Current Reverse Logistics Practices And The Value-added Effect: A Survey in Electronic Industry in China

Abstract

The extant research on reverse logistics has primarily focused on reverse logistics channels and final disposition options, leaving important issues involving types of returns, reasons for returns and added-value effect from reverse logistics unaddressed. This exploratory study adds to the literature by investigating the current status of reverse logistics practice and its added-value effect in electronics industry. The survey was conducted by 150 electronic companies in Guangdong of China, providing detailed information on types and reasons of returns, reverse logistics channels, final disposition options and the added value from reverse logistics. Results indicate that although reverse logistics does bring added value to companies, especially to the growth and development of company, there still exist some problems in managing the returns. Some suggestions concerning how to improve the efficiency of reverse logistics are proposed.