Streamlining Reverse Logistics through IoT driven Warehouse Management System

Retail business has evolved rapidly from e-commerce to adopting an Omni-channel business model. In order to sustain and flourish, the retailer is compelled to adopt a customer-centric supply chain approach, which is a catalyst to streamlining the return management process being a strategic priority. The process of managing the return of goods (Reverse logistics) is critical for the company, yet the most undermanaged business function. From the operational process, prospective warehouse management and 3PL (third party logistics party) play a crucial role in managing RL (Reverse Logistics) process. In the entire process, the WMS (Warehouse management system) is the core system managing the storage of incoming goods, and the system itself should be interface and collaborate. However, practically, the return management process lacks system integration with the collaborative partners leading to delay, high inventory, and low customer satisfaction. The research aims to analyze the current challenges in the reverse logistics (RL) management and suggest a conceptual framework to integrate the WMS by adopting technologies like - IoT and RFID to provide seamless visibility, monitoring, and control across the supply chain.