some potential for differences and conflicts between the return practices and
social responsibility commitments in a corporate sector. According to the research conducted
by Zhang et al. (2022), consumers in the United Kingdom always receive the products or
services they have ordered, and communication is a common strategy that can improve the
efficiency of the Returns processing. The management of processing returns leads to a greater
profitability in the organization. People have the expectation that returning something they
bought online should be just as easy as buying it in the first place because it is so convenient.
In the initial periods of internet retail, when shopping online was still very uncommon,
several companies encouraged customers to make purchases by offering free shipping and
returns on their products. According to the Centre of Retail Research, as e-commerce now
accounts for 28.9% of retail in the UK, many firms are finding that the promise of free
delivery is becoming increasingly difficult to fulfil (Centre for Retail Research, 2022). They
are concerned that if they eliminate it, customers would just give their business to a rival
company that still provides that option.

This results in a significant number of companies having to pay out of their own funds to
process millions of customer returns, resulting in an annual cost of over £60 billion for UK
retailers. It is also a problem in the United States, where around 3.5 billion products are
returned annually, which represents approximately $120 to $150 billion of worth during the
festive season alone (Centre for Retail Research, 2022).
Currently, most of the customers with the practices of processing return some products within
the services. Most written products in the return process usually begin with the cost of
warehouse space and the inventory carrying. Returns management is the process that is
followed in retail and online commerce that starts with a customer requesting a return and
ends with the goods being collected, processed, and replenished. This process begins when a
customer makes a return request. Therefore, the management practices of processing returns
are the important services that several consumers look for in return policy and processing.
The detailed procedure and policy are taken as a general rule within the process in practices
and returns which have exchanges and returns through customers. As the firms properly
respond to the stricter regulations as well as increase the Expectations of consumers, the
program of Reverse logistics to support the management strategies of end-of-life product
have become so much more prevalent. Despite the theoretical literature's growing body on
the particular topic, several firms highly struggle to implement an effective and efficient
system of reverse Logistics.
1.2 Research Statement
This research contains different chapters related to the return practices in the UK and in this
the management of reverse logistics.

Chapter 1 is about introduction of the entire research which discusses about basic information
related to the topic of research. Along with this, a background of the research will describe
about the beginning and impact of reverse logistics and return practices in the UK.

Chapter 2 contains a literature review of the research which includes the overall research
related to the topic. This shows different segments and different forms which impact
positively and negatively the return practice and reverse logistics in the United Kingdom.
Along with this, it includes all the steps and forms that the topic of research includes.

Chapter 3 includes the methodologies that were applied to this investigation are broken down
in great detail. This research basically includes secondary data because the entire information
is collected from different persons and research. The methodology part mainly shows about
the motive of the entire report as well as it shows different strategies, approaches,
philosophies of the report, and more.

Chapter 4 includes the results and discussions and research gap about the overall research as
well as it will give a proper opinion of all the persons through this research.

Chapter 5 includes the recommendation part which gives information about the present, past,
and future of the topic discussed in the research.

At last, a conclusion is presented in Chapter 6, which details the takeaways both in terms of
what was learnt and what was perceived from reading this report.

1.2.1 Research Problem

It can be seen that it is so much important to analyze potential returns as well as the return's
true cost to decrease the entire cost. Managing properly with a growth in a return results in
highly realized with particular channel organization. It is important to bed a great
communication among customers and Employees with return cost reduction and inexpensive
initiatives. There are currently approximately 49% of shops that offer free return shipping,
and 67% of customers check out the returns page before completing a purchase (Saleh, 2016).
62% of consumers are more willing to shop online if they are able to return an item to a
physical location. 58% of customers want a hassle-free return policy that consists of "no
questions asked," and 47% want a return label that is simple to print out (Saleh, 2016). Along
with this, it can be seen that some organizations are decreasing their practices of processing
returns to increase the profitability. Several channel operations in the return process are
created along with some customer behavior. Delivery with top-quality profitability and
customer service is taken as a great solution within the practices of processing returns.
1.2.2 Questions of Research
To meet the research goal can be very easier by improving different questions of the research.
These questions will support researcher to meet the research's specific goal as well as satisfy
the research objective.
1. What are the positive outcomes of practices of return in a reverse logistic ?
2. What are the reasons behind the increasing number of returns in the retail and ecommerce
sector?
3. What are some challenges which are faced by the practices of processing Returns?
4. What are the benefits and advantages in reverse logistics processing return practices?
1.2.3 Aims and Objectives
The research is mainly aimed at a "leading with the greater profitability in the organization".
In form of a meeting the research's aim, some important objectives have been created by the
research, which are given below:
1. To find out the positive outcomes of practices of return in a reverse logistic ?
2. To illustrate the reasons behind the increasing number of returns in the retail and
ecommerce sector?
3. To identify the major challenges which are faced by the practices of processing Returns?
4. To explain the benefits and advantages in reverse logistics processing return practices?
Along with this, the main objective of this report is to give a great processing returns
practices in the UK in the logistics of revenue. Some of the return’s handlings are highly
confirmed with transport or storage issues. This research will also provide a great knowledge
about the logistics of revenue. In addition, speed and visibility are taken as two different
factors, which have been properly analyzed in a practice of processing returns in the United
Kingdom.
1.2.4 Research Scope
The condition has been properly identified within the processing practices and returns
statement. In addition, the practices of processing returns in the United Kingdom may work
with some conduct of the research. This will highlight different solutions to the issues created
in the processing returns practices in the United Kingdom through managing the reverse
logistic.
The main issue is an inability to properly understand the returns rationale and high cost of
reverse logistic are taken as a general issue. Effectiveness in managing returns and inventory
management with the fraud and reviews are some common ways which can make the
organization build along with the procedure of return. some researches have to be shown
appropriately with the practices of processing returns in a reverse logistic. Apart from this,
the reverse logistics basically includes different strategies related to implementation and
planning for some losses which are related to the returns of the product and deducting the
cost.
Some factors that appear to be critical issues are supporting the business and increasing the
processing returns productivity in the United Kingdom. Most of the strategies of innovation
have the mission of innovation which is created with some detailed plan to make a new value.
Some critical issues are now becoming integrated deeply with the process of the management
of return as well as the reverse logistics in the multiple enterprises and modalities series. The
process of determining recycling raw material's cost-effectiveness with the management of
processing is considered very complex returns.
CHAPTER – 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
A literature review is a study or a survey that is both a product and a process. As a process, it
includes searching for some important information which is related to the topic, providing
information to the person with a correct research as well as identifying gaps and issues in a
research. In some of cases if the person is looking to identify important arguments which are
relevant to the topic. This helps in identifying some developments in a study field, learning
about some sources of information and the methodologies of research, validating the research
project's originality, and more. Along with this, the literature review includes a critical
evaluation and important information on the topic and the material.

2.2 Theoretical Perspective & Conceptual Framework

The theory of financial incentives has discussed popularly the applications of the returns
which can be made with a facility of recovery in the network design of reverse Logistics.
Lastly, most major properties have a great optimal solution along with the practices of
processing returns in the United Kingdom. Therefore, most of the process of reverse logistics
includes the management of the returns as well as the surplus of materials and goods.

Improvements in the theory of demand and supply are binding within the transportation price
within a constant supply. The importance of matching supply and demand is determining
perfect relations in the goods and services available in a market. The cost of the goods,
advertisement, and income are manufacturers which completely depends on the demand for
different goods. Some of the effects of positive access are better results with additional
employment and Investments. Checked, locked, and received can provide particular handling
returns along with all the given items. What properly has been searched from previous
research is covered in the chapter. Along with this in this over all research, the last research
from the articles, journals, and reports has been properly analyzed. A relevant and collected
journals have been properly analyzed from the last work along with a theme of the research
background. This chapter and research are being analyzed in such a way as to enable it to
meet some demands of the definite research. In addition, this chapter also has provided the
perspective of theory on the topic of this research. Therefore, it may be ensured here that all
the information and details are selected from authentic and reliable sources.
2.3 The Effective Online Returns Practices and Management Importance
The return policies or return management is perfectly defined as a process of retail logistics
operation that is highly catalyzed by the consumers to decide that all of they no longer need
or want a product as well as want to give it back. Therefore, this can be either in exchange of
the product for the refund of the full amount, in the emerging trend there is 'no return returns',
a similar product, and the same product's variation the online platform rights of return -
situations in which this is financially unconstitutional for the consumer to return an item to a
retailer as well as the retailer provides their consumer complete refund easily allowing them
to do because they please along with their products or items, which is completely damaged,
no longer required or needed, and unsuitable.

Once a customer decides that all of them does not require or want any product, or does not
have an order simply that all of them ordered, a parcel is returned with the consumer
contacting the team of customer service of the retailer, all begins by login into an online store
to properly complete a request of Return. Thereafter, the consumer will select a convenient
location for the local Returns. In this situation, the service of partial return can be sent back
and booked to the retailer as well as to the outsourced center of fulfillment. Once the mail
items, packets, or parcels are returned to the warehouse, the quality check of the product is
carried out by the pack and pick items. Depending on the condition of the returned products
or items, they will either be refurbished, restocked, or in a situation of the recycled "reverse
logistics".

The research also found that most, so many customers around 66 percent returned so many
items because all of them didn't properly fit. In addition, around 39 percent of the 1,000
customers interviewed were returned because all the items or products were "not as properly
described". Along with this, 36% of all the respondents who purchased online had returned
all the products becoming the products or items look so much different in reality.

There is another reason for returning all products is a "serial returner", which customers
discover retailers are either ordering a lot or returning a lot, as well as in some cases wearing
out before returning the products. Back in the year 2019 some of the main retailers decided to
properly adjust its policy of return to crack down on the serial returners. At a Whistl all the
individuals wanted to properly know that what the people thought about all the changes
which are proposed by companies and whether all of them will affect the sentiments towards
all retailers. Along with this, 76% of the survey respondents supported highly this overall
policy. But, in all only 8% of the customers is not agreed with all some of the changes which
enhance to around 60% as they pertained specifically to all the shoppers.

The last factor that determines the return rates of online purchasing is, fraud, most
surprisingly: research by the National Retail Federation basically found that of around 0.4
trillion dollars in a Merchandise as a returned to the United States retailers in the year 2020,
around 5.9% were highly fraudulent.

2.4 Current situation of the online returns in the UK

Last year the online purchases of around 8.1% were returned and refunded, so it can break or
make the profitability of the business. Therefore, research from a Circular Board has found
that 54% of the online Shoppers in the UK return their products of purchase regularly. Along
with this, a similar study found that 32% occasionally return their belongings or items. This
means that approximately 9 of the 10 Shoppers will properly deal with the return policy of
the sailors at the same point, which includes an additional unreasonable proportion of the
people who rarely or do not much return their products.

As this concluded, why not make some returns as soon as possible, it can impact the
experience of all the online users, the lifetime value of the customer, and conversion rates.

Along with this, reverse logistics and return practices of Management are different from each
other. The return practices basically include the products collected from all customers,
delivery to full film and center and to all retailers as well as restocking the product or items.

On the other side, Reverse logistics is a huge term which can include different services like
product disposal, and recycling programs, as well as in the example of all wholesalers who
can sell on the term of credit, and the recovery of assets. Deeply embedded in the supply
chain of retailers, the reverse logistics highly monitor different variables like the returned
item's proportion that may be manufactured again.

As with the returns of online products, the reverse Logistics mainly requires the accurate
management of inventory to manage all the items which are returned, the level of stock, as
well as status of all the products which are returned. While the return of online products
typically prioritizes the experience of fractional customers, fast stock profit, and
replenishment, the reverse logistics in the United Kingdom can be very easily optimized or
adopted to reduce the carbon footprint of the business.

Here are some examples of the reverse logistics, including

 Recycling all products to make an alternative product.
 Refurbishing all damaged products or items so that they can easily be sold again ( or to do
so by sending back all of them to the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer)).
 Returning the products and packaging materials to all manufacturers to use it again in the
inborn Logistics, like thanks to increasing the demand for a sustainable packaging as well
as regulations of the government encouraging the innovations of eco-friendly packaging,
the market of returnable packaging is estimated at around 170.44 billion dollars by the
year 2013 will be of value.
 Reworking and collecting all unsold items from the brick-and-mortar stores.

Figure 2.1 : Reverse Logistics Activities in the Return Practices in UK

(SOURCE: https://www.pinterest.com/circulareconomyasia/reverse-logistics/)

Effective written policy's value

The study by the researcher, the post-purchase experience platform of customers, found that
96% of all the online Shoppers will return the items to a business that gives a frictionless, the
return policy which is free from hassle, as well as 62% will repurchase from the retailers who
give a free return.

Some actionable tips for helping the business to minimize returns as well as make at a very
competitive advantage:
To make sure that the business is achieving the best practices of online returns it will be
prudent and perfect for the online merchants to:

 Profile your consumer to properly identify all serial returns as well as customize the
policy of return with the limits of return.
 Make a clear and perfect multi-channel policy of returns that keeps the customers coming
back for more products but prevents some sections from abusing and bad things the
system.
 Make sure the team of a contact center is properly changed to make returns according to
the request of a customer through live chat, telephone, or email. The policy of Return
should be clear, ensuring that employees of call centers never ever have to create and
make some decisions, just apply the right protocols.
 Implement the strategy of multi-career delivery involving the partners of career who have
base competency in tracking and delivery of return.
 Recommend more accurate sizing of the Marketplace and website visitors to reduce
different incidences of returns related to sizing, also considered introducing the
technology of AI-powered-body-measurements to capture the body measurement of the
customer as well as translate them in a recommendation of highly accurate size while
reducing the possibility of a wrong-size return.

2.5 Return Products on a relationship between CLSC (Closed-Loop Supply

Chain) and processing capabilities
The processing efficiency is a major that may be expressed either numerically or statistically
in any process of the production or the product characteristics. Some particular methods of
the statistical measurements to properly identify the capabilities of the process. The closed-
loop supply chain (CLSC) basically means the great supply of every single product return,
whether it is end-of-life or discarded products. This management of a closed-loop supply
chain deals with different forwarded logistics in the background of the company. This process
primarily collects all returned products as well as parts of all the products, whether unused or
used.

The process of a closed loop supply chain also involves recycling or using the waste
materials or returning products to minimize entire waste and save some raw materials. The
relationship between closed-loop supplied Chain and processing capabilities is proportional.
Along with this if there is a maintained and good balance processing capability while the
process of production continues, that product will not be a return subject. The continued
return of the product may be in the gate that the capabilities of the process are bad and it
shows the overuse of the waste materials.

Image 1: Process of Supply Chain in Reverse Logistics

(SOURCE: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221714005633)

The reverse close loop supply chain is a very tough entity, and to properly overcome this
issue, companies must process the capabilities of recovery by rework, refurbishing and
repairing, and remanufacturing all the sites. This also suggests:

a. Capability of recovery positively impacts the product return volume

Companies that highly integrate the operations and strategies functions are so much more
effective in handling the returns of the products. The return’s effectiveness was properly
measured in the form of ability of a firm to handle all returns of their quality, type, timing,
and volume (regardless). The external integration capabilities of the company also impact the
product return volume because the effective system of reverse logistics is very important to
motivate to return of product from customers.

b. The capability of integration positively impacts the product return volume

The capabilities of manufacturing are required to handle the huge variety of the return of
products in the closed-loop supply chain. For instance, the process of production must be able
to properly respond to the product return volume and uncertain timing, as well as be able to
dismantle the products, fulfill demand, recover materials, and coordinate with the
requirement of new materials.

c. Capability of manufacturing positively impacts the product return volume

The researcher identified thirteen different recovery capabilities for the product recovery, also
categorizing them as a perfect routine, revenue, or technical improvement. The capability of
routine recovery refers to the ability of form to influence all of its institutional structure by
selling as well as its impact on the future and present legislation.

2.6 Reverse Logistic's New Perspective

At a huge level, the work's second stream properly deals with the level problems of the
supply chain related to management and design of the network reverse Logistics. Like a
forward network of distribution, in the system of reverse logistics, it can be found that
functional, information, and incentive coordination issues which result from a pursuing
optimal decisions (locally) by the members of the supply chain. the challenges and issues of
inducing the supply chain solution (optimal) while preserving a decentralized decision-
making need a deep understanding related to the three types of flows in the reverse Logistics.
These are as follows:

Financial Flows, include the buy-back clauses, end-of-use costs, and other disposal costs.
While also pricing for an original product or item is basically straightforward (relatively),
designing that contract which specifies different situations under which a product or item will
be taken back after using it is more tough and challenging, as a product quality is unknown as
well as more difficult to see and observe.

Material flows are highly impacted by the place, time, and quantity of the returns, and also
their potential of reuse products, which mostly can only be properly assessed after the
disassembly of the product.

Information flows, it is crucial to minimize the uncertainty in reusability and timing of the
product which is return, and also the time which the product completely spends in a market,
and more.
2.7 Insights on the Pricing Decision Coordination through the Reverse
Channels
This research shows that a reverse channel in the CLSC can be utilized as the new tool of
coordination by manufacturers to get a coordinator performance of the channel in the
decentralized setting.

The literature on operation has often focused on the control of production, the network
design, and the inventory management with a reverse and forward flows. In this pricing is not
considered typically. Therefore, the segmentation of the market with a remanufactured and
new products, but mainly assumes that the technology is determined exogenously. The
research contribution of the researcher named Debo is to properly address the joint
technology selection as well as the segmentation of market in the remanufacturing context,
and also to develop the result of insightful structure.

2.7.1 The Model

A choice of Technology in this is basically modeled by the means of c n (q), which are the
costs of the unit production of all new products and items as the main function of q ϵ [0,1],
which is a utilized products fraction that is basically remanufacturable. In this, q is mainly
referred to a remanufacturability level as well as it is the manufacturer’s strategic decision
variable. Cn(q) is basically assumed to properly be the convex as well as twice differentiable
in a continuous form. The manufacturing cost of all remanufactured products of all utilized
products is cr.

Even every single customer is highly characterized with the parameter of, Ɵ ϵ [0,1], which is
mainly its willingness to but all new products. Therefore, it can be seen that willingness-to-
pay for all new products or items is highly distributed on [0,1], on the basis of F function,
where the F(Ɵ) shows the consumer type’s volume in [0, Ɵ] as well as it is the continuous
and strictly increasing function with F(0) = 0 and F (1) = 1. The consumer type’s willingness-
to-pay Ɵ for all the remanufactured products is (1 – δ) Ɵ, with δ remanufactured product’s
perceived depreciation. pr and pn denotes the remanufactured and new products or items,
respectively. A net utilization that the customer of a type Ɵ takes from purchasing a very new
product, as well as the remanufactured product, also, no product or item are properly denoted
with Ɵ – pn, (1 – δ) Ɵ – pr, as well as 0, respectively. Therefore, the goal of manufacturer is to
increase the average profit in the infinite time horizon through setting the level of
remanufacturing, {pt = (pn,t,pr,t) t ≥ 1}. The remanufacturability’s constant level in all the
periods and time is mainly assumed since this is the selection of initial technology which
determines the value for a some time period.

Along with this, it is so much easy to properly show and determine that in any time the value
of t, customers with the willingness to pay for all the new products or items between

as well as 1 will consider to purchase a new item or product, while all customers

between and will selected to purchase the products which are

remanufactured.

Therefore, the period of result t demands the new and remanufactured product’s volume are

and respectively. Also, as no more

products which are remanufactured can be completely sold in every single period than all
remanufacturable product’s available supply, there is a constraint: .
Initially, no utilized products or items are available; pr, 0 = (1 – δ)pn,0 or r0 = 0. In every single
period, the prices of the products are completely set such that the demand is non-negative;

. The infinite-horizon average-profit increase issues of the

manufacturers are:

This summarizes the main issues and insights that may be properly obtained from the overall
model.

2.8 Requirement of actual and potential investment in the Processing

Return's functional areas
In a background of the company's products, the investors were made potential investments to
meet the quantity and quality target of that selected and particular product. Therefore, the
potential investors have a very great role in the return process as they considered potential
changes through borrowing critical information as well as factors to enhance the ability of the
product to meet the producer's or manufacturer's satisfaction levels. Actual or real investment
is basically an investment of raw materials and money. Also, the actual investment includes
some investment in manual labor, automation, and machinery. This type of investment of
money has been basically created to mitigate all issues like the shortage of digital equipment,
machines, and some other raw materials. In the management of a business, a liquidity can
manage and organize every single thing. Therefore, this kind of investment has mainly been
properly done in a cash. By obtaining this kind of investment for the company, all of them
can manage the recycling and Returns of all those products or items.

2.9 Increment of Profit in the Reverse Logistics on the basis of Processing

Returns
2.9.1 Process of quality control
The reverse Logistics is sometimes a huge matter of the improvement which can be made
possible by developing the production process and skills of that particular product. First, the
flows must be properly identified, as well as they have to be rectified in a particular method
according to the needs. Also, this will support the entire company to achieve the satisfaction
of customers by providing perfect quality.

2.9.2 Focus on the experience of customers

To optimize the reverse Logistics, the organization must meet the customer's expectations.
They are required to properly focus on the requirements and their experience, like tracking
refunds and updates, when processing Reverse Logistics. Through maintaining this kind of a
clarity in the reverse Logistics, an organization can make consumers patient while the entire
process is organized.

2.9.3 A transparent policy of Return

Maintaining the transparency in the policy of Return is a perfect way to develop the
experience of a customer, which will affect directly the company's profit rate. Maintaining
and handling the transparency in the policy of Return means and ability period for a return,
the policy of refund for the return as well as other potential buyers to get a huge idea about
what to properly expect from company. Also, this will support all of them to properly
maintain a great image.
2.10 Processing return practice's impact on financial performance
Any company's financial performance completely depends on different factors of the
particular company or project. All these factors of return practices can be a basic like
availability, pricing, quality product, and some important things like the country's social
economic condition, customer range, and psychology, as well as the involvement of politics
in that particular company. There are mainly two different types of factors which have a huge
impact on financial performance of the company, and they are external and internal factors.
In internal affairs, the return practices in the UK play a very big role in that company's
financial performance. Consistent returns from all the consumers can impact highly the brand
image, which will affect its a rate of profit indirectly. Returns of different products can lead
to the inventory shortage which can create a bottleneck in the system of production. Also, this
increases of wasting everywhere.

2.10.1 Supply chain Logistic Optimisation

The optimization of supply and Logistic chain is basically a process of assuming the demand
of inventory in the coming future context. Therefore, this process of logistics optimization
has been properly worked out using various statistical software as well as some suitable
analysis. This process of Optimisation uses the data of customer demand which has been
correctly recorded in a past. In a reverse logistics situation, there have been some changes in
the process of supply chain. The company also proceeds using a similar management team of
supply chain with slight modifications to that process. They mainly use the reverse of the
same process. This time all of them have included a returned product as well as its part
checking from the customer's point of view.

2.11 Literature Gap

The chain of supply is developed in a collaboration with various teams that properly work
between the process of manufacturing and final supply to all consumers as the process ranges
from the suppliers of raw materials to retailers, also sometimes even third-party vendors.
They also work collaboratively between different teams as well as the process of the work is
a complaint by the supply's systematic process. The supply chain of any company consists of
many teams so the collaboration between all of them is a very important matter. In most of
the cases, some complications have comes up in the process of collaborative work. This type
of complexity in the collaboration has province to be a difference for any kind of company
when dealing with the reverse Logistics.
CHAPTER – 3: METHODOLOGY
This chapter includes different methods have done for the overall research. This will show
what and how the paper research is done and created to properly explain about the topic.

3.1 Philosophy of Research

This paper of research basically follows the interpretivism philosophy. Therefore the
philosophy has been among the research papers and journals to examine different thesis work
and issues for the overall paper. Along with this, there are different types of the research
philosophy, including interpretationism, positivism, and realism. All this guide the main
researcher in the investigation of the issues related to the philosophy research papers. Since
this research deals with the work of research and the paper in the quantitative aspect,
however, this paper mainly follows the interpretivism research philosophy.

Image : Quantitative Research Method

(SOURCE: https://resources.pollfish.com/tag/quantitative-research/)

The interpretivism research philosophy basically depends on different theories which shows
that the performance of the researcher in the research has a particular role to observe a social
world. It includes different elements of the overall study. This uses the method of quantitative
research which focuses on the motivation, beliefs, and reasoning of the individuals over the
qualitative data.

3.2 Approach of research

The approach of the research is that part of any paper or research that supports them to collect
all the information as well as select them based on their relevance to the objective of the
research and topic of the research. Along with this, different type of research approaches
includes deductive Research and inductive research approach. This paper follows a deductive
research approach because this research uses different principles and theories to explain
conclusive evidence. The Detective research approach is basically concerned with the
developing hypothesis that depends on existing theory as well as designing the strategy of
research to properly test hypothesis. it measures the entire concept quantitatively as well as
explains a casual connection between the variable and concept. So,

In the literature review part, this study shows different theories and principles, which
completely show both the negative and positive sides of reverse logistics in the return
practices in the UK. It supports understanding whether reverse logistics is profitable for the
company or not.

3.3 Design of Research

The design of research is basically a perfect guide which supports researcher to conduct the
paper of research in a systematic and proper manner. They are different types of the Research
designs including Descriptive, Explanatory, and Exploratory Research designs.

We follow the descriptive Research Design for this paper to properly and systematically
shows the overall research on the topic. As this research paper follows the interpretationist
research philosophy as well as considers the topics evaluations matter covers entire results of
the research. The closed-loop supply chain is the main base of reverse logistics which shows
the returned product process. The product came back to the original manufacturer, who will
distribute and sell it again to recover the overall value and charges.
 Image : Descriptive Research Method

(SOURCE: https://www.questionpro.com/blog/descriptive-research/)

3.4 Strategy of Research

Strategy of a research is basically a process through which the research completions
implication will be successful. To meet all the goals of the research as well as all objectives
of this research, we collected the overall data from different sources like online articles,
journals, books, and some other sources in a secondary form.

Different kinds of themes a topic will be created that are correct for the objective of the
research. Subject-wise data has been collected and analyzed using different principles and
theories.

Theory of the closed loop supply chain management is very supported to explain about the
returned products to the original manufacturer. The connection of the closed-loop supply
chain with the reverse logistics will show the model of pricing products after return process.

3.5 Data types and data sources

The sources of data are those from which the researcher properly collects some of the
statistical reports, theories, and information. Also, this may include the gathered data or
research data of someone else. There are two different types of the sources of data and on the
basis of that type of data are also divided into different parts. The sources of data are
secondary and primary as well as quantitative and qualitative are the types of data. In this
paper, we collect the entire data and we research from different sources which we can call it
secondary sources like online articles and general as well as use the qualitative data like
relevant topics.

3.6 Procedure of Data Collection

The process of Data Collection is mainly based on the type of data and sources of data that
have been selected for this research paper. Secondary data supports gathering the entire
information systematically. Also, it helps to learn about the overall Research and topic from
the base.

In this research, at first, we get to know about the basic information of Return practices in the
UK and then we learn about the role of the reverse Logistic in Return practices.
As this overall research uses the secondary qualitative data to analyze in collect entire data,
the purpose of this paper is to create a relevant topic that will highly support to identification
and meeting of the objectives of the research. Information also has been collected from
secondary sources data as well as analyzed with a great relevance.

3.7 Result presentation and proposed analysis

Since the purpose of this research paper is two properly conduct the research through
analyzing a secondary qualitative data, along with the relevant topics which have to be
created on made for research. They will share equal relevance along with the objectives of the
research when creating the topics that require to be taken into an account or in the mind. On
the basis of all those objectives, all those subjects have to be searched. Since this paper is
completely dealing with the reverse Logistics of Return practices in the United Kingdom, it
requests to create some topics which highly impact or are concerned with the reverse logistics
in the UK. All those topics are themes are to be properly analyzed by the information and
theories gathered from all the secondary sources. The results of the overall research will be
publicly concluded through analysis of the aggregated data. The outcome of the topic (reverse
logistics in return practices in the UK) will be created or established through presenting all
findings as well as critically analyzing them through different images, tables, and more.

3.8 Ethical consideration

The research paper request to follow certain appropriate ethics, protocols, and rules. Also,
this paper of research follows the similar one. Since it is the secondary work of the research
all of them should have to properly maintained some of the ethics in emphasizing the data
previously used.

In this research all the information, figures, and data required to be quoted (cited) properly
and systematically. To utilize the collected data from someone else, this research will utilize
an appropriate context or reference. The original researcher's name will be given in the
reference list. The reference list will show that from where we collect the overall data for this
research.

3.9 Ethical issues

Since this overall research is completely dealing with different matters of the processing of
return practices in the UK, some problems have been highly found in the context of which are
ethically wrong. The knowledge cap of the customer is basically one of them as well as it is
probably the biggest. This gap of knowledge should be completed or filled through the
organization or company, that is properly managing the process of Return. Also, changing the
expectation of customers on the part of the company or organization is also wrong ethically.

On the other side, the scaling operations in the research have been carried out through the
companies to properly meet the increasing demand, this is basically another problem which
can be found in the process of return in the United Kingdom (in reverse logistics).
CHAPTER – 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
References
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Pandemic Curse. Available at: https://www.retailresearch.org/online-retail.html (Accessed on
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Saleh, K., 2016. E-commerce Product Return Rate – Statistics and Trends [Infographic].
Available at: https://www.invespcro.com/blog/ecommerce-product-return-rate-statistics/
(Accessed on 20th Oct 2022)
Statista, 2022. How Common Are Online Returns?. Available at:
https://www.statista.com/chart/27584/how-common-are-online-returns-gcs/ (Accessed On:
20th Oct 2022)
Zhang, D., Frei, R., Senyo, P.K., Bayer, S., Gerding, E., Wills, G. and Beck, A., 2022.
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