FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 7, 2026

Reverse Logistics Network Launches as the Unified Professional Home for the Reverse Logistics Industry

A new independent network gives reverse logistics professionals a stable, community-driven home for the long term.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT -- U.S. retailers absorbed an estimated $706 billion in merchandise returns in 2025, with $100 billion lost to return fraud and abuse, according to Appriss Retail. But returns are only one part of a much larger system: the global reverse logistics market is estimated at $860.4 billion in 2025, reflecting the rapidly expanding role of returns management, refurbishment, recommerce, recycling, and end-of-life processing across industries. (Research and Markets) Behind these numbers is an operational reality that has grown more complex, more expensive, and more strategically important with every passing year. Across every category — apparel, electronics, appliances, furniture — the true cost of processing a single return often runs three to four times the value of the refund itself.

For the professionals managing that flow every day — triaging returns, recovering value, routing product to repair or resale or recycling — institutional support has been fragile and fragmented. That changes today.

The Reverse Logistics Network (RLN) launches as an independent, community-driven professional forum purpose-built for the reverse supply chain. Spanning returns management, asset recovery, repair and refurbishment, resale and recommerce, and recycling and end-of-life processing, RLN offers a single, stable place where every part of the discipline is represented — and where the people doing the work set the agenda.

"Reverse logistics has become one of the most strategically important disciplines in the supply chain. When the RLA was dissolved, it left thousands of practitioners without a professional home at a pivotal moment— just as return volumes, fraud losses, and regulatory pressure were accelerating. We built the Reverse Logistics Network to fill that gap: an institution that puts practitioners first, covers the full discipline from returns and excess inventory through recycling, and is built to last."

— Jeremy Vick, President and Co-Founder, Reverse Logistics Network

Built for the Discipline. Built to Last.

RLN is structured for independence and longevity. Its governance, content, and community are organized around practitioners — not the vendors who sell to them. That structural commitment shapes who gets a platform, how research is produced, what sponsorship looks like, and how decisions get made.

Membership spans a ladder of engagement — from community access to deep institutional partnership — giving individuals and organizations a way to participate at the level that fits their needs and grow within the network over time. The founding member program is now open. Those who join at launch shape the network from the ground up: its priorities, its content, its standards, and its direction.

Founding Members Speak

"The reverse logistics industry has reached a point where stronger connection and shared dialogue can unlock even greater impact. From a manufacturer perspective, I have seen the value that comes from leadership, common frameworks, and collaboration across the ecosystem. The Reverse Logistics Network is well positioned to bring that community together and strengthen how we learn, align, and move forward as an industry. I am proud to support that mission."

— Joyce Cruts, VP Supply Chain & Operations, Acer

"Having been involved in this space since the early days, I'm excited to see the launch of the Reverse Logistics Network. It's an important initiative that will help bring fresh energy, ideas, and connectivity to the industry."

— Paul Rupnow, CEO, BacTracs Reverse Logistics Software

About the Reverse Logistics Network

The Reverse Logistics Network (RLN) is an independent professional forum for the reverse supply chain. RLN serves professionals and organizations across returns management, asset recovery, repair and refurbishment, recommerce, and recycling. Founded in 2026, RLN provides peer community, practitioner-led content, professional development, and industry resources through a community-driven membership model. Learn more at rlnetwork.com.

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Media Contact

Jeremy Vick | Reverse Logistics Network
jeremy@rlnetwork.com
801-709-3409
rlnetwork.com